"It Hasn't Been Commercialized"

Religion professor Susan Ackerman '80 says that eveiyone who visits Egypt sees the Valley of the Kings—the ancient Egyptian burial site, home to King Tuts tomb. For a really special experience, however, Ackerman recommends visiting the Valleyof the Nobles and Deir el-Medina.

Valley of the Nobles

Located about a mile and a half from the kings' tombs in the general Valley of the Kings region, the Valley of the Nobles is a burial site for the kings' special men—their officials, servants, ministers and officers.

How to Get There: Ackerman recommends hiring a cab driver or going with a tour group. The cab drivers often speak only Arabic, but they can be hired for an entire day at veiy little cost.

Why It's So Interesting: "The tombs aren't nearly as large as the ones in the Valley of the Kings and they're not as elaborately decorated," Ackerman says. "But they have a personal quality to them—a feeling of intimacy—that, in my opinion, the tombs in the Valley of the Kings don't have. The decorations in the Valley of the Kings show the kings worshipping the gods. When I go to these nobles' tombs, I feel like I could know them. I know who they are as people, not who they are as figureheads."

Touristy Factor: Minimal. The site itself is less developed than the Valley of the Kings, where the walkways between tombs have all been paved. "When you go to the Valley of the Nobles you're sort of picking your way on dirt paths to get from tomb to tomb," Ackerman says. "Its not strenuous, but it hasn't been commercialized, it hasn't been made into a destination where it's all neat and tidy and paved over, a 'please don't step on the grass' kind of thing."

Deir el-Medina

The workmen and artisans who constructed the Valley of the Kings lived in Deir el-Medina 3,300 years ago. In their free time they built and decorated their own tombs—Ackerman calls it "the equivalent of a busman's holiday."

How to Get There: Again, take a cab or encourage your tour group to take the detour. The tombs are located very near the Valley of the Kings (because the artisans had to live close to where they worked), so it's worth a visit if you're already in the area.

Why It's So Interesting: Ackerman points out that the tombs are very well constructed and decorated— they were made by the best artisans available, after all. What makes them really special, though, are the decorations on the walls. "The wall paintings and decorations are just exquisite," she says. "These artists would often paint their families, their aspirations, visions of themselves banqueting with their families in the afterlife. When they portray their families, the children look different from the parents and the grandparents have gray hair and look kind of wrinkly. There's a certain charm to it and, again, you get a feeling that these are real people. I find it quite touching to feel this. These tombs are more than 30 centuries old, and to have this glimpse into real people, their hopes, their dreams, what they cared about, whom they loved, and to have it so beautifully rendered artistically, I just find it amazing."

Touristy Factor: None. There's a parking lot, but it's usually empty. Ackerman visited in 2002 and said she and her group had the site to them- selves.

When you're in the area

Good Eats: Ackerman recommends a local restaurant, located on the west bank of the Nile, right across from the temple Medinet Habu. "I'm not sure it has a name," she says. "Egypt's not very formal or structured about these things."

Travel Secret: A popular tourist destination when visiting the Valley of the Kings region is Luxor Temple, known for its relief carvings in the walls. Ackerman says the best time to visit Luxor is at night. "The sun is so bright in Egypt that if you go in daylight the sun simply washes out the reliefs and you can't see the contrasts very well," she says. "The secret is to go at moonlight and take a flashlight."

Temple of Night Religion professor Susan Ackerman says it's best to visit the Temple of Luxor after sundown. "If you go in daylight the sun simply washes out the reliefs," she says.