The
most serious problem are the shale layers.
This fine material expands when it comes
into contact with water. This has damaged
many tombs, particularly during floods.
Almost all of the tombs have been ransacked,
including Tutankhamun's, though in his
case, it seems that the robbers were interrupted,
so very little was removed. The valley
was surrounded by steep cliffs and heavily
guarded. In 1090 BC, or the year of the
Hyena, there was a collapse in Egypt's
economy leading to the emergence of tomb
robbers. Because of this, it was also
the last year that the valley was used
for burial. The valley also seems to have
suffered an official plundering during
the virtual civil war which started in
the reign of Ramesses XI. The tombs were
opened, all the valuables removed, and
the mummies collected into two large caches.
The
most serious problem are the shale layers.
This fine material expands when it comes
into contact with water. This has damaged
many tombs, particularly during floods.
Almost all of the tombs have been ransacked,
including Tutankhamun's, though in his
case, it seems that the robbers were interrupted,
so very little was removed. The valley
was surrounded by steep cliffs and heavily
guarded. In 1090 BC, or the year of the
Hyena, there was a collapse in Egypt's
economy leading to the emergence of tomb
robbers. Because of this, it was also
the last year that the valley was used
for burial. The valley also seems to have
suffered an official plundering during
the virtual civil war which started in
the reign of Ramesses XI. The tombs were
opened, all the valuables removed, and
the mummies collected into two large caches.
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