Valley of the Kings
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On the other side of the cliff behind Hatshepstut's Temple lies the Valley of the Kings. The Pharaohs stopped building pyramids because they were so easy to find and rob. They found a hidden valley and were buried deep underground. Unfortunately their tombs were still discovered over the millenium by the tomb robbers. Tutankhamun's tomb was a sensation when it was discovered by Howard Carter in 1922. It was intact and full of golden treasure that is now in the Egyptian museum.
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(from BBC Radio. You aren't allowed to photograph the mask)
Tutankhamun and his sister/wife at Karnak temple
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One of the little boys in our group drove the little yellow train that took us from the entrance to the tombs. It was his first driving lesson. He was very hesitant but his big American friend helped give him confidence.
We went into three tombs. They were amazing. Steep steps and a ramp descend deep down underground along a corridor adorned with hieroglyphics that instruct the Pharaoh on how to get to the afterlife. The first tomb contained the sarcophagus of Ramses IV. It was spectacular with the painting of the sky goddess Nut on the ceiling.
We went into three tombs. They were amazing. Steep steps and a ramp descend deep down underground along a corridor adorned with hieroglyphics that instruct the Pharaoh on how to get to the afterlife. The first tomb contained the sarcophagus of Ramses IV. It was spectacular with the painting of the sky goddess Nut on the ceiling.
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The Creation of Ancient Egypt
(Part of a story I have written about Ancient Egypt)
Ra was the first Pharaoh of Egypt. He ruled wisely but when he grew old and wrinkly he dribbled a lot. He decided to go to live in the sky instead of on the earth. Ra's granddaughter, Nut*, turned herself into a cow called Hathor and carried Ra on her back up into the sky.
Hathor went so high up that she became dizzy and Ra became heavy. Four gods blew in to hold her up and became the pillars of the the sky - North, South, East and West. Hathor tossed Ra off her back and he sailed up into the sky to become the sun. From that time the sun has risen every day. At night it goes into dark caves on the other side of the world.
Nut's father, Shu, stepped in to hold her up and Nut changed into the blue sky. Shu became the air, Nut's husband, Geb became the Earth, Ra became the mighty sun and all together they made the world.
Poor Geb was very upset that he could never touch his lovely wife, Nut again and fought against Shu to get her back. Volcanoes erupted and earthquakes shook as Geb pounded his fists into the Earth.
Geb's knees make the mountains and the wind howling in the trees is the sound of his wailing for Nut; the rain is her tears. Geb grows tall trees, tall enough to nearly tall enough to touch the sky. The wind that blows in their branches is happy and laughing to be so close to lovely Nut.
*Nut is pronounced Noot
Hathor went so high up that she became dizzy and Ra became heavy. Four gods blew in to hold her up and became the pillars of the the sky - North, South, East and West. Hathor tossed Ra off her back and he sailed up into the sky to become the sun. From that time the sun has risen every day. At night it goes into dark caves on the other side of the world.
Nut's father, Shu, stepped in to hold her up and Nut changed into the blue sky. Shu became the air, Nut's husband, Geb became the Earth, Ra became the mighty sun and all together they made the world.
Poor Geb was very upset that he could never touch his lovely wife, Nut again and fought against Shu to get her back. Volcanoes erupted and earthquakes shook as Geb pounded his fists into the Earth.
Geb's knees make the mountains and the wind howling in the trees is the sound of his wailing for Nut; the rain is her tears. Geb grows tall trees, tall enough to nearly tall enough to touch the sky. The wind that blows in their branches is happy and laughing to be so close to lovely Nut.
*Nut is pronounced Noot
My painting of Nut, Geb and Shu
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My painting of Nut and Geb
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Tomb of Ramses the Great
The next tomb was of Ramses the Great which has only recently opened for tourists. It has been difficult to excavate due to being flooded many times. The once magnificent paintings on the wall have mostly flaked off.
That didn't really matter to me as I felt the power and awe of being able to descend down the steep passageway into this great ruler's tomb. The enormous stone top of his sarcophagus is separated from the stone base and it is possible to look inside. The archaeologists have drawn their impressions of the figures that might once have decorated the sarcophagus.
