After the end of the Old Kingdom, the concept of the afterlife became increasingly accessible to nobles that does not belong to the royal family. Rather than building grand mega structures like the pyramids (real estate was really a problem on the narrow stretches of fertile land along the Nile Valley), the ancient tomb builders began to dig tunnels into the cliffs that border the valley. While the earlier tombs consist of just a simple chamber, the later designs come complete with complicated tunnels linking multiple rooms while leading to the final burial chamber. Once the structure of the tomb is completed, the finer works will begin. Stone carvers will delicately portray the depiction (on the wall) of the entire proceeding of how the pharaoh would enter (i.e. the process of mummification) and exist in the afterlife. The various chambers will then be littered with artefacts which the pharaoh will use "forever"; its all about making sure that he has everything at his disposal (like what he had when he was alive) in the afterlife.
Located on the west bank of the Nile opposite to Thebes (modern Luxor), Valley of the Kings is an area where tombs were constructed for the powerful Pharaohs and the nobles of the New Kingdom (18th-20th dynasties of ancient Egypt). In fact, most tombs were built on the west bank as it is the traditional place of burial where the sun was seen to sink into the underworld every evening. Dominated by the peak of al-Qurn (known in the ancient times as Ta Dehent, or "The Peak"), the isolated position in the desert means the ancient tomb police were able to guard the area easily.
Starting the day early at 7am (after the standard hotel breakfast), we headed to the pier where one could cross the Nile via a 10min ride on the baladi (municipal) ferry for only EŁ1/S$0.25. When we arrived at Al-Gezira (the corresponding pier on the West Bank), we decided to take a taxi (E£10/S$2.50) to the Valley of the Kings after rounds of persistent hard selling (he followed us all the way from the East Bank!) from the taxi driver (whom he calls himself as "Mohammed Ali"). After some "serious" negotiations with the guard (cameras were not allowed but we brought it in anyway), we entered the grounds (E£84/S$21 for 3 tombs per person including tram ride) proper.
As the guidebook actually recommends 3 tombs (KV34, KV35 & KV57) to visit but it was a shame neither of them were opened while we were there. In the end, we visited the tombs of Ramses IX (KV6), Ramses III (KV11) and Tuthmosis IV (KV43). While the first 2 tombs were filled with tourists, the last tomb (KV43) we visited happens to the furthest, largest and the deepest tomb discovered so far in the Valley of the Kings (we almost had the tomb to ourselves). The owner of this tomb, Tuthmosis IV happens to be the grandfather of Tutankhamun, whose tomb (KV62, E£100/S$25 per entry) was considered as the most famous tomb and all the fabulous treasurers it contained (we gave this a miss anyway because the treasures were all kept in the Egyptian Museum).
I was caught by a plain-cloth tourist police (his rifle was hidden under his coat) while Sally was taking a photograph of me (no points for guessing what position I was in) on our way to KV43. He was rather pleasant after I showed him the photograph while apologising profusely. Guess he was just doing his job though he must had told the guard about this and we were watched like a hawk while we were in KV43. We laughed it off in a "joke" (or maybe it was real?) when they offered to exchange Sally with 5 camels; perhaps that was the Egyptian form of sexual harassment?
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