Valley of the Kings Egypt: The Royal Necropolis of the Pharaohs
Hidden within a remote desert valley on the West Bank of Luxor, the Valley of the Kings is one of the most extraordinary places on earth. For nearly 500 years — from approximately 1539 to 1075 BCE — this arid limestone gorge served as the burial ground for Egypt's greatest pharaohs. Beneath its sun-scorched cliffs lie some 63 known royal tombs, each one a subterranean palace of extraordinary art, architecture, and spiritual complexity.
Why This Valley?
The ancient Egyptians chose this specific valley for their royal necropolis with great deliberateness. The valley is dominated by a natural pyramid-shaped peak called al-Qurn ("The Horn"), which rises 300 meters above the valley floor. This peak would have resonated deeply with the pyramid-builders' spiritual worldview, functioning as a natural monument over the royal dead.
The valley's remote location, accessible only through narrow passes, also offered natural security against tomb robbers. The West Bank of the Nile was the traditional "land of the dead" in Egyptian cosmology — the direction of the setting sun — making it the natural location for the pharaoh's passage into the afterlife.
The Tombs: Underground Palaces
Each royal tomb in the Valley of the Kings was a unique architectural and artistic achievement. Cut deep into the limestone bedrock, the tombs followed a general pattern of descending corridors, antechambers, side rooms, and a final burial chamber, but no two tombs are identical. The walls were covered from floor to ceiling in vibrant painted reliefs depicting religious texts — the Amduat, the Book of Gates, the Book of the Dead — that guided the pharaoh's soul through the dangerous underworld (the Duat) to reach eternal life.
Notable tombs include:
- KV62 — Tutankhamun: The most famous tomb in history, discovered nearly intact by Howard Carter in 1922. Though one of the smallest royal tombs, it contained over 5,000 objects including the golden death mask.
- KV17 — Seti I: The longest, deepest, and most beautifully decorated tomb in the valley. Its astronomical ceiling in the burial chamber shows the night sky as the Egyptians understood it.
- KV9 — Ramesses VI: Known for its stunning astronomical ceiling depicting the solar and lunar cycles, and the pharaoh's journey through the night.
- KV2 — Ramesses IV: Contains an ancient tourist graffiti, proving the valley attracted visitors even in antiquity.
- KV35 — Amenhotep II: Served as a cache for royal mummies in the Third Intermediate Period — priests hid mummies here to protect them from tomb robbers.
The Discovery of Tutankhamun's Tomb
On November 4, 1922, British archaeologist Howard Carter and his team, funded by Lord Carnarvon, uncovered a sealed staircase leading to a previously unknown tomb. When Carter made a small hole in the sealed doorway and Lord Carnarvon asked what he could see, Carter famously replied: "Yes, wonderful things."
What he saw was the antechamber of Tutankhamun's tomb — piled with golden chariots, gilded furniture, alabaster vases, and wooden boxes stacked to the ceiling. It was the most complete royal tomb ever found in the Valley of the Kings. The mummy of Tutankhamun himself, still within his golden innermost coffin, was found in the burial chamber, his face covered with the now-iconic golden death mask.
Tomb Robbers and Priestly Caches
Despite the valley's remoteness, almost all the tombs were robbed in antiquity, most of them within a few hundred years of their sealing. Some were looted in the turbulent years of the New Kingdom's decline. Egyptian priests of the 21st Dynasty eventually gathered what remained of the royal mummies and hid them in two secret caches — at Deir el-Bahari and in KV35 — where they lay undiscovered until the 19th century CE.
Valley of the Queens and Workers' Village
Adjacent to the Valley of the Kings is the Valley of the Queens, where royal wives and children were buried. Nearby Deir el-Medina was the purpose-built village of the royal tomb workers — artists, scribes, and craftsmen who spent their working lives creating these underground palaces. Their own tombs, modest but exquisitely painted, provide invaluable insights into daily life in ancient Egypt.
Conservation Challenges
Today, the Valley of the Kings faces serious conservation challenges. The breath, body heat, and humidity of millions of annual visitors cause measurable damage to the painted walls. Several tombs have been permanently closed to protect their fragile art, while high-quality replica tombs — such as the replica of Tutankhamun's tomb — have been created nearby to allow visitors to experience the art without risking further damage.
Visiting the Valley of the Kings
The Valley of the Kings is located on the West Bank of Luxor, accessible by bridge, taxi, or bicycle. The standard ticket allows entry to three tombs. Separate tickets are required for special tombs like those of Seti I and Tutankhamun. Hot air balloon rides over the valley at sunrise offer a spectacular aerial view of this extraordinary necropolis.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Valley of the Kings
How many tombs are in the Valley of the Kings?
63 tombs have been discovered so far, numbered KV1 through KV63. Archaeologists believe more may remain undiscovered.
Can you visit Tutankhamun's tomb?
Yes, KV62 is open to visitors with a special ticket. The mummy of Tutankhamun remains in the tomb; his treasures are now at the Grand Egyptian Museum.
Which Valley of the Kings tomb is most beautiful?
The tomb of Seti I (KV17) is widely considered the most magnificent, with breathtaking painted reliefs covering every surface of its 137-meter-long corridor.