Page 85 - WDT Magazine Egypt

Each of the tombs was a visual delight – and often
a physical relief since the descent beneath the sand
moderated temperatures a bit. Frescos, many in colors
so bright they seemed painted yesterday, lined tunnel
walls, often a backdrop for elaborately carved columns.
Some led to chambers with stone coffins still standing.
With a little imagination, you could picture the treas-
ures long missing – everything from gold jewelry and
statues to household goods and provisions for the
long journey to life after death.
Some grouse that the portion of King Tut’s tomb
open here is tiny and disappointing. And of course,
there’s the legendary curse of the pharaohs blamed
for the mysterious deaths of the tomb’s excavators.
But Mary and most of the other Pharaohs couldn’t
resist stepping into the storied two-room chamber. The
linen-wrapped mummy of the boy king still rests in
one of them – remarkable to observe and an unforget-
table travel moment on this odyssey back in time.
Our ride back to the ship was relatively quiet. Per-
haps we were drained by the heat. But more likely we
were lost in another world that only a visit here could
bring to life so vividly in our minds.

Mary explores the Vally of the Kings
fresco-lined entry tunnels, and some
of the 18 tombs sprawled across the
valley floor including the tomb of King
Tut where no photos were allowed.

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