Talks

Egypt’s Valley of the Kings: ancient tombs and recent discoveries
by Dr Patricia Spencer

Date: Tuesday 28 November 2017

This talk will look at the development and history of the burial place of some of ancient Egypt’s greatest pharaohs.
Egypt’s Valley of the Kings: ancient tombs and recent discoveries

The Valley of the Kings is a World Heritage Site on the west bank of the Nile at Luxor, perhaps best known as the burial place of Tutankhamun, whose tomb was discovered in 1922. This illustrated talk will look at the reasons why, after centuries of royal burials under pyramids, the Egyptians began to inter kings in rock-cut tombs, and will consider the consequences of this decision. The story of the Valley during its 500 years of use and the history of its excavation will also be covered, including the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb and the results of more recent research.

Dr Patricia Spencer was Director of the London-based Egypt Exploration Society until her retirement in 2011. She edited the Society’s colour magazine ‘Egyptian Archaeology’ for almost 20 years, and participated in annual archaeological excavations in Egypt from 1981 to 2015.

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