Yet another early morning this morning although this time we said good bye to half our party on the steps of our flat as Esther, Lil and Deanna were heading off to Dahab today. So at 0630 hours on the steps of the Flats in Luxor we said goodbye to the three girls who were about to head off on there own adventure before heading home. This is our last day in Luxor as well but we do not head out until later tonight.
Still we headed out first for one last foray to the temples around Luxor. Mum, Dad, Lou and I headed off with a driver and guide while Katherine decided to stay at the flats.
Valley of the Queens
Our first stop for the day was the Valley of the Queens. While there are 74 Tombs at the Valley of the Queens only 23 were found to be used of those 23 only 3 are open to the public.
I asked were the other Queens from the era (19th & 20th Dynasties) were since only 23 tombs have actually been found and it seemed somewhat disproportionate when compared to the Valley of the Kings. Our guide said that they did not know but perhaps they were in a different valley that had not yet been found.
The Tomb of Nefertari is still closed which is a pity since it is meant to be one of the finest. However our guide mentioned that for 20,000 EGP they would open the tomb, he also commented that the only ones who generally paid that much were the Japanese. While it may be the finest we decided that we wouldn’t pay 20,000 EGP just to have the tomb opened.
Also like the Valley of the Kings no photo’s are allowed. So thwarted tourists snapped pictures of the sign explaining the tomb. Personally I didn’t bother with that, I didn’t see the point.
First up we went into the Tomb of Titi who they think was married to Ramses III although there is apperantly still debate over which Pharaohs she was married to. The tomb is much smaller than the ones that we saw in the Valley of the Kings and much of the paint work is faded and the carvings on the walls gone.
The next small tomb that we saw was the Tomb of Khaemwaset who was a son of Ramses III. He is buried in the Valley of the Queens because he was under the age of 11, regarded as a child so buried with the Queens. Apparently from 11 years old the son’s were considered to be adults and buried in the Valley of the Kings. Unlike the previous tomb of Titi the tomb is filled with bright vibrant coloured reliefs of Khaemwaset being introduced to the various gods by his father Ramses III.
The last tomb that we saw in the valley was the Tomb of Amunherkhepshef, of the three it is the best preserved with the colours in the reliefs jumping out at you and making the story that they tell easier to see. Like Khaemwaset, Amunhekhepshef was one of the son’s of Ramses II who died young thus was buried with the Queens. Also the pictures show Amunhekhepshef being introduced to the gods by his father Ramses III. At the back of the tomb on display in a small glass case is the mummified remains of a five month old foetus that is still the subject of many different stories of its origin.
Medinat Habu
Medinat Habu is known mostly for the funerary temple built by Ramses III although other Pharaohs also added to the complex. Ramses III admired the Syrian forts so built the gate to resemble them and it is apparently the only temple built like it in Egypt. Still like everything we’ve seen for the era the Pharaohs did not do anything on a small scale.
The reliefs are inset throughout the temple, by a long way. So of course I had to ask why since it is very different from most that we’ve seen so far. Our guide explained that it was for several reasons one being that the rock was soft so that it had to be inset. The second was that Ramses III had seen the names of Pharaohs before him written over and changed and did not want anyone to do that to his name he wanted it to last.
For all of the examples of these sorts of Temples that we’d seen so far it was only today that it clicked that this was where the body of Ramses III was prepared and Mummified.
The Ramesseum
Last up for the morning was the memorial temple of Ramses II and like Habu before this was also a funerary temple although this one for Ramses II. Unlike the previous one there is not much of the temple remaining standing. Some was pilfered by locals over the years to use the massive stones for there own houses and some of the destruction was thought to be the work of an earthquake. Some also due to water damage from sugar cane farming until UNESCO brought up the surrounding land to stop the farming and try and preserve what is left of the temple.
The Colossus of Ramses II is broken and spread across the ground with only the giant head and feet recognisable. The reliefs on the walls of the temple depict among other things Ramses II many victories over foreign invaders.
One of the good things about today has been that there really has not been as many tourist groups at the temples which certainly made it more pleasant to go through, wander around and just plain take in the temples. Certainly a pleasant change of pace from the chaos that was Karnak yesterday!
