Valley of the Kings

We were up early because we knew hot air balloons would be launching on the West Bank of the Nile in Luxor. We were up on the observation deck by 5:30 am and watched as 12 balloons of all colors and designs rose up and drifted down the Nile River. We saw a thick layer of smog over the fields on the western side of the river. The air was cool, which caused fog to rise over the warm water coming from equatorial areas in Africa. This fog met with the smoke from the sugar cane fields that were being burned in preparation for replanting to create the thick smog. We watched with binoculars for about 30 minutes then came inside to shower and prepare for breakfast and our trip to the Valley of the Kings.

Road Scholars Ramses Family at Hatshepsut;s Temple

We have come to enjoy a couple of Egyptian favorites for breakfast.  In addition to the feteer, we have developed a taste for the seasoned soft cheeses that are eaten on wedges of fresh pita.  We also came to enjoy the foul or ful (pronounced fool) that is very reminiscent of Mexican refried beans.  Locals mix a variety of spices and garnishes on this dish of mashed fava beans for any meal, but it is especially enjoyed at breakfast.

Valley of the Kings

After breakfast, we were in the lobby of the Steigenberger Legacy by 7:15 am and had water bottles, cameras and binoculars ready. Along the 40 minute drive Eman told us about the burial sites at the Valley of the Kings. The tombs are only open a few days a month to reduce the impact of visitors on the hieroglyphs and to assure that the air quality in the chambers is healthy for visitors.  The tombs that were open each day rotate to allow visitors who wish to see all of the tombs an opportunity to do so with a multiday visit.

Workers digging at the Valley of the Kings

We learned that kings had placed their bodies in conspicuous pyramids for several dynasties but came to realize that thieves would break into the tombs soon and would steal all of the items with any value. In fact, most of the burial chambers in the pyramids were robbed within a few years of burial. Therefore, in the 1500s BC. - 18th Dynasty, Pharaoh Amenhotep I decided to have his burial chamber hidden in an obscure mountain region. His advisors pointed out that the isolated mountain was a natural pyramid and that little had to be done to dig tunnels deep into the mountain to prepare chambers for burial and the accompanying artifacts to carry the king into the afterlife.  Since the underlying mudstone was easy to dig and provided an excellent cover for the tombs the area was used for burial of many pharaohs and nobles from the 16th to the 11th Century BC.

Inside the burial chamber of Ramses IV

The guides are not typically permitted in the burial chambers since they tend to hold people longer as they explain the hieroglyphs and discuss their meaning and history, The guards only allow a small number of visitors to enter the tombs at any time and frequently evacuate the burial chambers when the air quality diminishes. The carbon dioxide detectors in each of the burial chambers let the security guards know when to move people out.  When air quality dips, the guards clap as a signal to move out of the tomb.

Mary at the tomb of Ramses IV

Eman took us to the tomb of Ramses IV, where she talked with us outside the tomb, letting us know which hieroglyphs to especially notice. I had purchased a photography pass for an additional fee which, permitted use of a camera in most areas of the Valley of the Kings. We walked down a long ramp deep into the tomb and viewed the symbols on the walls then walked around the sarcophagus of Ramses IV before having to exit when the air quality fell below allowable levels. Some of the paint on the walls was still very vivid and in good condition. There was surprisingly little vandalism in this tomb.

Cindy & Mark inTausert & Setnakht tomb with a local photobombing for a tip

From there, our group split up based on preference and level of  exertion to enter the tombs. Our passes allowed us to enter three tombs, and we purchased a separate ticket for the tomb of King Tut. We elected to go to the deepest and furthest burial chambers of two rulers, Tausert (a queen who ruled from 1191-1189 BC) and Setnakht (1189-1186 BC). Setnakht is believed to have initiated the construction of the Karnak Temple, which was completed by his son, Ramses III.  The narrow, winding tunnel led down over 500 feet into the mountain to the two burial chambers. This is believed to have occurred when Setnakht usurped the tomb of Tausert and extended it to include his own burial chamber.  These areas have some of the best painting on any site we have seen. Because the entrance to the tomb was so far up the mountain from the visitor center and the tunnel down from the entrance to the burial chamber was so long, few visitors choose this to visit. Although this tomb has been known since antiquity, it was not excavated until the mid 1980s.

Inside the tomb of Ramses III

Our last tomb, before we went to King Tut, was for Ramses III who ruled from 1217-1155 BC. This tomb was much like the tomb of Ramses IV with many of same scenes and about the same quality of preservation. There was a moderate amount of walking, not nearly as much as the two queens but more than Ramses IV. The temperature outside today was approaching 90 degrees, but the inside of the tomb seemed even hotter since there was no air moving and people had been going in and out all morning.

Tomb of King Tutankhamun

Out final visit was to King Tutankhamun’s tomb. This was the smallest tomb that we visited with the shortest passageway. All artifacts, jewelry and furniture, as well as, the sarcophagus have been removed. Most are in the Egyptian Museum, but some items tour the world visiting many museums. King Tut ruled as pharaoh for 19 years until his death at 19 years of age in 1324 BC.

Walls in King Tut's tomb

Because this tomb wasn’t discovered and opened by Howard Carter until 1922, the quality of the artwork and artifacts was pristine. Tut’s mummy was laid out showing the resemblance to his father, Akhenaten who had very feminine features. We were not allowed to photograph the mummy. Even though photographs were prohibited in the tomb, we were able to bribe the security guard to let us take photos in the tomb although not of the mummy.

