The Valley of the Kings 

The ‘secret’ Valley of the Kings is on the West bank of the Nile at Luxor (across Thebes). It was a complex of burial chambers for the Pharaohs. The valley hosts 62 tombs of which the earliest tomb is that of Thutmoses I. The tombs were cut deeply into the valley floor, in the hope that this would prevent them being robbed, as had occurred in the pyramids. This was generally unsuccessful and the tombs were plundered quite early in their existence. The wall paintings still remains vibrant and brightly coloured to this day.

The legendary tomb of Tutankhamun is famous as it was the only tomb found intact as it evidently had remained hidden until its discovery in 1922. This was in fact a very minor Pharaoh who was murdered at the age of 18.Not all of the tombs belonged to the king and royal family. Some tombs belonged to privileged nobles and were usually undecorated. Not all the tombs were discovered intact, and some were never completed.