"Necropolis of Thebes" a Necropolis of Thebes Travel Page by MM212

As one of the richest archeological sites in the world, Thebes and its necropolis count among Egypt's main attractions. Following the tradition of Ancient Egypt, the Necropolis of Thebes is located at the edge of the desert on the west bank of the Nile, while the city of Thebes, modern day Luxor, is on the east bank. The west, where the sun sets, symbolises death and the afterlife, whereas the east, where it rises, symbolises the beginning of life. Therefore, most of Ancient Egypt's necropoli are located on the west bank (e.g., Giza, Saqqara, etc.).

Although this area was used as a burial place as early as the Old Kingdom, it was not until the New Kingdom (after 1500 BC) that kings and queens of Ancient Egypt chose it as the burial place of choice. This coincided with the golden age of Egyptian art and architecture resulting in magnificent tombs embelished with exuberant decorations and luxurious objects, and built alongside majestic funerary temples. Many of these temples have not survived the test of time, but the few that have stand to astonish the most doubtful of visitors. A trip to Luxor is as close as one gets to time travel, to a world so different from our own... be ready for the journey!

This page describes the sites and tombs in western Thebes, while other separate pages focus on the city of Luxor and the Complex of Karnak.

Egypt December 2007 Itinerary:
Cairo - Saqqara - Pyramids of Giza; Luxor - Karnak - Necropolis of Thebes; Aswan - Philae - Kalabsha; Abu Simbel; Cairo again.