VALLEY OF THE KINGS

Across from Luxor, on the west bank of the Nile, the Theban necropolis, with its pyramid-shaped mountains, houses major archaeological sites, including the famous Valley of the Kings.

In the heart of the Valley of the Kings, there are no spectacular temples, just barren mountains and piles of rocks.

The tombs were designed to be discreet, in order to deter looters.

Yet, in 150 years of excavations, more than sixty tombs have been discovered by explorers and archaeologists from all over the world.

From the outside, you can only see a small and discreet tomb entrance...

But inside... breathtaking galleries, richly decorated, stretch over 330 feet (100 meters), like this one in the tomb of Pharaoh Seti II.

At the end of the tunnel, after several decoys, lies the sacred tomb of Pharaoh Seti II.

In another tomb lies the imposing sarcophagus of Ramses VI.

But the most spectacular tomb is undoubtedly that of Thutmose III.

Like a spaceship traveling through time, its magnificent red sandstone sarcophagus has survived the millennia under a starry sky painted on the ceiling.

Two kilometers (1.2 miles) from the Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queens housed the tombs of queens as well as those of princes.

Here, the tombs may be less spectacular in size, but the preservation of some painted bas-reliefs is remarkable!

It is hard to imagine that these paintings are over 3,000 years old!

Like this one, depicting Anubis.

As I was leaving a tomb in the Valley of the Queens, I came across a touching scene...

...wild puppies being fed by their mother!

All photos of Valley of the Kings © 2002 by Richard Soberka