Note: I've had the great fortune to travel around the world as part of several Ohio State University study tours led by my father. My most recent was to Egypt; this is my portion of a journal written by members of our group. A 30-year veteran of such trips, dad's a tough editor, demanding historical details blended with daily observations.

Sunrise, Luxor

Day began for us at 6 a.m., which allowed just enough time to shower, dress, and place our bags in hall, where an eager porter picked them up. The sky was slightly overcast as we headed to breakfast, our last on The Admiral, a floating hotel that had slowly carried us up the Nile from Aswan. Our guide, Egyptologist Mohammed Shata, later commented that we were fortunate to have a relatively cool day, noting that cloudy conditions are rare. It was a bit chilly, too -- about 60 degrees -- and breezy. Although Muhammad started the day wearing his jacket and scarf, and most of us were shivering in our light clothes, we were well aware the temperature would rise considerably.

After another fine (and speedy) breakfast on board, we walked from the ship to the bus, and with a "yalla yalla," we were off. No sooner had we settled into the bus that Mohammed announced, with a dramatic pause, "Welcome to...Luxor." A short drive took us to a ferry, which quickly delivered us to another bus waiting on the opposite of the river.

As one book I read pointed out, the lush vitality of Luxor (population approx. 60,000) on the Nile's east bank contrasts sharply with the arid City of the Dead (Necropolis of Thebes) that lay opposite on the west bank. The scene was not unlike the time when Luxor served as capital of ancient Egypt during the New Kingdom, and functioned in a similar manner, with kings and queens living across the river from the tombs of their predecessors.

Tourism is the main industry of Luxor, although sugar cane, the primary crop of upper Egypt, also brings money to the region thanks to subsidies from the government. Along the edge of the road we saw large bundles of sugar cane awaiting transport to a large refinery in Cairo.

As our bus made the three-mile trip to the limestone hills of the Valley of the Kings (believed to be the same path used by workers who created the tombs), Mohammed continued to pepper his narrative with surprising facts. Camels, he said, were not commonly used in Egypt in the days of the kings, and very few camels are represented in hieroglyphic on the tomb walls. Instead, horses and donkeys helped move supplies up to the tombs and back.

We also passed the house used by Howard Carter during the excavation of Tutankhamun's tomb, a relatively modern structure in contrast to the other dusty brick homes lining the road. Many of the buildings along the route featured large, colorful paintings depicting the owner's pilgrimage to Mecca (which included modes of transportation, ranging from camel to Boeing 747).

As we drove deeper into the valley, the colors of the nearby villages faded into a desolate palette of tans and grays. What we were about to see, Mohammed informed us, was very different from anything we'd experienced previously. Unlike the massive, ostentatious temples of Edfu, Kom Ombo, and Abul Simbel, these structures were hidden, tunneled into the hills themselves. And unlike those other monuments, video and flash photography were prohibited.

Our first brief stop was outside the entrance of K.V.5, the tomb of Ramses II's sons. Though first discovered in 1850 and rediscovered in 1905, the tomb has generated great recent interest since Kent Weeks, a professor at the American University of Cairo, found an extension of the tomb with 52 new chambers. This was unusual because all other tombs in this area had been constructed for individuals. But Ramses II had more than 100 sons, and knowing not all of them could be king, he built a structure for them to be buried together. The tomb was to be left open until the last one died. Although we did not get a chance to enter this tomb, a recent issue of The New Yorker included a gripping description of the interior written by one of the first journalists given a personal tour by Weeks. So far, Mohammed said, very little has been found inside the new rooms, suggesting that they were never used.

Moving on, Mohammed explained that soon after coronation, each new king visited the valley's caretaker accompanied by his high priest and his architect. The caretaker used papyrus drawings to map out the various tombs, and helped each new king select a suitable site for his "house of the second life." Why the need? Each tomb was so well concealed after being closed that it was impossible without a map to tell where each was located. Caretakers, Mohammed said, then passed such secrets of the valley to their sons, who traditionally inherited the position.

The creation of each tomb required planning akin to building modern structures. First, of course, were the detailed architectural drawings personally approved by the kings. Then came excavation, and then the detailed wall engravings, chiseled in relief following patterns of several colors that precisely matched the drafts. Finally, the king made a long list of the items he wished to take with him. After the king died, his subjects had 75 days to mummify the body, place it in the tomb, and seal it.

