Secrets behind the Monkey's Valley

By: Ali Abu Dashish

CAIRO, Dec. 15 (SEE)- Foreign missions were more present at the Valley of the Kings' eastern part than the western part.

"If we followed the excavations done at the valley, we will notice that only foreign archaeological missions dug there. The only Egyptian mission who worked there was the one that I supervised from 2007 till 2010," commented Egyptian archeologist Zahi Hawass.

The eastern part is called doors of the kings' valley. Western part is called the monkeys' valley because when the regions' inhabitants entered king Ay's tomb, which has the number 23, they saw a scene with 12 monkeys. The scene is related to one of the religious books called "The book of what exists in the other world". This kind of books was helping the king in his journey to the other world.

The western part is one if the huge valleys. It consists of the upper valley that is very spacious and descends pouring in the small narrow valley below where the Egyptian mission, headed by Hawass is currently working. "We are currently digging at the western part, same place where we started working in 2007. Unfortunately the Egyptian mission had to stop in 2011 because of January's revolution. As I previously mentioned, few foreign missions worked at the western part. I am delighted to mention that the first largest Egyptian mission that worked at the western part is the one I am currently supervising. I announced that he is searching for the tomb of Ankhesenamun, Tutankhamen's wife."

Geographical characteristics of the western valley allow the accumulation of heavy rain, sand and alluvium in large quantities. Massive stone rocks of calcified limestone are accumulated at the lower narrow valley. This is why working at the valley is difficult, a fact that makes scientists to work there.

Achieving results at the western part requires time and hard work, bearing in mind that the western side is double the size of the eastern one where the majority of the kings were buried.

Translated by Maydaa Abo El-Nadar