The Valley of the Kings is hidden among hills on the western bank of the Nile near Thebes in Upper Egypt. Here, in tombs cut into the rock beneath a pyramid-shaped peak, are buried the pharaohs of Egypt who ruled during its golden age, the New Kingdom (1550–1070 BC), including Tutankhamun and Ramesses II. The Valley may have been chosen as a burial place because only one narrow gorge led into the valley, which could therefore be fairly easily guarded. Egypt’s rulers wanted to ensure that there would be no more tomb robberies, although those efforts were to prove futile.

Underground tombs

By the time of the New Kingdom, pyramid tombs had gone out of fashion—perhaps they were just too difficult and expensive to build. From now on, the pharaohs would be buried in tombs dug in the ground. The winding Valley of the Kings, near the great city of Thebes, became a favoured royal burial place.

The tombs were carved out of the soft limestone and shale rock by stonecutters. Plasterers, painters and other craftsmen created beautifully ornate interiors. It took years to make and prepare a tomb, which could have many rooms and passages, so the pharaoh usually started having his built as soon as he began his rule.

Inside a tomb

No two tombs were exactly alike, but they all shared a basic plan. Behind the entrance were a series of staircases and descending passageways. Paintings on the walls showed the journey of the sun at night, or, as the Egyptians believed, through the underworld. A well shaft, which acted both as a drain—should the tomb ever be flooded during a rare storm—and as a hindrance to robbers, led vertically down from one of the passageways. Beyond a pair of pillared halls lay the burial chamber itself.