Our First Descent

The first tomb we entered was that of Ramses IX, a king of the 20th Dynasty (Ramses IX ruled from 1131 to 1112 B.C.). The tomb consisted of a series of three descending corridors in a straight line, leading to a burial chamber. No sooner had we walked 10 or so feet past mesh metal gate at the mouth of the tomb that Mohammed pointed out the incredible detail and consistency achieved by the craftsmen who engraved the walls. He also noted the steps on each side of the flat, sloped ramp we walked down that helped workers take tools and treasures into the tomb. The din of other guides speaking to their own groups (often in languages other than English), made it difficult to hear Mohammed tell the stories of these magnificent structures. To keep our attention, while telling how kings often threatened priests to reveal the location of tombs that they could steal, Mohammed literally grabbed and shook Allen by the neck.

According to the engravings in his tomb, Ramses IX was a healthy king, and Mohammed pointed out a depiction of him overseeing the construction of his resting place. As is typical, he is facing not the opening of the tomb, but the interior. The deeper into the corridors we walked, the faded paint on the walls became more vivid. Ninety percent of the color seen in this tomb was created by using vegetable dyes (other colors were achieved using minerals). One section of the corridor wall showed prisoners bound and beheaded, the warned fate of anyone who dared disturb the King after his death. Also on the walls were several chapters of the Book of the Dead. Forty-five chapters in all, kings were only able to illustrate a few in each tomb. The longer the life, the more chapters were represented, Mohammed explained. The dark-colored ceilings were detailed with stars painted on a golden "grid" and flying, full-faced spirits, unlike anything we'd seen previously. The group was surprised at how well preserved the colors were, especially on the ceilings.

The walls depicted many gods, as well as a depiction of the artist himself. Although most artists were not allowed to sign their work, this king appreciated artistry, and allowed the artist to identify himself by painting his face (beard and all) on the face of owls in the tomb.

The further we descended, we could see that this tomb was not finished before being closed. The walls, instead of being smooth, still show chisel marks. While less beautiful, the unfinished walls have given Egyptologists such as Mohammed a unique opportunity to study how the artists worked and the tools they used. Completed in haste, the burial chamber also features only paintings, no carving. One of the paintings is the famous depiction of Isis feeding on the sun (at the end of the day) and giving birth to it anew the next morning.

After we emerged from the tomb, Mohammed noted that while 63 tombs in the valley are known, it's very possible that others lie undiscovered. A list of kings found in Karnak and Saqqara includes the names of 67 monarchs...and didn't include several other names, such as Ahkenahten, which were considered heretical.

At this point, Mohammed answered another mystery: How did workers chisel and paint in subterranean rooms that must have been in total darkness? Mirrors existed back then, which were able to reflect light into corridors - but mirrors require sunlight, and these tombs were built so quickly that historians have determined that laborers worked day and night. Firelight could have been used, but the smoke would have damaged the ceilings. The solution: mirrors were used to channel light during the day, which allowed the ceiling designs to be created. Then artificial ceilings made of sheets were erected, which absorbed the smoke stains during night-time work. During the days, the sheets were taken down, washed in the river, and reused.

As Mohammed explained this, a man in traditional dress walked up and interrupted him, bragging to the group that he had taught Mohammed how to lie. The man turned out to be a good friend of Muhammed's, and the teasing was typical of the famous Egyptian sense of humor. Given all the kidding that Mohammed dishes out, it was fun to see him take a bit himself.

Walking to the next tomb we would enter, Mohammed pointed out the entrance to the tomb of young King Tutankhamun, which was the best preserved of any in the valley. Mohammed estimates that as fantastic as Tut's treasures are, those stolen from the tombs of Ramses IX and the others were likely 10 times (or more) greater.

Further Hidden

Next, we hiked our way up several sets of steep metal stairs that led to the hidden tomb of Thutmosis III. This, maybe more than any other part of the trip, was the most exciting for me. I tried to imagine the thrill archeologists must have felt upon discovering a site so well guarded from intrusion. Scampering up the stairs, then down again into the earth, I felt like Indiana Jones. Although the climb looked a bit intimidating, Mohammed assured the group that if it could handle St. Catherine, it could handle this. I wasn't a part of that portion of the trip, but after seeing dad's slides a few weeks later, I understood what he was talking about.

The tomb, to quote Mohammed, "goes down and turn-ed to the left, then down, and turn-ed to the right, and down again. It's zig-zagged." One thing that makes this tomb unique is that its decoration is fairly plain - most figures are represented simply by carved outlines. Nevertheless, some of the ceilings and walls were spectacular, covered with gold stars. Also, a border along the top of several corridor walls depicting "bundled reeds" seemed quite modern to me - like a paper border you might buy at a paint store. Like other tombs in the valley, this one's walls included fire-breathing snakes that protected the inhabitant's the trip to the next life. Within the burial chamber was the sarcophagus, with its lid suspended about five inches above it, allowing just enough space to peer into it.

