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.