Valley of the Kings

The Valley of the Kings was the royal burial ground for pharaohs during the New Kingdom (ca. 1550-1070 BC). It also holds the tombs of some queens, high priests and other elites of the 18th, 19th and 20th dynasties.

In antiquity this valley was considered a secluded spot. Today the growing suburbs of Luxor west of the Nile shimmer nearby.

Photo: Kenneth Garrett