The Valley of the Kings Essay

Tutankhamun’s tomb is thus unique as it was not initially intended for use by a Pharaoh. It is of much smaller scale to other Eighteenth Dynasty royal tombs, and contradicts the traditional structural design. The tomb’s location was also not usually associated with royal burials. The burial chamber walls were uniquely the only tomb walls decorated, and the tomb was preserved largely intact in near-original condition.

Similarly to other Egyptian funerary rituals, the case of Paankhenamun was also buried inside of a “sarcophagus” case, a huge stone case for the coffin, and then inside of a decorated tomb, which most likely contained his most valuable personal belongings and religious symbols. The decorations often consisted of images

What about before the pyramids, where did the kings and their belonging go? Before pyramids, there were mastabas. Mastabas were rectangular flat structures that were used to put pharaohs and their belongings. Instead of burying the pharaohs, they kept above ground to see them better.

The tombs had two main functions. The first function was a place that provided an eternal resting place in which the body could lay protected from thieves and scavengers. The second function of the tomb was a place where cults and ritual acts could be performed to ensure eternal life (Taylor, 2001:136). The body of the person was buried along with their belongings in the tomb to ensure the individual had all the proper materials needed for the afterlife. The Egyptians usually did this because “Tombs were constructed to mirror aspects of the afterlife” (Olson, 2009). These tombs were not only a place where bodies of a deceased lay; it was also a place where rituals would take place. One ritual that was done on the bodies was the ‘Opening of the Mouth’. This was a burial ritual that “accompanied the placement of funerary goods in a tomb- and was a necessary step in the deceased’s rebirth” (Olson, 2009). One very important service that had to be done was the mummification process in which the removal of organs

Battle of King’s Mountain The Battle of King’s Mountain is considered by many to have been the turning point of the American Revolution. Taking place in the fall of 1780, the American army was able to destroy a fair portion of British Lieutenant General Cornwallis’s army. The loss of this battle to the Patriots put an end to the British Invasion of South Carolina and forced the British troops to retreat and wait for back up.

It all began, On Feb. 171923. A crowd of invited archeologists and Egyptian dignitaries, were gathered in the Valley of the Kings. They were there to view the uncovering of King Tutankhamen’s burial chamber. The outer rooms were filled with treasures, Egyptian art, and furnishings. But everyone was more anticipated to view the actual mummy. While the more leading kings and queens treasures had been looted long ago whereas, King Tut’s tomb had practically been untouched. It had only been robbed twice and luckily the robbers only got past the first chamber. Two months after the

Tutankhamun’s tomb is the only royal tomb in Egypt to have escaped the discovery of looters and was discovered by archeologist Howard Carter. The death of Tutankhamun was a sudden tragedy that til this day has yet to be solved. The cause of the famous teenage king’s death has been a long drawn out mystery with a range of theories as to how he met his end. There are no historical records explaining the cause or circumstances of his death, nor is there no positive evidence to suggest how he died. However, there are several theories and many of which have changed over the years.

According to Zahi Hawasse, Before the discovery of the tomb workers that were living in huts built on Tut’s tomb which is one of the reasons why Tut’s tomb was barely touched by grave robbers. Carter spent a long time looking for the tomb and in 1922 he knew that it was his last time to look for it. (Hawasse 12) When The Team was looking for the tomb they had pointed water cups. You had to dig hole to be able to keep the cups from falling over and spilling. One guy who was digging the holes hit a step. He ran to go tell Carter and not the guy in charge of him so he could get a reward. (Hawasse 17) As recorded by the Smithsonian, Carter was saying in a mud brick house at the time. The house now serves as a museum. (Smithsonian) Stated by National Geographic, there were 5000 artifacts found in his tomb in the Valley of the Kings which is located near Luxor, Egypt. When Carter found king tut he tried to get him out of his sarcophagus, while doing this he was rough with King Tut. Now it is hard to tell when and How he died. This also led to the theory that king Tut was murdered. This is the significance of the finding of Tut’s

They would bury their loved ones in the ground, pray for their journey to the afterlife, and move along with their day. However, as time went on the rich became unsatisfied. They wanted their life after death to be as great as there life on Earth. So, they came up with the ideas of tombs. This small idea eventually expanded to the burial of Pharaohs in the pyramids. Some Pharaohs also requested that all their slaves be put to death along with them, so that they can be of use to them in the afterlife. Along with riches, foods, and servants these kings would be prepped and shined for the burial process. All of this prayer and sacrifice would, in hopes, lead to a successful afterlife. The significance displayed in these burials is the repeating theme of human life. The selfishness displayed in killing all of ones servants just so that they continue serving him in the afterlife is pure

Pharaohs were eminent figures to the people of the New Kingdom Egypt who had control over the entire Egypt itself as they were leaders of both politics and religion. The Valley of the Kings was the burial place chosen to be the final resting place for pharaohs of the New Kingdom era. The structure of the royal tombs were constructed to imitate that of the underworld, and were built underground to protect the tombs from tomb robbers – the tombs were not intended to be seen by outsiders. Each tomb depicted the pharaoh’s personality, and their interests and such, as the tombs vary from decoration and possessions placed alongside the body. The general construction of the tomb included: an entrance corridor with wall paintings; the decorations on

The shrine of Tutankhamun uncovers the burial customs of the New Kingdom Egyptians. The Canopic Shrine positioned on the east wall of the Treasury holds Tutankhamun's embalmed internal organs. A gold chest held four Canopic jars containing the dead pharaoh's internal organs in each jar. Undoubtedly, through the process of mummification, the embalmers must have removed the internal organs and preserved them in the Canopic jars, perhaps to be taken with the pharaoh to the next world. The third and innermost of three coffins of Tutankhamun is made of solid gold and is inset with semiprecious stones and coloured glass. It is covered with carved decorations and inscriptions inside and outside. It bears the names and epitaph of the deceased king and also protective texts. From this we discover the significance of the importance of the decoration of the mummy was, and the power the coffin was believed to hold. Originally, mummification was so expensive that it was a privilege enjoyed only by the Pharaoh and few nobles. Everybody else was given a simple grave burial in one of the vast cemeteries or "necropolises" of the time. But the promise of eternal life was so appealing that it wasn't long before other classes of Egyptians began signing up for mummification, too.

A royal tomb was sometimes different.In the Old and New Kingdom pyramids were built, while

The tomb of Tausert and Setnakht is one of the most unique tombs in the Valley of the Kings, as well as being one of the largest tombs in the valley. Unlike any of the other tombs in the valley, it encompasses two complete burial chambers. It was originally built for Tausert, a queen and wife of Seti II.

We are still finding evidence of paintings and artifacts as of today. Some of the paintings of ancient Egypt have stood the test of time due to Egypt’s dry climate. Most of the paintings were done on walls and in caves and in funeral tombs to depict the life of the deceased and offer a pleasant passage. A famous painting that was done by the Egyptians is called Judgment before Osiris. This painting was done on papyrus and depicted a scale and judgment. If the heart of the deceased was lighter than the feather of truth then their soul could enter afterlife.

At Abydos and Saqqara tombs for the kings of the early dynasties were built in imitation of palaces or shrines. The large amounts of pottery, stonework, and ivory or bone carving found in these tombs attest to a high level of development in Early Dynastic Egypt. Hieroglyphic script (picture writing), the written form of the Egyptian language, was in the first stages of its evolution.