The Valley of the Nobles, or “Tombs of the Nobles,” offers a fascinating look into the hundreds of tombs uncovered here via several archaeological digs over the years. It was formerly an old city where all the burials took place, situated along the West Bank of the Nile and characterized by distinctive sandstone rock cliffs.
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What are the Egyptian Nobles’ Tombs known as?
Ancient Wonders: The Nile and Egypt
The Tombs of the Nobles, also known as Qubbet el-Hawa, rise along the west bank of the Nile. Here, alongside Christian murals and Muslim structures, ancient sculptures and hieroglyphics may still be seen.
Where is the Valley of the Nobles?
The Valley of the Nobles is located on the west bank of Luxor. The Valley of the Nobles, also known as The Graves of the Nobles, Theban Necropolis, or The Worker’s Village, is a location in Luxor known as Sheik Abd El-Korna where hundreds of rock-cut tombs of ancient Egyptian nobility were found.
History of Valley of the Nobles:
Many numerous tombs are located here with burial places of some who were the most powerful courtiers and people of the ancient City. Known to host hundreds of tombs, some were said to have been lost and not yet been located. During the period of the New Kingdom, the tombs had inscriptions of the tomb owners on them with some having a short prayer.
Often considered neglected by visitors due to the high level and promotion of the Valley of the kings, the Tombs of the Nobles is well worth a visit. Its cemetery hosts hundreds of tombs all embedded in the rock face, and very often richly decorated with frescoes depicting the working lives of their inhabitants. Not all of the site and area can be accessed, however, it does include such Tombs as Sennofer who at that time was the Mayor of Thebes (the Old name for the new City of Luxor). This tomb has some beautiful original paintings of harvesting scenes and grapevines.
A very grand Tomb included in this worthy visit is the tomb of the Noble Ramose which offers a glimpse of life at that time under the rule of Akhenaten, one of the earliest rulers to follow the monotheistic faith.
What does it contain in the tomb of the nobles?
It houses nearly 500 tombs of Teba nobles and high officials. While the royal tombs were hidden away in a secluded valley, the graves of the nobles were dug into the mountain overlooking the Nile, where they contained not even a fraction of the royal treasure.
Facts Valley of the Nobles
- The Valley of the Nobles (Tombs of the Nobles, Theban Necropolis, or Workers’ Village) are hundreds of rock-cut tombs of nobles in ancient Egypt, discovered along the west bank of the Nile in Luxor, in an area called Sheikh Abd al-Qurna.
- Located in Luxor between the Ramesseum and Hatshepsut temples, the Valley of the Nobles was carved into the hillside as the final resting place for many rulers, officials, administrators, generals, and others from the New Kingdom (1570–1070 BC).
- The Valley of the Nobles was very modest and not as big or extravagant as the tombs of the kings, but these tombs also contained many simple drawings that painted a picture of life in antiquity.
Who are the nobles?
Ra Mus
One of the most famous tombs is that of Ra Mos (No. 55), who was the mayor of Thebes at the end of the reign of Amenhotep III. Still, his mummy was not found, and the decorations were not finished because Ra Mos moved with the new king, Akhenaten, to the new capital, Sister of Aten (Tel Amarna), so it was left incomplete.
Smurf’s tomb
The Tomb of Senfer is one of these beautiful tombs, as he was the overseer of the Gardens of Amun during the reign of Amenhotep II (1427–1400 BC).
His tomb is one of the area’s most beautiful and best-preserved burial chambers. The walls and ceilings of the tomb contain many colorful scenes of Smurf with his family members and many other daily life stages.
Scenes in his tomb represent collecting taxes from people and receiving gifts from foreign ambassadors who visited Egypt.
Tomb of Rakhmi E
Another example is the tomb of Rekhmi-e (No. 100), who was a minister of Thutmose III and Amenhotep II, and the tomb bears beautiful decorations that represent the collection of taxes from people and the receipt of gifts from foreign ambassadors who visited Egypt, such as agricultural products, utensils, and rare animals. Through his tomb, researchers could determine the minister’s responsibilities.
Nakht’s tombs
The Tombs of Nakht (No. 52) belong to a great writer and astronomer during the reign of Pharaoh Thutmose IV and his wife Hymns. Their graves are decorated with scenes of agriculture and hunting, perhaps because of their love of the river, and it is one of the most famous tombs in the Valley of the Nobles in Luxor.
Their tomb was relatively small but had beautiful decorations and fantastic colorful scenes. These decorations conveyed many details of the old days and their customs, such as hunting birds and the influence of music in their culture.
Mina’s tomb is one of the most famous tombs in the Valley of the Nobles in Luxor
This is one of the most famous tombs in the Valley of the Nobles in Luxor and one of the most delightful, housing many notable scenes of Mina, who was awarded the title of surveyor during the reign of King Thutmose IV.
His activities were vital because he was in charge of evaluating dealings with plantation owners. Hence, the tomb is full of scenes of daily life, with stages of development, harvest, and cultivation.
Summary
So far, more than 500 tombs of nobles have been discovered at this West Bank site in ancient Egypt. The tombs vary from government officials, generals, nobles, wealthy and elites with larger tombs. Currently, about 15 tombs are allowed to be visited and usually given on a group visit basis.
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