Valley of the Kings: Location, History and Archaeological Significance

Category: Ancient History / World Heritage

UPSC Notes

The Valley of the Kings is an archaeological site near Luxor on the western bank of the Nile River in Egypt. It served as a royal burial ground for many pharaohs of the New Kingdom.

Historical significance

  • Used primarily during Egypt's New Kingdom, approximately the 16th to 11th centuries BCE.

  • Contains rock-cut tombs of Egyptian rulers and other royal figures.

  • Designed to protect royal burials and provide for beliefs concerning the afterlife.

  • The tomb of Tutankhamun was discovered by Howard Carter and his team in 1922.

The valley forms part of the ancient Theban landscape and is included in the UNESCO World Heritage property known as Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis.

Key Pointers for UPSC

  • Country: Egypt.

  • Nearby city: Luxor, ancient Thebes.

  • River: Nile.

  • Historical period: Mainly the New Kingdom.

  • Famous discovery: Tutankhamun's tomb, 1922.

  • The pyramids of Giza and the Valley of the Kings belong to different burial traditions and historical contexts.