Beginning in about 1550 B.C., Egypt’s pharaohs realized that interring their remains and a portion of their wealth in pyramids merely pointed out to grave robbers were they should search for loot. Instead they began hiding their tombs in a dry valley west of Luxor. Since our riverboat was docked on the east bank of the Nile, we boarded a small tourist board for a quick passage to the west bank. Heba assured us that this would be quicker than taking a bus down to the nearest bridge and back. Plus, we got to avail ourselves of another form of Egyptian transportation – the river boat.
Our ticket to the Valley of the Kings entitled us to visit three tombs, plus we had a separate ticket to see the tomb of King Tutankhamen. Although there are over 60 tombs in the Valley of the Kings, not all of them are open. Also, officials at the Egyptian Antiquities Service feel that too many tourists would breathe too much water vapor into the otherwise-dry tombs, spoiling the art work and other details inside. So, we were limited to three tombs plus King Tut’s.
Our first tomb was Ramses III, then we visited the tomb of the female Pharaoh, Tausert/Setmakht, then the tomb of Ramses IV, and finally, that of Tutankhamen. In the ancient Egyptian religion, stars are believed to be the dead ancestors of the Pharaoh. In each of the first three tombs, the passage leading to the burial chamber was painted blue on the ceiling, and five-pointed asterisks represented the stars. (We were not allowed to take photographs; I will post an image of stars from the Temple of Hatshepsut.)
The effect is beautiful even to this day. There were many images of the pharaoh approaching Ra-Harakthy to profess his or her worthiness to enter the divine realm. Pharaoh Tausert/Setmakht had a harpist’s chamber off her main passageway, with a harpist painted on two walls. Reportedly, a harp was found inside. Cameras were not allowed, so we were unable to take photographs of any of the tombs.
King Tut’s tomb was a bit of a disappointment, although it feels good just to say that we have been there. Tutankhamen died an early death, so a proper royal tomb had not yet been prepared. He was buried in his scribe’s tomb, which is much smaller in scale than a typical royal tomb in the Valley of the Kings. However, his tomb is the only one with the mummy still inside, although many of its linens have been removed and the skin is blackened. Also, we had just seen many of the artifacts from his tomb in the Egyptian Antiquities Museum in Cairo. Inside the chamber is one of the gilded wooden coffins in which Tut’s mummy rested for thousands of years before it was discovered by Howard Carter in 1923.
Some people call the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut the finest piece of architecture on earth because of its harmony with its surroundings. Fodor’s calls the 18th-dynasty pharaoh the most important woman to rule Egypt as a Pharaoh. I’m sure Fodor’s is correct, although Cleopatra is certainly more famous today. She was first a regent for her step-son, Thutmose III, then pushed him aside to rule in her own right. After she died, Thutmose came back to power. Apparently he held a grudge, because he had some of her images and cartouches chiseled out and, in some cases, replaced with his own.
The pillars on the third level of the temple once had statues of Hatshepsut in front of them; about a half dozen remain. Hatshepsut sent a trading expedition to Punt (believed to be modern Somalia) that returned with incense. This expedition is illustrated in the carvings outside the temple. In sheltered areas, much of the color remains, including the starry ceiling and beautiful vultures, the protector bird of southern Egypt. 
On the other side of the temple there are columns into whose capitals are carved the face of the god Hathor as a woman with cow’s ears. At the base of the ramp leading to the temple’s third (top) floor is a restored statue of Horus as a falcon. Some of us went up the long ramp to the third floor, while others went downhill to the snack shop. I managed to do both. Those who just did the snack shop did not miss much and got to drink Egyptian pop. Green apple was the flavor that Abby chose.
On the other side of the temple there are columns into whose capitals are carved the face of the god Hathor as a woman with cow’s ears. At the base of the ramp leading to the temple’s third (top) floor is a restored statue of Horus as a falcon. Some of us went up the long ramp to the third floor, while others went downhill to the snack shop. I managed to do both. Those who just did the snack shop did not miss much and got to drink Egyptian pop. Green apple was the flavor that Abby chose.
We stopped at an alabaster “factory” where the traditional method of making translucent alabaster vases was demonstrated. A traditional Egyptian mural on the wall was painted by Tayeb the “Picasso of Qurna” in 2009. We bought a couple of alabaster pieces and admired the many types of stone carving, some of them from a greenish stone that glowed in the dark.
Our last stop of the day was the Medinet Habu Temple, the mortuary temple of Ramses III, who lived a century after Ramses II, and admired him very much. Ramses III led successful campaigns against the Libyans and the Sea Peoples, strengthening and expanding the borders of Egypt. The gate of the temple copies a Syrian style of the time, with two windows above a massive doorway. Inside the gate, Abby spotted a relief of two Egyptians holding hands, and asked Heba to take our picture under it.
The carvings in sheltered areas still had much of their color. The vulture – protector bird of Upper Egypt – was displayed in several locations.
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