The Valley of the Queens

The name 'Valley of the Queens'  is perhaps misleading, as this necropolis in Western Thebes was originally for the tombs of high officials and royal children, with the queens themselves not being buried here until the XIXth Dynasty.  Known as the Biban el-Harem ('Gates of the Harem), the valley contains nearly 80 tombs, although only a handful are visited today.  The Tomb of Prince Khaemweset (pictured) is one of the finest, with beautifully preserved colours; the reliefs give prominence more to the prince's father Ramses III than to the prince himself.

The finest tomb in the Valley of the Queens is that of Nefertari, but this is currently only open to VIP groups as the reliefs are considered to be extremely fragile.

Below: Many of the tombs in the Valley of the Queens are small and remain unidentified.