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| Ancient Thebes With Its Necropolis |
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History
Remember Homer, the Greek author who wrote the famous epic The Iliad?? Homer’s narrative celebrates the riches, structure and the culture of the ancient city of Thebes. The ancient city is located about 800 kms south of the Mediterranean and is also well known as the birthplace of the legendary hero Herakles. On the other hand, Thebes was also the Greek name for a city located in the ancient Egypt. In Egyptian language the meaning of Thebes is ‘The City of Amun’ as the city was associated with the God Amon Ra.
Thebes was once the capital of Egypt during the period of the Middle and New Kingdoms. The tombs, temples and palaces at Luxor along with the Theban Necropolises of the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens make the city a striking epitome of Egyptian civilization.
The city of Thebes depicts fascinating Ancient Egyptian history which makes the Ancient Thebes and its Necropolis is a must see. Thebes and its Necropolis is inscribed on the Unesco World Heritage List.
Thebes has much more to brag about– historical, political and architectural accomplishments. The east and west banks of the city of Thebes houses major archaeological sites, including the Temple of Karnak, which is one of the most visited archaeological sites in Egypt and the pyramids at Giza. Its construction began in the 16th century BC and more than thirty pharaohs were added to the construction of the temple throughout the years. The Temple of Karnak now has a network of small buildings and temples, making the visit to the temple unforgettable!
Even after facing continual upheavals in the course of time, the ancient city of Thebes still is best known for the mortuary temples and tombs of the ancient Egyptian dignitaries and the Valleys of the Kings and Queens, Deir el-Medina and Ramesseum which lie on the outskirts of Luxor.
The Theban Necropolis is located on the west bank of the Nile, just opposite to the city of Thebes. It was used for ritual burials for much of Pharaonic times. The Necropolis consists of many temples and tombs dating to the New Kingdom of Egypt. A large number of labourers were engaged in the construction of necropolis masons, painters, builders and above all embalmers who prepared the bodies for burial.
The Valley of the Kings is situated to the north, funerary temples to the east and south-east and the Valley of Queens to the west.
Valley of the Kings is the resting place for more than 64 pharaohs and other royalty, including King Tutankhamun. Built in the shape of a pyramid; there are furnished tombs of the 18th, 19th and 20th Dynasty Kings. The tombs consist of a series of passages and chambers hewn from the rock whereas the temples built in the plains are dedicated to the cult of dead kings. Archaeologists continue to discover tombs in the Valley of the Kings. Their most recent discovery was in 2006. A visit to the Valley of the Kings is worth while in Thebes.
Valley of the Queens is often called as place of beauty and is at walking distance from the other tombs. The path of this valley is flanked by limestone cliffs and its great beauty lies within the 80 tombs. All the toms belong to 19th and 20th Dynasties. However a number of the tombs are not yet finished and remain without any decoration.
The ancient Egyptian village, Deir el-Medina was home to the artisans who worked on the tombs in the Valley of the Kings of the New Kingdom period. There are more than 400 tombs of private individuals in the Necropolis in western Thebes including nobles, priests, and high officials. The art and architecture on these royal tombs depict typical contemporary daily life of the Egyptians. Even the paintings in the tombs also focus on traditional rituals.
Apart from all of these, there are other remains which are worth seeing- Ramesseum , a great mortuary temple located on the banks of the Nile. The rock tombs of Sheikh Abd el-Qurna in the eastern, northern slopes and in the plains between Ramesseum and the Upper Precinct depict the style of typical Theban construction. Royal and Princely Tombs of El-Tarif and Temple of Deir-el-Bahri highlight the historical and cultural aspect of the city of Thebes.
A visit to Luxor is a must see for the traveller to Egypt - there are wonders and temples and tombs and museums and would take a month to take it all in.
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Best time to visit
The best time to visit Thebes is in winter, when the weather is cool enough for you to sightsee. Carry your camera, plenty of sun protection and modest clothes.
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Trivia
Thebes once was supposed to have 100 gates for entering and so was termed as ‘The City of 100 Gate’.
According to the Egyptian tradition, an ancient curse results in death is put on the head of anyone who disturbs the bones of a pharaoh.
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Timing
Tourists can visit the site anytime between early mornings till late evening. However it would be ideal to go in the late morning or late afternoon to avoid the hoards of tourist groups. The entry is absolutely free. The tombs of the necropolis are opened and closed in rotation.
While in Thebes, do not miss out the Sound and Light Show at Karnak which runs for several hours in the evening/night in multiple languages. It is very informative and spectacular to see at night.
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