The Valley of the Kings

The Valley of the Kings

The Valley of the Kings is the name for the dry river valley across the river from the ancient city of Thebes, which is now called Luxor. This is where the kings of Egypt’s wealthy New Kingdom (around 1550–1069 BC) were buried.

Some members of the royal family who aren’t royalty are buried here, and so are some people who aren’t royal but were very important people in their own right. The Kingdom of the Kings has both the East Valley and the West Valley. Only a few graves can be found in the western valley, making the eastern one the more well-known. The number of tombs in the Valley of the Kings is 120, which is the number of graves that aren’t finished.

Location of The Valley of the Kings

The spot for this royal cemetery was carefully chosen. It is especially important that it is on the western side of the Nile.

Because the sun god died on the western horizon and came back to life on the eastern horizon. The west became associated with death and burial. Because of this, most of the ancient Egyptian graves were on the western side of the Nile.

The reason for building the Valley of the Kings

The powerful leaders of the New Kingdom were laid to rest under the shadow of a pyramid-shaped peak. That rose from the rocks around the valley. Even where the royal graves were put and how the valley where they were found was chosen were not left to chance. The pyramid was a sign of rebirth and life that never ends, and people thought that a natural pyramid was a sign from the gods. “Mistress of the West,” Hathor was associated with death in this area and on this mountain.

Reason for choosing the site

Because it was remote, this valley was selected as Pharaoh’s ultimate resting place. Tomb robberies have occurred in the past, not just recently. Egyptians decided to bury their dead in subterranean tombs in a secluded desert valley because they understood what would happen to the Old and Middle Kingdoms’ pyramids.

Thutmose I, the third pharaoh of Egypt’s Eighteenth Dynasty, reigned from around 1504 to 1492 BC. He was the first New Kingdom monarch to be interred in the Valley of the Kings. One of his most valued advisers was Ineni, who was in charge of excavating the king’s tomb. He claims to have done it “in private; no one saw or heard.”

Another reason

Egyptians built tombs because they believed in a life after death and wanted to get ready for it. Ancient Egyptians had a strong belief in the afterlife, where they were sure to live. And where the pharaohs would be with the gods. In order for the dead person’s immortal soul to come back to life in the afterlife. Mummification was necessary to keep them alive. Ancient people thought that the dead would need their things in the afterlife, so they kept all of them in their tombs.

Most tombs had a variety of food and drinks. Like wine and beer, as well as valuable items that people thought would help the souls of the dead move on to the afterlife. The pharaoh was buried with all of his closest friends and most trusted servants.