This is why I say Egypt is a massive cemetery. The rocks, pyramids and sandstone are ancient burial sites.
The Valley was used for primary burials from approximately 1539 BC to 1075 BC. It contains at least 63 tombs, beginning with Thutmose I (or possibly earlier, during the reign of Amenhotep I) and ending with Ramesses X or XI, although non-royal burials continued in usurped tombs.
Despite its name, the Valley of the Kings also contains the tombs of favorite nobles as well as the wives and children of both nobles and pharaohs. Therefore, only about twenty of the tombs actually contain the remains of kings. The remains of nobles and of the royal family, together with unmarked pits and embalming caches, make up the rest.
I only entered the tomb of Queen Valley of the Kings, Queen Hatshepsut and then sat talked to Ahmed while I waited for the group to finish.
Thankfully, weather was comfortable and agreeable. Touring these ancient tombs in 100 degrees would not have been as pleasant an experience. Neither Ahmed, nor I would have been smiling.
