Valley of the Queens

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The Valley of the Queens (وادي الملكات‎, Wādī al-Malekāt) is where the wives of pharaohs were buried in ancient times. It was known then as Ta-Set-Neferu, meaning "the place of beauty", being the burial site of many wives of Pharaohs. Pharaohs themselves were buried in The Valley of the Kings.

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Overview

The Valley of the Queens, also known as Biban el-Harim, Biban el-Sultanat and Wādī al-Harīm consists of the main wadi, which contains most of the royal tombs, along with the Valley of Prince Ahmose, the Valley of the Rope, the Valley of the Three Pits, and the Valley of the Dolmen. The main wadi contains 91 tombs and the subsidiary valleys add another 19 tombs. The burials in the subsidiary valleys all date to the 18th Dynasty.

The reason for choosing the Valley of the Queens as a burial site is not known. The close proximity to the workers' village of Deir el-Medina and the Valley of the Kings may have been a factor. Another consideration could have been the existence of a sacred grotto dedicated to Hathor at the entrance of the Valley. This grotto may have been associated with rejuvenation of the dead.

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