VALLEY OF THE KINGS

Somehow I found myself in a time warp yesterday and had it in my head I will leave late tonight, September 29.  Somewhere in the middle of the night the realization hits it is tomorrow night!  My plan is to go to the Valley of the Kings and visit tombs that are open I haven’t seen or seen in a while.

Today is shaping up to be another very hot day so I decide to relax and go tomorrow now that I have another day.  Mohamed convinces me today will be a better day tourist wise (the French arrive tomorrow, he says) so I throw on some clothes and off I go.

A young man approaches me as I walk into the visitor’s center with the offer to show me the list of the open tombs.  He proceeds to recommend which ones to see and draws me a map.  The choices look good to me.  I will visit 4 tombs, three included in the general ticket and one not.

Even though King Tut’s tomb is open for an extra price I have seen it many times including since his mummy is on display.  Instead I choose the tomb of Ramses VI, a tomb I have seen before but one with fascinating and unusual objects depicted on the walls.  The colors are stunningly bright.

The first tomb to visit is that of Queen Tawsert/King Sethnakht located at the top of the valley in KV14.  It was originally built for Sety II second wife and mother of Septah his successor.  When Ramses III father, Sethnakht, died he took the tomb and enlarged it to house him.  Setnakht took over the throne from Queen Tawsert who only reigned for a few years. 

It has been only opened for 4 months or will only be open for four months.  I couldn’t quite understand what I was told.  At any rate if I have seen it before it was a long time ago.  

It does not disappoint.  One of the largest tombs in the valley it displays stunning colors and unusual scenes.  One is a depiction of the pharaoh traveling through the underworld sporting two heads.  One head has the white crown of upper Egypt (the South) and one the red crown of lower Egypt (the North).  Usually the crown is a combination of white and red showing the unification of the land with one ruler over all.

Right Wall of Alcove

Left Wall of the Alcove

The path widens into an alcove at the middle on the way to the burial chamber.  The scenes on the left and right walls of the alcove are stunning as you can see in the pictures.

Next coming back down the path is KV11 belonging to Ramses III.  Instead of a straight path from the entrance of the tomb sloping down to the burial chamber this tomb makes a sharp right and then continues downward.  It also has many side rooms for storage of wine, food and objects needed in the afterlife.  These small rooms are beautifully painted depicting the offerings contained inside.  What also makes this tomb rather famous are the three and four headed snakes winding down the wall.  Bright colors adorn the walls and ceiling.

Ramses VI in KV9 is the one in which I really want to spend time. There is so much to see that can’t be found in any other tomb and I see something different each time.  The ceiling is full of images in bright blue and yellow colors.  I spend time every few feet leaning against the railing gazing up at it.  One image catches my attention.  It is a figure painted in bright yellow with a face that rivals any depiction of an alien I have ever seen.

Djed Pillar

Ankh

Next I spy the winged double cobra stretched across the ceiling.  This is not an unusual image but what is unusual are the necklaces painted in soft white that hang from each neck.  The necklaces alternate the Ankh then the Djed pillar and then repeat in a straight line.  The Ankh is in the shape of the open looped cross which symbolizes life or water, the Djed Pillar looks a little like a backbone and is the symbol of Osiris, the god of the underworld.

BA

Other figures are faceless as they escort the pharaoh through the gates of the underworld. The two small images I love the most and find the most intriguing are the helicopter on top of a sun disk and a TeePee shape with three antennae on top.  The longer one in the middle sports the BA (pharaoh’s personality or soul in the shape of a bird with a human head) of the pharaoh perching on top. I think it is supposed to be the top of a pyramid with antennae sending signals to outer space?

The helicopter could be a stylized space ship.  The image is quite small and hard to see from that distance.  Should have brought my binoculars!!!

The final tomb is Ramses IV in KV2.  It is not very interesting and I leave very quickly.

By this time I am hot, hot, hot and ready to go back to the hotel.

Later in the early evening I accompany Mohamed to his local coffee shop hang out.  The coffee shops on the west bank are mostly open air affairs with a roof for shade.

Playing Dominoes

Mohamed plays a mean game of dominoes and I watch in awe as he and his three companions slam down the dominoes in quick succession.  No studying of the next move is necessary as they are experts.  As I watch fascinated I sip a Turkish Coffee and smoke sheesha (apple tobacco) through a hooka (water pipe).  I am the only woman in the place enjoying a little taste of male village life.

Much Love To You All,

Mom/Grandma/Sara