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The Valley of the Kings is located on the West Bank of the River Nile, at Ta-Apet (Luxor/Thebes).

Tuthomosis I was the first Pharaoh to have his tomb cut, around 1495 BCE, and was followed by later Kings, over the next 500 years. There are 62 tombs in the valley. Each tomb is numbered in order of its discovery, but only about a dozen tombs are currently open to the public.

Tutankhamen’s tomb is the only one that still includes the mummy. The rest of the mummies are scattered in museums all over the world.

Below, is a list of the major tombs, which can be seen in the Valley of the Kings:

Tomb No: Pharaoh 34 Tuthomosis III 35 Amenhotep(Amenophis) II 62 Tutankhamen 57 Horemheb 16 Ramses I 17 Seti I 11 Ramses III 9 Ramses VI 6 Ramses IX

Sample Tombs

Tomb of Tuthomosis III (No 34) Tuthomosis III (1490–1436 BCE) was one of the first to build his tomb in the Valley of the Kings. The burial chamber is shaped like a cartouche. The roof is supported by two pillars, between which is the King’s empty, red sandstone sarcophagus. The walls are decorated with a complete version of the Book of What is in the Duat. The sequence of passages of the book follow around the wall clockwise.

Tomb of Amenhotep(Amenophis) II (No 35) One of the deepest structures in the valley, Amenhotep II’s (1436–1413 BCE) tomb has more than 90 steps. The walls are decorated with the complete version of the Book of What is in the Duat, with a yellow background, to appear as if it were a papyrus scroll.

Tomb of Tutankhamen (No 62) On 4 November 1922, the tomb of Tutankhamen (1361–1352 BCE) was discovered in the Valley of the Kings, by Howard Carter. Carter struggled for six years, searching the area, because he was convinced the tomb was nearby. Tutankhamen’s tomb is small and for the most part undecorated. Only the small burial chamber is decorated with texts from the Book of Coming Forth by Light (Book of the Dead). The walls here, are covered with fresh-looking paintings, showing the ascension and subsequent reception of Tutankhamen in the afterlife. Only the gold-plated inner-mummy case, with the body of Tut still within it, are on site. The rest of the treasures of the tomb (the second coffin of gilded wood, the solid gold mummy case and the magnificent funerary mask), and other artifacts from the other chambers of the tomb, are all in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

Tomb of Ramses I (No 16) It has the shortest entrance corridor in the valley. It has a single almost square burial chamber, containing the King’s pink granite sarcophagus. Ramses I (1335–1333 BCE) died suddenly. The chamber is the only part of the tomb that is nicely decorated. It is interesting to note the different phases of the work, in the uncompleted corridor. Tomb of Seti I (No 17) Seti I (1333–1304 BCE)’s tomb is the most preserved tomb in the valley. It contains the Litany of Ra portions of the books: What is in the Duat, and the Book of the Gates. It descends over 100m (330ft). The long corridor ends with the burial chamber. Its first section is a pillared hall decorated with texts from the Book of the Gates. The burial chamber originally contained Seti’s alabaster sarcophagus, but that is now in the Soane Museum in London. Tomb of Ramses VI (No 9) The tomb of Ramses VI (1151-1143 BCE) is 80m (260ft) long. The passageway is decorated with the complete texts of the Book of the Caverns, and The Book of What is in the Duat, as well as portions of The Book of Day and Night, and The Book of Aker. Tomb of Ramses IX (No 6) The tomb of Ramses IX (1131-1112 BCE) is similar in content and style to the Tomb of Ramses VI. Likewise, the netert (goddess) Nut is the feature of the ceiling painting, surrounded by sacred barques full of stars.

Moustafa Gadalla