The Valley of the Monkeys in Luxor is one of the most fascinating and mysterious places in the Theban Necropolis, whose main sectors we have covered in this blog: the Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queens, the Valley of the Nobles, and even the Valley of the Artisans. But now it is the turn of this place, as unique as it is enigmatic, which continues to be researched today; this does not prevent it from being visited, with interesting accessible tombs inside.
Where it is and why it is called that
The Valley of the Monkeys in Luxor is included in what is known as the Valley of the Kings, but it can actually be considered a branch of it: specifically, a western branch, which is why the tombs found here adopt the nomenclature WV (West Valley). This small, enclosed valley was used as a burial site for pharaohs mainly during the 18th Dynasty, but also during the following two. It was then reused from the 8th century BC onwards.
There is no consensus on the true reason for this name, but the abundance of baboons depicted in the wall paintings of the tombs certainly plays a role. The most iconic example is the tomb of Ay, successor to Tutankhamun in the 18th Dynasty: in it, twelve baboons appear to symbolize the twelve months of the year.
However, it also seems clear that baboon burials took place in the Valley of the Monkeys, a primate about which there is still much speculation regarding its symbolic and religious role in Ancient Egypt. As early as the 19th century, there are references to exhumations of mummified baboons in this sector of the Theban Necropolis.
What role did baboons play in Ancient Egypt?
Researchers from the University of Konstanz in Germany recently published a study with the results of their field research, in which they subjected baboon remains found here to DNA testing. Although many questions remain to be answered, the authors of the study (mainly anthropologists) maintain that the baboon specimens found here originate from present-day Eritrea and date back as far as 800 BC. This would be further evidence of the rich and complex trade networks in Ancient Egypt.
But it could also be confirming the respect and devotion held for these animals, who were considered worshippers of the sun god Ra, often depicted with raised arms in a gesture of veneration toward the sky.
Nevertheless, it remains to be explained why they might have been subjected to the extraction of their canine teeth at an early stage of their lives, as some inspections have confirmed; this would indicate a desire for protection and defense against these animals, whether sacred or not.
Most prominent tombs in the Valley of the Monkeys
The tombs in the Valley of the Monkeys are not as numerous as those in other sectors of the Theban Necropolis, but some of them are of genuine interest. Perhaps the most prominent is that of Ay, the elderly king who is shrouded in a halo of mystery for being the successor to Tutankhamun, whose reign ended abruptly. Its enigmatic character is also heightened by the fact that his image was desecrated in his tomb, classified as WV23: it contains the aforementioned mural of the twelve baboons.
In addition to the tomb of Ay, tombs WV22, WV24, and WV25 can be mentioned. The latter is incomplete and, according to some hypotheses, may have been started by the famous pharaoh Akhenaten, which connects this group of burials with the religious schism that Ancient Egypt experienced during the 18th Dynasty.
Photo: Fabio Achili (CC 2.0)
