The last two days seem to have flown past. Christmas Eve saw me on the West Bank visiting what is known as the Theban Necropolis, a vast area covering 2 square miles (5 square kilometres). The Valley of the Kings is a name familiar to most of us from various documentaries, but not so well known are the Valley of the Queens and the Tombs of the Nobles.

We set out early on Christmas Eve morning for the road bridge that would take us across the river and on to the Tombs. As before, we were the only people there. Most of the Nobles belong to the New Kingdom, although there are tombs dating back as far as the Old Kingdom. What is special about these tombs is that they are both burial place and memorial chapel. What this means is that at the time of the funeral the official was buried in a deep shaft within the tomb which was then sealed. The tomb would then remain open for friends and relatives to visit when they wanted. The tombs are all decorated with scenes that depict daily life.

Many of the occupants were scribes connected with the royal granaries and so their tombs are full of scenes of agricultural work; sowing seeds, threshing corn. There would be at least one scene that depicted whichever king the noble worked under. Much would be made of the funeral feast with beautiful paintings of all the food and wine or beer that would be consumed. Especially interesting are the depictions of the food preparation: butchers slaughtering oxen and wildfowl, bakers making breads. Scenes from the vineyards showing the grape picking as well as the pressing and the fermentation vats. Other tombs have great scenes of hunting and fishing. What was surprising to see, was humour coming through. If you look carefully you will find someone who has crept off to sleep under a tree. Another showed a man drinking from a wineskin. One scene shows a cat that has stolen a fish, and is eating it under the kings chair. Visited 5 tombs of Nobles then off to the Valley of the Kings.

When I was here last you couldn’t move for tourists and now there were a handful – I really feel sorry for these guys, their livelihood has deserted them.

First tomb was that of Ay, in the Valley of the Monkeys. Ay ruled for a couple of years after Tutankhamun and it is highly likely that he was Ahkenaten’s uncle on his mother’s side. It was immediately noticable that this tomb was decorated by the same person who had decorated that of Tutankhamun. As with
Tutankhamun’s tomb, it has been rushed and the painting is not well executed. There is only one room that is painted. That said, it is still quite impressive. Left Ay for the Eastern Valley and the tombs of Rameses IV, Sethnakht and Tausert (2 tombs in one) and Rameses III. All three of these tombs are sumptuously painted and well worth a visit. 5 royal tombs done.

Hatshepsut’s mortuary temple Djeser djeseru, the Splendour of Splendours, is the most beautiful building anywhere. Laid out on three levels it is a celebration of an extra-ordinary woman who ruled Egypt as king. As is so often the case, much of her accomplishments have been hijacked by later rulers who hacked out her name and inserted their own. It was Hatshepsut, the Most Noble of Ladies, who paved the way for Tuthmose III to build the biggest, richest empire in the world at the time.

9 hours after we set out this morning and one more tomb to go. Keruef, steward to Tiye, the Great Royal Wife of Amenhotep III. Interesting because the entrance to the tomb is in honour of Akhenaten and his Tiye. Tiye was Akhenaten’s mother. Keruef was responsible for the organising of one of the 3 great festivals of the king, and his tomb reflects that with depictions of food and drink as well as guests from all over the empire.
A fabulous, but exhausting day.