Luxor’s Valley of the Artisans is a surprising place, and a visit here can be a magnificent complement for those spending several days in the city who wish to go beyond the royal tombs. In this post, we will explain exactly what this valley is, where it is located, and which are the best tombs that are sure to surprise you.
What this ‘valley’ is and where it is located
The term Valley of the Artisans refers to the tombs built by the inhabitants of Deir el-Medina, the artisan village where the professionals who worked in the necropolises on the west bank of ancient Thebes (modern Luxor) lived. As we have seen in other posts, these necropolises include the Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queens, and the Valley of the Nobles. Therefore, to draw a parallel with them, it is referred to as a ‘valley,’ although in reality, these are tombs scattered across the mountain slopes around the village.
Its nomenclature, however, is shared with that of the Valley of the Nobles. That is, the generic TT (Theban Tomb), unlike the tombs of kings (KV, Kings Valley) and queens (QV, Queens Valley). In any case, more than 500 tombs can be counted in this classification, of which over fifty are decorated and accessible for visits, although some may be closed for conservation or other reasons.
The Best Tombs in the Valley of the Artisans
The tombs in the Valley of the Artisans are, logically, smaller and more modest than those of kings, queens, and nobles. Their owners did not possess as many resources, but they did have the skill and expertise for their construction and decoration, which they had to undertake in their free time. For this reason, those discovered sealed and unplundered are still striking.
Tomb of Sennedjem (TT1)
It is inevitable to begin with the Tomb of Sennedjem, as its numbering indicates it was the first of its kind to be discovered. This occurred in 1886 when the Spanish Egyptologist Eduardo Toda received a tip about its existence, and archaeological work quickly began to prevent its looting and destruction. It features a courtyard, three chapels, and several shafts, where the sarcophagi of this official of Seti I and Ramses II, as well as those of his family members, were located. The very well-preserved decoration covers 40 square meters across its four walls and ceiling, depicting scenes from the Book of the Dead.
Tomb of Pashedu (TT3)
This is another prominent tomb in the Valley of the Artisans due to its spectacular decoration. Contemporary with Sennedjem (from the period of Seti I and Ramses II), its walls display a rich iconographic program that is surprising, for example, for the realism of some scenes (a person crouching and drinking water from the Nile), or monumental representations of the Eye of Horus, the seated god Osiris, or the god Anubis in jackal form.
Other Tombs
In addition to those of Sennedjem and Pashedu, perhaps the two most spectacular, we can also mention others of great interest for various reasons:
- Tomb of Nebenmaat (TT219), with limited color but an entirely decorated chamber, including its vault
- Tomb of Inherkha (TT359), a foreman during the time of Ramses III and Ramses IV, featuring scenes from the Book of the Dead and the Book of Gates, with high-quality offerings and frescoes
- Tomb of Kha and Merit (TT8), whose contents were taken to Turin (now in the Egyptian Museum of that city) but whose discovery was another milestone in the understanding of Deir el-Medina and the Theban necropolises
