My Holiday (part 8)

The Valley of the Kings. (3 tombs)

The first was a relatively short tomb, when we went inside it was amazing, the colours were fresh and bright. The fact that it had been carved from SOLID ROCK over 3000 years ago was mind boggling and tribute to an amazing technological feat. The 2 engineers in our group were suitably impressed.

The 2nd tomb we entered was one of the longest open to the public and had a ‘dogleg’ about halfway down. This dogleg had actually recently led to the discovery of what was thought to be a new tomb but was more than likely a cachette of Roman origin given that there were 7 or 8 coffins in the tomb.

This tombs walls were protected from Wear and graffiti by large plexiglass panels which (sadly) distanced the viewer from the Chamber wall (and history)

It seemed like a competition as to who could point out the Gods and Goddesses that we had recently become so acquainted with. (there were some in the party who were a little too competitive I think.)

The final tomb was a downward sloping tomb again very long and very richly decorated. About halfway down the cavern was a huge red granite cover for something, we couldn’t quite come to a consensus about what it could be for and by the time we got out we forgot to push the matter with our guide. At the bottom of the cavern was an enormous room containing detailed carvings and painting of religious scenes as well as the lid of a great stone sarcophagus with the pharaohs body carved onto the lid.