LUXOR

The Valley of the Nobles

The tombs  at the Valley of the Nobles are much smaller and display different drawings than those found at the tombs of the Valley of the Kings.  No scenes of the journey to the "Afterworld" are found.  Instead, detailed pictures of a noble's daily life during the New Kingdom are depicted:  agricultural scenes, hunting and fishing scenes, festivals and ceremonies, musicians and dancers, maids and servants, craftsmen and artisans. Ramose was an important vizier during the Akhenaten Revolution.  His tomb depicts reliefs on many different subjects.  Ramose and wife Satamon  paying homage to Osiris, Akhenaten and Nefertiti is building in the world. In addition to the main sanctuary there are several smaller temples and a vast sacred lake perhaps one of the loveliest. The paintings on the walls of the Sennefer tomb is exquisite.  The paint depicts Sennefer, the overseer of the gardens of Amon during the Reign of the Pharaoh Amenophis

The Valley of the Queens

Here are between 75 and 80 tombs in the Valley of the Queens (Princes & Princesses) who belonged to the 18th, 19th and 20th Dynasties.   The tombs are decorated only with paintings (no reliefs have been found).  The walls of the tombs were covered with Nile mud  and then the entire surface was whitewashed in preparation for the painting. The colors are vivid!  Some tombs found here are: -   The Tomb of Khaemwese -   The Tomb of Queent Titi -   The Tomb of Amen-Hor-Khepesh  -   The Tomb of Nefertari

The Colossi of Memnon

In the 18th dynasty Amenhotep III built a mortuary temple in Thebes that was guarded by two gigantic statues on the outer gates. All that remains now are those two statues of Amenhotep.  They were named the "Colossi of Memnon" by the Greeks for the legendary hero of the Trojan War.  Nature has damaged the statues but the impact is still impressive.  They are hewn from single sandstone block measuring 20 meters high

Hatshepsut Temple at Deir El Bahari

The valley of the Necropolis workers is located far away from Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens and Valley of the Nobles.  The artisans of the New Kingdom  consisted of stone workers, engravers, quarrymen and artists.  They lived in a village of which today remains can be seen. Because of their great skill the workers built their own personal tombs which were always beautifully decorated with paintings on the walls and ceilings.  One such tomb is that of Sennedjem where paintings depict husband and wife worshiping the gods of the After-life.

The Valley of the Kings Luxor

The mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut is one of the most famous in the world. It is composed of three rising terraces and ramps leading from a mountain backdrop toward the Nile. The queens' architect, Senenmut, designed it. There was a tree lined avenue of sphinxes that led up to the temple with ramps leading from terrace to terrace. Relief's on the south side of the middle terrace show the queen's expedition down the Red Sea to Punt. Along the front of the upper terrace is a series of Orisis statues

Sound and Light Shows in Luxor

Inaugurated in 1972 the Sound and Light Show in the Temple of Karnak begins with a historical introduction covering the birth of the great city of Thebes and the construction of the Temple. Depicting the glorious achievement of the Pharaohs, spectators listen to the lyrical and poetic descriptions of artistic treasures, grand festivals, heroic deeds and literature of the times. The show is presented in English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Arabic, and Japanese.