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Francis Frith
Valley of Tombs of the Kings
1857-1859
Albumen print
16.2 x 21.0 cm (image)
The Royal Collection
RCIN 2701221
LL/91235
View down a rugged barren valley with, on the left, a path running through the bottom with two local men and a donkey. Mountains and hills rising steeply in the foreground to the right and in the distance. The Valley of the Kings, which actually consists of two valleys, is a royal necropolis of the New Kingdom. The 63 tombs (58 of which are in the eastern valley) consist of a series of rock-cut chambers and corridors, sloping downwards into the cliffs, with their walls and ceilings often richly decorated by wall paintings. One of the finest tombs is probably the one belonging to Seti I (1294-1279 BC) but the tomb of Tutankhamun (1336-1327 BC), discovered by British archaeologist Howard Carter (1874-1939) in November 1922, is likely to be the most famous, due to the fact that it was found virtually undisturbed, providing a wealth of treasure.
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