Valley of the Kings

A wadi on the west bank of the Nile at Luxor containing the decorated rock-cut tombs of pharaohs and nobles of the New Kingdom period, spanning roughly 500 years from the 16th to 11th centuries BC. The tombs are notable for their depth, complexity, and extensive painted relief decoration depicting religious texts and funerary rituals. The tomb of Tutankhamun, discovered intact in 1922, remains a focal point though its decoration is modest compared to the larger royal tombs. The valley is sheltered below a naturally pyramid-shaped peak sacred to the goddess Meretseger.