Valley of the Queens

Valley of the Queens • Where is the Valley of the Queens located • What was the Valley of the Queens built for • Protecting the Royal Treasures for the Afterlife • When was the Valley of the Queens built • Visiting the Valley of the Queens • The Tomb of Nefertari The Valley of the Queens which was known as Wadi El-Gamal and translates into Beautiful Place is one of the archaeological Sites in Egypt which dates back to the Era of the Pharaohs and a place where the Queens of the Eighteenth, Nineteenth and Twentieth Dynasties were also buried. Where is the Valley of the Queens Located The Valley is located near the famous Valley of the Kings which lies on the West Bank of the River Nile in Luxor originally known as Thebes in Ancient Egyptian times. The reason for choosing this location is due to the closeness to the Valley of the Kings, in addition to the presence of a Sacred Cave dedicated to the God Hathor, which was believed to by the Ancient Egyptians that the Cave gave the dead another life. What was the Valley of the Queens built for The Valley was built to house the Tombs for the Queens of Ancient Egypt to be buried and the Priests who prayed over them, there are approx.. 91 Tombs in the Valley. Protecting the Royal Treasuresfor the Afterlife. The Ancient Civilization of Egypt held the belief in an Afterlife and if all the protocols were followed then the ones who deserved to would enjoy the Eternal Life. Believing that their belongings would be required to enjoy the Afterlife the Pharaohs and Queens were buried with their treasures including clothing, food and drinks. To keep their Treasures and belongings safe was of the utmost importance so the Valley of the Queens has to be planned how to build the burial site in a guarded way so that it was protected from thieves, therefore keeping the Mummies along with their belongings complete once they arose to the Eternal Life. The plan of action which was used at the Valley of the Queens was nearly the same as the one they used in the construction of the Valley of the Kings, the intention being to hide the entrances of the Tombs so making them a non target. Unfortunately the builders of the Valley of the Queens failed to accomplish protecting the Treasures and the Queens belongings so none of the Tombs were found complete even though some of the decorations remained very well preserved, the Treasures and belongings had all disappeared when the Tombs were discovered in 1904. When was the Valley of the Queens built. The Tomb of Princess Ahmose who was the Daughter of King Seqenence and Queen Sitdjehuti was thought tohave been the first Tombto be constructed in the Valley of the Queens dating to King Thutmose I, the Valley of the Queens provided a burial ground for the period 1292-1075BC in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Dynasties. Visiting the Valley of the Queens When you first view the Valley of the Queens it is not that exciting as there are rocks and stones which are strewn across the site, but underneath is hidden the Tombs of approx.. 91 very important Royal Family Members. The decorations that adorn the Tombs in the Valley of the Queens are very similar to that of the Tombs in the Valley of the Kings. The Tomb of Nefertari The Tomb of Nefertari is one of the most famous to be buried in the Valley of the Queens and also the largest, Nefertari was the Wife of King Ramses II. The Tomb of Nefertari was discovered in 1904. She was one of the most admired women in Ancient Egyptian times as she was well educated and could even read and write Hieraglyphs. Her burial Chamber is one of the most beautiful as it has colourful Paintings and Hieroglyphic texts which cover the walls and ceilings.