Aug. 10 – Colossi of Memnon, Temple of Hatshepsut, Valley of the Nobles, Valley of the Kings
Amenhotep III built a mortuary temple in Thebes that was guarded by two gigantic statues on the outer gates. All that remains now are the 19.5m statues of Amenhotep. Though damaged by nature and ancient tourists, the statues are still impressive. Long after Amenhotep the Greeks decided that the statue represented their hero, Memnon, son of Tithonus, and Eos, who fought in defense of Troy and was slain by Achilles. The north statues, of Amenhotep's mother Mutemuia and Queen Tiy, were shattered by an earthquake. The fallen remains produced a musical sound under certain weather conditions. The Eqyptians thought that this music came directly from the gods. To be granted a song meant that you were very much in favor of the gods. Visitors came from miles around to hear the music, including Emperor Hadrian, in 130 A.D. The music stopped in 199 A.D. when the statue was repaired.
We climbed the hills nearby (accompanied by a group of pesky vendors. But for most of them it's their only possibility to make a living and get some money) to get a vantage view of the mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut. The queen's architect, Senenmut, designed it and set it at the head of a valley overshadowed by the Peak of the Thebes.
Ramose was governor of Thebes during Amenhotep II IV's reign. It's one of the most elegantly decorated tombs from ancient times and well-known by the wall painting, showing a group of men carrying furnitures and mourning women.
Beginning with the 18th Dynasty and ending with the 20th, the kings abandoned the Memphis area and built their tombs in Thebes. Also abandoned were the pyramid style tombs. Most of the tombs were cut into the limestone following a similar pattern: three corridors, an antechamber and a sunken sarcophagus chamber. These catacombs were harder to rob and were more easily concealed. Construction usually lasted six years, beginning with the new reign.
Though small and unimpressive, Tutankhamun's Tomb is probably the most famous, due to its late discovery. Most of the treasures found are now in the Cairo Museum. Tutankhamun died at only 19 years of age following a brief reign. Though extremely impressive to the modern world, the treasures of Tutankhamun must have paled when compared to the tombs of the great Pharaohs that ruled for many years during Egypt's golden age.
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