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Valley of the Nobles

The Valley of the Nobles is a recent denomination used to mark the difference between the tombs of the Valley of the Kings and Queens located on the western bank of the Nile and the tombs of the nobles and craftsmen. Discover more about the Valley of the Nobles with Cairo Top Tours!

The Valley of the Nobles groups three tombs; that of Cheikh Abd el-Gournah, Assassif, and El Khokkah. The tombs of the nobles stand out from the royal tombs for their architectural simplicity and for their decorative elements inspired by the daily life of Ancient Egypt.

Located in a large area in the south of the Valley of the Kings, near the hillside village of Quma, there are about 400 noble and high-ranking tombs, mostly from the New Kingdom.

Only a part of the tombs are open to the public, the most important among them all are around 13. The tombs are divided into five groups, belonging to five areas. To access the tombs you need a ticket, to be purchased in advance at the West Bank ticket office.

While the tombs of the pharaohs were hidden in an isolated valley, those of the dignitaries The interior of Userhat’s tomb closer to the surface of the hills facing the Nile and all have a rich decoration, which testifies to the activities of the daily life of 4500 years ago.

Since the limestone of the area is of poor quality, the tombs are painted and the carved reliefs are very few. The suggestive images that adorn the walls offer us an invaluable testimony of everyday life in ancient Egypt.

Group 1: The tombs of Khonsu (n. 31), Userhat (n. 51) and Benia (n. 343) The group of three tombs is located 90 m east of the previous ones. Khonsu was one of the advisers of Thutmose III, his tomb is decorated with painted reliefs, many of which have unfortunately deteriorated.

Group 2: The Tombs of Nakht (n. 52) and Menna (n. 69) The Egyptologists say that these two tombs, belonging to the reign of Amenhotep III, are the work of a single artist. Both show rural life scenes illustrating plowing, planting, and harvesting, as well as hunting and fishing scenes.

Group 3: The tombs of Ramose ( n.55 ), Userhat ( n.56 ) and Hkaemhat ( n.57 ) Located north of Ramesseum, behind small alabaster manufacture, the three tombs are close to the main road. Ramose was governor of Thebes and vizier during the reigns of Amenhotep III and Akhenaten. His grave is the largest of all and contains a hypostyle hall supported by several columns. Only one wall is painted: it reproduces the funeral of the deceased, with the processional procession where the bearers bearing the funeral outfit stand out.

Group 4: The tombs of Sennefer (n. 96) and Rekhmira (n. 100) They are two very elegant tombs, of a different design from the others. Sennefer was a court dignitary at the time of Amenhotep II, very much in love with his wife: on the four pillars that support the carve carved out of the rock, the couple is reproduced no less than 14 times, in affectionate attitudes.

Group 5: The tombs of Neferrenpet (178), Djehutimes (295) and Nefersekheru (296) To the east of the tomb of Menna (69), not far away are these three burials which are probably the least relevant among the Tombs of the Nobles, also if they still have beautiful ceilings decorated with geometric patterns.

Would you like to live a journey through ancient Egyptian culture and mythology? you can make it happen and spend a day to visit Abydos, Giza, Luxor, Aswan to see the tombs of the Pharaohs adorned with very clear, detailed and beautifully painted scenes of the various deities of ancient Egypt as well as many other sites, cities, adventures and things to do in Cairo, you can try and book one of our range of Egypt tours and Egypt Travel Packages many privately guided groups of Cairo day tours from airport and Egypt day tours to explore the capital city of Egypt, Cairo you can check a lot of Egypt itineraries or go on one of our full Cairo Day tours like:

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