Valley of the Kings
The Valley of the Kings (Arabic: وادي الملوك <span title="Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Language/data/ISO 639 override' not found. transliteration" class="Unicode" style="white-space:normal; text-decoration: none">Wādī al Mulūk) is a valley in Egypt. From the 16th to 11th centuries BC, tombs were built there for the Pharaohs and powerful nobles.[1][2]
The valley is on the west bank of the Nile across from Luxor.[3] Some of the people buried there are:
The valley is one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world. In 1979 it became a World Heritage Site, with the rest of the Theban Necropolis.[4] Exploration, excavation and conservation continues in the valley, and a new tourist centre has recently been opened.
Geology and climate
There is little year-round rain in this part of Egypt, but there are rare flash floods that hit the valley. These tons of debris into the open tombs.[5]
Valley Of The Kings Media
The "Sepulchres of the Kings of Thebes", Richard Pococke, 1743
Al-Qurn dominates the valley.
Belzoni's Valley of the Kings
1830: John Gardner Wilkinson's numbering system for the tombs, which remains in use today
Entrance to a royal tomb, drawn in 1821
Entrance to Horemheb's tomb, soon after its discovery in 1908
Detail of decoration from KV2
Pillar in Seti I's tomb
Typical "Bent axis" early Eighteenth Dynasty tomb
References
- ↑ Maspero, Gaston (1913). Manual of Egyptian Archaeology, Sixth English Edition. H. Grevel and Co. p. 182. ISBN 1-4219-4169-4.
- ↑ "Theban Mapping Project". Theban Mapping Project. Retrieved 2006-12-04.
- ↑ Siliotti, Alberto (1997). Guide to the Valley of the Kings. Barnes and Noble. p. 13. ISBN 88-8095-496-2.
- ↑ "Ancient Thebes and its necropolis". UNESCO Work Heritage Sites. Retrieved 2006-12-04.
- ↑ Sampsell, Bonnie M. 2003. A traveler's guide to the geology of Egypt. Cairo: American University Press, p78. ISBN 977-424-785-X
Further reading
- Siliotti, Alberto (1997). Guide to the Valley of the Kings. Barnes and Noble. ISBN 88-8095-496-2. – A good introduction to the valley and surroundings
