Valley of the Queens
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Valley_of_the_Queens_by_Zureks.jpg
The Valley of the Queens, is a place in Egypt where wives of Pharaohs were buried in ancient times. In ancient times, it was known as Ta-Set-Neferu, meaning –‘the place of the Children of the Pharaoh’, because along with the Queens of the 18th, 19th and 20th dynasties (1550–1070 BCE) many princes and princesses were also buried with various members of the nobility. The tombs of these individuals were maintained by mortuary priests who performed daily rituals and provided offerings and prayers for the deceased nobility.
The valley is located near the better known Valley of the Kings, on the west bank of the Nile across from Thebes (modern Luxor) . This barren area in the western hills was chosen due to its relative isolation and proximity to the capital. The kings of the 18th dynasty, instead of the traditional building of pyramids as burial chambers (perhaps because of their vulnerability to tomb robbers), now chose to be buried in rock-cut tombs.
This necropolis is said to hold more than seventy tombs, many of which are stylish and lavishly decorated. An example of this is the resting place carved out of the rock for Queen Nefertari (1290–1224 BCE) of the 19th Dynasty. The polychrome reliefs in her tomb are still intact.
Other Burials
Fragments of burial equipments were found for several additional members of the royal family. No known tombs exist for these individuals but the existence of the burial equipment suggests that these people may have once been buried in the Valley of the Queens as well.<ref>Dodson A. and Hilton D. The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt, London 2004</ref>
- King's Wife Henut. Mid 18th Dynasty. Her name was enclosed in a cartouche on canopic fragments.
- Prince Menkheperre, Son of Tuthmosis III and Merytre Hatshepsut. Canopic fragments were found.
- King's Great Wife Nebetnehat. Mid 18th Dynasty. Her name was enclosed in a cartouche on canopic fragments.
- King's Daughter Ti. Mid 18th Dynasty. Canopic fragments were found.