TECHSITE

The Valley of the Kings near Luxor in Egypt is dominated by the pyramid-shaped Al-Quran peak. Image: Nikater    The Valley of the Kings (or VK) on the west bank of the Nile outside Luxor (Thebes in antiquity) is one of the world's most important archaeological sites. Along with the rest of the Theban Necropolis, it has been a World Heritage Site since 1979. The desert valley is home to 65 rock-cut tombs, including KV62 -- better known as the resting place of Tutankhamun (c. 1342 - c. 1325 BC), which was famously discovered by Howard Carter in 1922. To preserve the tombs and ensure the safety of the tourists who visit them, it's essential to know about the geology of the region -- and in particular the stability of the limestone cliffs that surround the valley, which experiences sporadic heavy rainfall, plus the occasional earthquake. In volume one of The Tomb of Tut•Ankh•Amen (1923), Carter describes a near-miss with a storm in the early days of his excavation: Image...

The Valley of the Kings near Luxor in Egypt is dominated by the pyramid-shaped Al-Quran peak. Image: Nikater    The Valley of the Kings (or VK) on the west bank of the Nile outside Luxor (Thebes in antiquity) is one of the world's most important archaeological sites. Along with the rest of the Theban Necropolis, it has been a World Heritage Site since 1979. The desert valley is home to 65 rock-cut tombs, including KV62 -- better known as the resting place of Tutankhamun (c. 1342 - c. 1325 BC), which was famously discovered by Howard Carter in 1922. To preserve the tombs and ensure the safety of the tourists who visit them, it's essential to know about the geology of the region -- and in particular the stability of the limestone cliffs that surround the valley, which experiences sporadic heavy rainfall, plus the occasional earthquake. In volume one of The Tomb of Tut•Ankh•Amen (1923), Carter describes a near-miss with a storm in the early days of his excavation: Image...