The Royal Tombs of Egypt

Zahi Hawass is Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities and Director of Excavations at the Giza pyramids. He is a co-organizer of the current touring King Tut exhibition and wrote the catalogue that accompanies it.

The Valley of the Kings is famous throughout the world as the burial place of the great New Kingdom pharaohs. It was here, in 1922, that Howard Carter stumbled upon the virtually intact tomb of the boy-king, Tutankhamun. And here, in recent months, that archaeologists discovered a new tomb with its wooden sarcophagi, painted funeral masks, and alabaster jars.

The royal tombs, t...

The Valley of the Kings is famous throughout the world as the burial place of the great New Kingdom pharaohs. It was here, in 1922, that Howard Carter stumbled upon the virtually intact tomb of the boy-king, Tutankhamun. And here, in recent months, that archaeologists discovered a new tomb with its wooden sarcophagi, painted funeral masks, and alabaster jars.

The royal tombs, tunneled into the Theban cliffs, represented both gates to the Netherworld and the womb of the Great Goddess. Many of them contain wall paintings of the king with various gods and goddesses, as well as papyri, mummies, decorated coffins, and other artifacts.

This is the first book to reproduce the wall paintings and murals in full. It explores in great detail the most deeply-held beliefs of the ancient kings and queens who are buried here, beliefs that provided the impetus for the building, decoration, and equipping of these magnificent tombs. Beautifully illustrated in full color, with thirty foldouts, it allows the reader to join the pharaohs of the New Kingdom on their journeys to immortality. 300+ color illustrations, including 30 foldouts.