Tomb of King Tut

Because the discovery of King Tut’s tomb was in modern times, there is a lot of folklore surrounding the tomb.  Howard Carter’s sponsor, Lord Carnarvon, visited the tomb after Carter’s discovery then died shortly thereafter.  This has led to the “curse of the mummy” myths that anyone who enters a pharaoh’s burial chamber will die.  There was also a belief that Tut was murdered by priests who didn’t agree with the religious beliefs of his father.  Current thought is that the hole in the back of Tut’s head was made during the mummification process rather than as evidence for foul play.

Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut

We reconvened with the group and boarded the bus to drive past the tombs of priests and workers as well as the Valley of the Queens to the Temple of Hatshepsut. This three level temple was a shallow temple built into the face of the mountain. Because the stepson of Hatshepsut became ruler after her death, he had much of her temple destroyed. Eman took us around and pointed out significant features. We saw the remains of henna trees that Hatshepsut brought back to Egypt from Punt (now Somalia) in the 15th Century BC. There were several panels documenting her trip to Punt to trade for rare items to bring back to Egypt. Eman is very knowledgeable about Hatshepsut and her importance to the country.

Henna brought to Egypt from Somalia

Across the road from Hatshepsut’s temple was the complex where the archeology team from Poland lived and worked in the 1940s when much of the work in the area was being done. Their working conditions were difficult, but the 1940s were good years to be out of Poland. They made remarkable accomplishments during the time they were there, and really set the process of restoration and preservation into motion.

Colossi of Memnon

We got back on the bus and rode the short distance to the Colossi of Memnon, two giant statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III standing at the edge of the dessert. These 60 foot tall statues of Amenhotep III are believed to have been erected about 1350 BC.  These two huge sandstone figures are believed to have been quarried near Cairo and brought over 600 kilometers up the Nile to their present location near Luxor.  We were amazed that the huge stones could be moved that far with the technology of the day over 3000 years ago.  A lot of art and hieroglyphics covered the bases of the figures, but we didn’t stay long and got back on the bus for the drive to the University of Chicago Oriental Institute and Epigraphy. 

Speaker from Chicago's Oriental Institute

This group has had a presence in the Luxor Valley for nearly 100 years recording, photographing and documenting the ruins in the Luxor area. A faculty member told us how they photograph the art then an artist adds lines on the features of the art to deemphasize distracting features. The line drawings clearly show the characters in each panel, even better that having a photograph. The nonprofit center publishes their results online in pdf format for free download. We had a walk around the grounds and viewed the wide variety of Egyptian and imported trees. After we had all of our questions answered, we started for the return drive to the ship.

Panel of Anubis from Hapshepsut's Temple

Because we knew that our morning would be long, we packed some fruit from the breakfast bar for a snack. We also had the bottles of water from the bus, as well as, one from our room on the ship. We arrived back on the ship around 2:30 pm and set sail shortly heading south up the Nile toward Edfu and Kom Ombo Temples. Lunch was the standard fare that we have come to expect on the ship. It is tasty and well prepared Egyptian and middle eastern food.

We had some free time after lunch as the ship sailed up the Nile so Mary, Cindy and a member of our group from Montreal played Mexican train dominoes. Mark and I chatted with the three ladies from California and enjoyed the moving air on the sun deck of the ship. Although the temperatures were in the 90s, the movement of the ship up the Nile made the dry desert air seem cooler.  We relaxed and chatted for most of the afternoon, occasionally spotting a bird or something interesting on the shore through binoculars.

Before dinner, we went to the captain’s greeting and cocktails. We were introduced to the staff of the Steigenberger Legacy and given some information about the ship. We were served complementary cocktails, but most of them were completely undrinkable. Some were absolutely nasty. I don’t believe that anyone finished their drink, so Eman had the ship’s bar prepare rum and cola for us which was a little better. We went to dinner at 7:30 and sat with our usual friends from New York, Montreal and California.

Steve in a galabayya

By the time we finished dinner, there were vendors outside our ship. These local businessmen fill canoes with shirts, towels, tablecloths and galabayya or jellabiya to sell. After tying their canoes to the ship, they show an item then pitch it up on the fifth floor sun deck from their canoes that are being towed by the ship. If anyone is interested in an item, they put money in a plastic bag and drop it back down to the awaiting vendors. I was looking for a locally made Egyptian scarf and an inexpensive Egyptian men’s galabayya, so the guys were throwing clothes into Mark and Cindy’s fourth floor cabin window with remarkable accuracy. I bought some scarves that I liked and a cheap galabayya, but they kept throwing things in until I closed the window and pulled the blinds. From up on the observation deck, I watched them selling to other passengers. All of these vendors speak perfect English, German, Spanish and Italian. They are very persistent in selling their items, but they are willing to negotiate. The two scarves that I wanted started at 900 Egyptian pounds (about $57) but came down to $30, about 450 Egyptian pounds. The money was worth it, if for nothing but the entertainment value. While the galabayya is cheap, the scarves are Gazelle brand, which are made from high quality Egyptian wool and are worn by many local men.  I figured after the party on Wednesday night I would bring the galabayya home to offer to Ian for a costume.  If he can’t use it, then I will give it to church for one of the wise men for the City of Bethlehem show at Christmas time.

The ship was waiting in line to go through the first lock on the Nile, so we went to our stateroom and turned in for the night.