One unexpected observation: Several of us, including dad, Jamie, and I, commented how our legs began to cramp as we shuffled down into this tomb. We couldn't quite pinpoint why, after all the walking and standing (and shipboard stair climbing) we'd done on this trip, we all felt it here. Perhaps it was the nervous energy as we went into the limestone tomb? Or maybe the extreme temperature changes we were experiencing, going from the increasingly hot (and blindingly glarry) sun into the cool corridors. Whatever the reason, it took several minutes for the effect to go away.

Next was the tomb of Seti II, also unfinished, with well-preserved paintings. Mohammed didn't accompany us into this one; instead, he went jogging off in the opposite direction to make final arrangements for our visit to Queen Nefertari's tomb. No small feat, he told us earlier - unlike the other tombs, Nefertari's is closely guarded and monitored by seismic equipment, and visitors are controlled to only about 100 each day. Mohammed had been working all morning, attempting to get us in to see it, and had asked us each to pay an additional $35 for the privilege. Who knows how much of that was used to actually buy a ticket, and how much was used to grease the wheels getting the ticket...

The walls of Seti II also featured great detail - but because it was unfinished, it allowed us to see the lines where carving was supposed to take place. The long corridor was very clean, and the way it was lit, it almost gave the impression of being in a museum (complete with mummies in clear cases). The burial chamber included a massive sarcophagus made from pink and black granite, with an illuminated mirror underneath it, revealing the figure of a woman carved on its base.

We next took a short break at a visitor center, where most of us purchased cold drinks. We then boarded the bus again, and as we drove to the Valley of the Queens, we could see in the distance dark holes in the sides of nearby hills. These were the tombs of the workers who created the royal tombs. We also passed the valley of the nobles, where many of the royal children were buried. As we approached Nefertari's tomb, Mohammed joked that he wanted us all to sign a piece of paper declaring that "the trip has been fabulous until now, because I'm quite sure that when you see this tomb, everybody will remember only Nefertari until you come back." To say that Mohammed was a bit of a showman would be an understatement-he had a terrific knack for building suspense. But, as always, he didn't disappoint us.

Almost Unbelievable

Because talking is discouraged in the tomb, Mohammed briefed us just outside the entrance before we entered. (In fact, Mohammed was not allowed to enter with us.) We were alone at this point, away from the crowds that made the entrances to the other tombs so noisy and jarring. Only four thin, shaggy stray dogs who were scampering around served as a distraction as Mohammed prepared us for this wondrous tomb. Mohammed told us that that the walls would appear as if they had just been painted - so vivid, they looked almost wet. And indeed, as we made our way into the corridor, we were in awe. Most striking, for me, were the white walls that contrasted so brightly with the colors of the painted reliefs, and the sophisticated painting techniques that were applied (such as the various shades of a single color, depending on whether or not a character's garment was obscured by another shear piece of cloth).

Nefertari's tomb is much better preserved than nearly every other tomb in the Valley of the Queens, with the exception of a few children's tombs. Why? The reason, according to Mohammed, was "political." While the kings could marry more than one woman, only one could serve as queen, wear the crown, and officially share the throne. When a queen died, however, she could be replaced - and often by another who wanted to erase all memory of her predecessor. So queens often demanded that their caretakers reveal the site of the previous queen's tomb, which their families then defaced to prevent her from rejoining the king in the second life. Often, if the second queen died, the families of the first queen would deface the second's tomb in revenge. The result was worse treatment than even by the tomb robbers, who often didn't damage the tombs, but simply took their treasures. This is why the queen's tombs are empty and in worse condition than the king's. Why was Nefertari's tomb spared? Because although her king, Ramses II, married 22 women, she was his only queen.

In 1986, the Getty Foundation began supporting an effort to preserve Nefertari's tomb, and opened it to limited public viewing in part to attract tourism following a drop in interest in the late 1980s. Mohammed considers the tomb a work of art that also serves as an art museum: "There is no tomb on the entire earth that compares to this," he said. Architecturally, it is unique as well: while most tombs were built on one sloping level, Nefertari's is built with a distinct superstructure (for holding most of her treasures) and substructure (for her private items and the mummy). While the superstructure was built into high-quality limestone, the lower chamber was built into saltier rock, which has eaten away some of the paint. One task the Getty effort faces is cleaning the salt away where possible.

Nefertari's tomb was the perfect site to conclude our visit to the Theban Necropolis. A bit of stunned from the experience, we made our way back to the ferry, which took us to the east side of the Nile, where we ate lunch at a spectacular hotel buffet.

# # #