Prior to the 18th Dynasty (1539-1292 BCE), pharaohs were interred in tombs near their mortuary temples, which were typically built on the west bank of the Nile. However, the proximity of these tombs to settlements made them highly susceptible to looting and vandalism
To better protect their remains and funerary treasures, pharaohs Amenhotep I (1525-1504 BCE) and Thutmose I (1504-1492 BCE) selected a remote and largely inaccessible valley in the western cliffs of Thebes (Luxor) as their burial places.
Known as the Valley of the Kings, this hidden location proved to be significantly more effective in safeguarding the tombs, preventing the large-scale looting that had plagued previous royal burials.
Throughout most of the New Kingdom period (1550-1069 BCE), Pharaohs chose the Valley of the Kings as their eternal resting place, with over 60 tombs constructed within the valley.