Swiss archaeologists with Switzerland’s University of Basel have discovered a 1,000 year old tomb of a female singer in the Egypt’s Valley of the Kings in Luxor. The tomb was found by accident close to another tomb that was discovered 100 years ago. This is the only tomb of a woman who is not related to the ancient Egyptian Royal families ever found here. The singer was named Nehmes Bastet which indicates that she was

Feline God Bastet

protected by the feline God Bastet. At the time of the singer’s death, Egypt was ruled by Libyan kings, but because Thebes (now within the city of Luxor) was ruled by the high priests, they had the authority to bury family members in the royal cemetery which would explain how the singer came to be buried there.

This is the 64th tomb to be unearthed in the major tourist attraction of the Valley of the Kings. Way back in 1922 the golden funeral mask of Tutankhamen was discovered along with other amazing objects in the tomb of the king who ruled over 3000 years ago.

It is reported that the coffin of the singer is intact and it is thought that when the coffin is opened archaeologists will find a mummy with a cartonnage mask moulded to her face. This is the only tomb of a woman who is not related to the ancient Egyptian Royal families ever found in the Valley of the Kings. Based on artefacts found in the tomb, it is believed that the tomb was originally built for someone else and reused for the singer 400 years after the original one. The coffin of the singer belonged to the daughter of a high priest during the 22nd dynasty.

The artefacts found in the tomb have led to the conclusion that the singer sang in Karnak Temple which is one of the most famous and biggest open-air sites from the Pharaonic era.

The Valley of the Kings is located on the west bank at Luxor and was the royal cemetery for 62 Pharaohs. This was a secret place that could only be reached via a long narrow path. However the royal tombs here were robbed by tomb raiders despite sentries who stood at the entrance of the Valley and along the hilltops. Many of the thefts were carefully planned although it is believed many robberies were just ‘spur of the moment’.

Valley of the Kings Egypt

A visit to the Valley of the Kings is a must on your holiday packages to Egypt. The only ‘problem’ you will have is deciding which of the tombs to enter as a normal ticket only permits you to enter three. Take your time when exploring the tombs so that you can take in all the details, maybe visiting the site more than once for the ultimate experience. Take advantage of the last minute holiday deals that are always available to this enthralling country and experience the intriguing Valley of the Kings and other amazing historical sites.

The Luxor region has a larger concentration of awe inspiring tombs and monuments than any other region in Egypt. Located in the Nile Valley, Luxor is a unique holiday destination full of ancient Egyptian treasures and timeless romance. Luxor is like a huge open-air museum where you can step back in time with an insight into ancient Egyptian civilization.

The Valley of the Kings is located on the west bank at Luxor and was the royal cemetery for 62 Pharaohs. It is here that the pharaoh’s were buried and hoped to meet their gods in the afterlife. The tombs here cover a whole range from simple pits to a tomb with more than 120 chambers and corridors. There are two main parts to the Valley of the Kings, west and east. Most people associate the Valley of the Kings with Tutankhamun’s Tomb but he was a minor king and there are much more impressive tombs and monuments in the valley than his.
The Valley of the Queens is found at the southern end of the valley. This is where the queens and their children were buried. Only four of the tombs are open to the public, the most famous being that of Queen Nefertari.

Queen Hatshepsut’s Mortuary Temple

Located at the head of the Valley of the Kings, this is One of the most beautiful temples of ancient Egypt. Sitting beneath the peak of the mountain, the temple sits directly against the rock which forms a natural amphitheatre around it. Designed by the architect Senemut, this amazing temple gives the impression that it has grown out of the rock. Hatshepsut ruled as regent for her step-son Thuthmosis III but took the role of pharaoh instead of passing power to him when he came of age. Dedicated to the sun god Amon-Ra, the temple had a garden for Hatshepsut’s father with exotic trees and plants in the lower courtyard but after her death the temple was deliberately damaged by her step-son who replaced her image with his own and obliterated any references to her.

Colossi of Memnon

Situated on the west bank at Luxor are the famous ‘Colossi of Memnon’. These massive quartzose sandstone statues once flanked the entrance to Amenhotep III’s mortuary temple. The statues now stand on their own in a field on the road to the Valley of the Kings. Although the statues are in poor condition they are still worthy of a visit. The Legend of Memnon is all about one of the statues that had a crack running through it. When the early morning rays of the sun warmed the statue it gave an eerie moan. The ancient Greeks believed that the statue represented King Memnon and that the eerie sound was him greeting his mother Eos. However since the Romans tried to repair the statue it has remained silent.

Luxor Temple

Built by the New Kingdom Pharoah Amenophis III, this small but interesting temple is found in the centre of the town.

Temples of Karnak

Just north of Luxor city are the fascinating Temples of Karnak. This temple complex was built over a period of 1500 years and was the most important place of worship in ancient Egypt. Thought to be the largest surviving religious complex in the world, this huge site is a mass of sanctuaries, obelisks, pylons and kiosks dedicated to the Theban gods.

Luxor enjoys long hot sunny days and clear blue skies all year round making it an ideal destination for a romantic get-away and family holidays alike. Summers can be exceptionally hot, making the winter a better time to book one of the many sightseeing holiday packages available to Egypt.

Egypt is hot and sunny for most of the year, with the winter (November to February) being generally milder although temperatures at night can get as low as 10C.

Luxor

Luxor is built on and around the ancient site of Thebes and has lots of temples and monuments to visit.

Luxor is really three different areas, consisting of the City of Luxor on the East side of the Nile, the town of Karnak just north of Luxor and Thebes which is on the west side of the Nile across from Luxor.

THE CITY OF LUXOR

Luxor Temple, situated in the centre of town, was built by the New Kingdom Pharaoh Amenophis III.

Mummification

The Mummification Museum has everything you’ve ever wanted to know about mummies and the process of mummification. Reptiles and birds were also mummified.

The Luxor Museum houses many of the relics found at the Theben temples and necropolis on the west bank.

KARNAK

North of Luxor city are the spectacular Temples of Karnak. In ancient times, Karnak was known as Ipet-isut (The most select of places). The temple complex of Karnak was built over a time period of 1500 years and was the most important place of worship in ancient Egypt. This site measures 1500 x 800 metres, and is a magnificent complex of sanctuaries, kiosks, pylons and obelisks, all dedicated to the Theban gods. It is thought that the Temples of Karnak are the largest surviving religious complex in the world. Not to be missed is the Hypostile Hall in the Great Temple of Amun.

ANCIENT THEBES (West Bank)

The Valley of the Kings

Across the Nile to the West of the city of Luxor lies the necropolis of ancient Thebes. There are three main tombs here -
The Valley of the Kings – This is where the pharaoh’s were buried and hoped to meet their Gods in the afterlife. Tutankhamun’s tomb, discovered in the 1920′s, is probably the best known to most of us. However, he was a minor king in the scheme of things and had it not been for centuries of looting, the larger more impressive tombs would have yielded riches unsurpassed to the impressive haul found in King Tut’s burial ground.

The Valley of the Queens – This is where the queens of the 18th and 19th Dynasties and their children were buried. Only four tombs are open to the public in the Valley of the Queens, the best being Queen Nefertari’s tomb.

The Colossi of Memnon – Two giant statues make up the Colossi of Memnon. Most visitors get a glimpse of them on their way to the Valley of the Kings but it is worth a stop to see them up close.