On the way out I said Shukraan and smiled at the guardian of the tomb. He looked at me and got up. He beckoned to me and as no one was in the tomb he took me walking all over the tomb and showed me all the secret places. The rooms that once would have held treasure, he took me to vantage points to see the remains of the wall frescoes, and he took photos of the inside of the sarcophagus for me. He showed me a tiny dark room at the back, more like a dark cave really. He took hold of my hand and placed it on the wall inside the entrance. The power that flooded through my arm and into my body was extraordinarily strong, so strong it was almost too much even for me to hold for long. It was the most powerful energy I experienced in Egypt.
My new guide took my arm and escorted me up the steep corridor to the light at the end of the tunnel. He suggested if I needed a husband he would be happy to fill the roll. Probably not a great choice for me as he didn't speak English.
That didn't really matter to me as I felt the power and awe of being able to descend down the steep passageway into this great ruler's tomb. The enormous stone top of his sarcophagus is separated from the stone base and it is possible to look inside. The archaeologists have drawn their impressions of the figures that might once have decorated the sarcophagus.
On the way out I said Shukraan and smiled at the guardian of the tomb. He looked at me and got up. He beckoned to me and as no one was in the tomb he took me walking all over the tomb and showed me all the secret places. The rooms that once would have held treasure, he took me to vantage points to see the remains of the wall frescoes, and he took photos of the inside of the sarcophagus for me. He showed me a tiny dark room at the back, more like a dark cave really. He took hold of my hand and placed it on the wall inside the entrance. The power that flooded through my arm and into my body was extraordinarily strong, so strong it was almost too much even for me to hold for long. It was the most powerful energy I experienced in Egypt.
My new guide took my arm and escorted me up the steep corridor to the light at the end of the tunnel. He suggested if I needed a husband he would be happy to fill the roll. Probably not a great choice for me as he didn't speak English.
The top of Ramses the Great's alabaster sarcophagus
Ramses the Great's alabaster tomb
A small amount of the original paintings remain intact
Archaeological work in the tomb of Ramses IV
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Me and my idol Ramses II
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My lovely group in the tomb of Ramses III
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Suggested images by the university archaeologists
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Of course, by the time I eventually came out the other's had moved on. When I eventually found them I explained by saying "I got married" and they all chimed in with "Again?" Haha. They warned me that if I kept getting married I'd get caught by one of these Egyptians and have to stay. I wouldn't mind. I was loving Egypt so much, it felt like I had come home.
The third tomb was that of Ramses III and it had particularly beautiful images on the walls.
The third tomb was that of Ramses III and it had particularly beautiful images on the walls.
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The Story of Ra
Once, in a place before time, even before the sun was in the sky, the land of Ancient Egypt was ruled by a Pharaoh called Ra. Every morning when Ra woke up he had his breakfast and a bath, then got in his royal barge to glide down the Nile River. He visited the twelve provinces he ruled along its banks. Ra taught people to grow crops and tame animals, to hunt and catch fish and to exchange the food they caught and grew. He spent one hour with the people in each of the provinces. That is why he made the day 12 hours long. At the end of the day he sailed home to eat dinner and rest safely in his palace. Every morning Ra the sun is born as a baby of the sky goddess, Nut. He gets aboard his boat and sails through the day, spending an hour above each of his twelve provinces, helping things grow. As the day goes on the sun, Ra grows older from a child to a youth and into a man. By the end of the day when the dew falls, Ra has grown old and dribbly again. At night when the stars are out, Ra is on the other side of the world shedding a little bit of light into the dark caves he passes through. Ra always rises again the next morning as the bright and shining Sun-child, spreading his rays of sunshine across the world. |
Watching Ra rise from the balloon
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My painting of Ra
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On the upper deck of the Cruise Ship
The setting sun
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Watching Ra set as we cruise on the Nile River
We went back to the boat for lunch and I was finally able to relax for the afternoon as we cruised down the Nile.