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The systematic excavations made by the
French archaeologists in the Valley of the Queens of Egypt since
the period of `70 led to the discovery of more than one hundred
tombs in this zone. But, the problems that this large necropolis
brings are far from being resolved. The first, and the most
important, it seems to be the one of detecting the place in
which the mummies of the royal wives and mother were placed, a
hidden place still undiscovered. During the Ramesses
dynasties, the area that is called today the Valley of the
Queens was known by Egyptians under the name of Ta Set Neferu,
meaning ‘the place of perfection’. In the Arab period the place
was called Beban-el-Soltana, meaning ‘the sultans` gates’.
Anyway, the necropolis seems to be associated, even since its
beginning, in the time of the New Kingdom, with the idea of a
presence there of some women, more, of some sovereign women.
Situated on the West bank of Theba, on the Valley of the Kings`
South, this necropolis will be by excellence a princely one. The
first studied tombs, dating from the 18th dynasty made known the
name of more princesses and sons of kings which can be found in
documents (such as Merytre, Ahmes and Minemhat). During the same
dynasty, the funerary site was reserved to some nobles like
Imhotep and to other persons of high nobility from the royal
family` s court. The necropolis was open since the time of
Ramesses I and for the queens or mothers of the kings, which
confirms the sense of Ta Set Nefru, associated with the idea of
queens beauty. Although, the same term has the sense of
‘youth’ because this is the exactly word with which the Egyptian
texts called the young people. |
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