We’re going back to the West Bank today. After a day in the Valleys of the Kings and Queens, I didn’t think there would be anything left. There was!
Before going to the workers’ tombs, we strolled through the area of the workers’ mud brick houses. The lower parts of the walls are still intact, but there are none completely enclosed. They had many common spaces, including bathrooms. The houses were small, but they worked.
Up the hill, there is a temple dedicated to Hathor. It is small, but has an offering table. The reliefs depict the Ptolemaic rulers.
On the hillside of the Valley of the Workers, there lies the single tomb we would visit. The ancient pharaohs would grant land to the workers as payment for their services. This proves that the people working/building tombs were not slaves. In this area, there are some tombs. We were absolutely floored by the tomb of the workers’ supervisor Sennedjet.
Although he wasn’t royalty, Sennedjet’s tomb definitely lives up to the tomb of a royal. Even though there are no carvings, the paintings in the tomb are still bright. They are unique because they show common scenes. They show Sennedjet and his wife working together, playing games together, and praying together. The tombs of the royals don’t give any depictions of day-to-day behavior, or behaviors between husband and wife. This tomb allows us a glimpse into that part of a commoner’s life. This was the only worker tomb we entered, but it definitely had to be the best!
Next, we went to the Valley of the Monkeys. No…we didn’t go visit tombs of monkeys. It gets its name from the mountain formations; it appears as if several monkeys are carved into the mountainside. We went specifically to visit the tomb of queen Ay. Fortunately, we were allowed to bring the camera in to this beautiful, but under-visited tomb. Check out the pictures below to see the beauty inside this underground tomb! The sarcophagus has a beautiful depiction of Isis on it’s corner. Notice there are monkeys painted on the wall.
This was the only tomb to see in the Valley of the Monkeys. BUT, IT WAS WORTH THE VISIT AND THE DRIVE.
Our last night in Luxor was to be a night of cultural experiences. We were able to eat fenugreek stuffed pigeon, an Egyptian favorite. This dish was yummy. An accompanying side is called molocchia (spelling?); this was a little harder to enjoy. It’s like spinach mixed with honey and spices. The texture was a little too slimy for Bree and I. On the other hand, the pasta that was served as another side was very tasty. I think this was the biggest meal we’ve had thus far. What a wonderful meal shared in a great environment with good people.
Afterwards, we went back to the hotel and enjoyed dancing performances while smoking sheesh a (this is a legal substance–enjoyed by everyone). All in all, it was an incredible day.
The next morning, we head back to Cairo and start our independent travels. Read our upcoming blogs to hear about it.
How We See It 