6th March 2012
Tomb Workers Way Camp
A travelogue description of a recent exploration
Tomb Workers Way Camp
A travelogue description of a recent exploration
On a visit to Mt. Meretseger on the West Bank, I was able to notice from the top of the mountain two very interesting sites that can only be seen from that height. The first one was that of the Ptah Shrine hidden away behind the hills (See article on Ptah Shrine) near to the Queens Valley and the other one the Tomb Workers Way Camp near to the Kings Valley. The way camp looked very impressive from the top of the mountain and I was determined to visit it the next day.
From the top of Mt. Meretseger I looked down and plotted my rout and how I would get there.
Well, I never found the correct rout. I was here there and everywhere looking for it. I had gone down the mountain too far and although I had walked almost to Hatshepsut, I did not find the site. I had been walking since 12-pm and it was now 4-pm. Another day I thought and I will come back and find it. At home I looked at the site on Google and using the photos I took, I found where it was.
It’s completely out of site from ground level and in fact, from every level
accept from the top of Mt. Meretseger.
There are two possible ways to get to the Workers Way Camp. From Kings Valley or from Deir el Madina.
This would be the rout to take from the Kings Valley.
This is the rout from Medina to Tomb Workers Way Camp.
The next day Wed 7th) I was off to explore this Way Camp. I took the rout from Deir el Medina and the Worker’s Village. There are steps that lead towards the police building that can take you quite away before having to turn right and make your way along the ridge there. My first attempt to find this way camp I was too low and ended up at Hatshepsut.
The next day (Thu 8th) I was off once again taking the path from Deir el Medina in my search for the Way Camp. This time I was about middle way up the mountain. On rout I passed some policemen who were resting under a large rock; they were taking lunch (quite a lot) up to the police building for all the staff there. I still did not find the camp; I had walked right past it but was still too low. The walk along the ridge was quite breathtaking and the pathway at times was no more than one metre wide. It entails a little rock climbing at stages. I could look down upon Sheik Abd El Qurna and then Hatshepsut. The walk is not for the faint hearted and although I am not very good at heights, my excitement to find the camp spurred me on.
I ended up at the Kings Valley looking down at a great height at all the tombs. The odd thing was that I had a Google Sky map but from that all the pathways looked confusing. I got out my iPhone which has a GPS application and reaslied I had walked again right past the way camp. I turned around and made my way back and this time I was on top of the mountain, I was sure I would find it. I walked quite away thinking that every hill or mound that I walked over would present and display the way camp to me.
Eventually it did just that. I was on top of the mountain and I could see clearly the way camp ahead of me on the next rise. Wow, I was excited as I could see the stonewalls that made up the village. I had found it at last and it took me three days.
Eventually it did just that. I was on top of the mountain and I could see clearly the way camp ahead of me on the next rise. Wow, I was excited as I could see the stonewalls that made up the village. I had found it at last and it took me three days.
To me it was an amazing site, beautifully peaceful, quiet and calm, so high up and not noticeable to anyone. The site was so laid out that it gave you an idea of what it must have once looked like. The walls were reconstructed to show what it looked like during the Pharaonic times, even stone and soil beds were to be seen in many of the houses. The views from the way camp are stunning and you can see as far as Malqata, Medinet Habu, Colossi of Memnon, Ramesseum and around to New Qurna and beyond.
What also surprised me was the abundance of fossil Oysters to be found and so high up. I had grouped some of them together for prosperity but sadly on further visits to the way camp, they had all gone.
It was such a wonderful site that I took a long rest period; naturally I had my Zero Cola with me. I took an altimeter reading, which showed I was over 200 metres height and also gave me my positioning.
Now for the way down and back to Medina. I had two choices, the way I came or the short routs back the way I should have come. Would I find this pathway! NO! Again it was impossible to find this path, anyway I had started the trip down so I was not going to change directions now. I had to walk and climb down some rocks until again I got to the narrow ledge that lead me back to Medina. Well! I swore a few times, oh, it was so high and the path I took was so close to the edge of the mountain, zzzzzzz.
The last three days has been such an adventure, frightening heights, fabulous views, and of course, the hidden treasures of history here in Luxor.
It is such a great find that I have returned there many more times and with my friends from England. This time though, I took them there from the Kings Valley end. It is still quite a climb to get to the top but there are no scary ledges to walk along. On my last visit I took a dear, dear lady friend of mine, 72 years of age, she was so pleased to have been able to get their. I think she was very brave and indeed fit. I am glad I did it with her.
The Purpose of the Way Camp.
No one really knows why the camp was built or what it was used for. Lots of things have been found on the site which includes, Tools, Part finished Textiles, Pottery, Use Pottery Lamps, Game Boards and Pieces, many fire places and so on.
Some suggestions for the use of this camp have been, was it used as a kind of recreational purpose where the men could get away to have some fun, play games, unwind a little. Was it an Administrative point where the workers were checked in and out with their tools on the way to and from the Kings Valley. A well known Scribe “Qenherkhepeshef" (Ramesses II Period) at the site and three rooms he used may support this theory. It must have had a significant use or the men would have taken the more simpler rout and gone home to their families or just back to Deir el-Medina rather than climb the mountain to the way camp. It is more likely that it was used as a halfway point during the very hot summer seasons.