Carved high into the cliffs of the East Valley, KV34 is one of the most distinctive royal tombs at Thebes: a steep “dog‑leg” descent to a cartouche‑shaped burial chamber, and wall decoration that looks like a painted papyrus manuscript. Inside you’ll find early royal versions of the Amduat (the sun’s night journey through the underworld) and the Litany of Ra, rendered in an unusual, cursive style. [5][7]
A fast, practical snapshot of KV34—what it is, why it matters, and what you’ll actually notice on a visit.
Valley of the Kings, West Bank of Luxor (Ancient Thebes). The valley has an East and West branch; most famous tombs are in the East Valley. [1]
Thutmose III (18th Dynasty), one of the most powerful kings of the New Kingdom (reigned ca. 1479–1425 BCE). [4]
KV34 = “King’s Valley” tomb no. 34. Rediscovered and first excavated in 1898 by Victor Loret. [5][6]
Deep context without losing the “what do I look at?” perspective. Use the tabs to jump between history, architecture, decoration, and visit planning.
KV34 is the royal tomb made for Thutmose III, the 18th Dynasty king often described as the ruler who pushed Egypt’s empire to its height. [4] It sits in the Valley of the Kings, a secluded wadi on the west bank of the Nile opposite modern Luxor, selected for royal burials partly because the west—where the sun “dies”—was linked to funerary beliefs. [1]
What makes KV34 stand out to visitors is the combination of a demanding, steep approach and an interior that looks like a manuscript come to life: decoration in a cursive “book-hand” style on a yellow ground (evoking papyrus), plus major afterlife texts including the Amduat and the Litany of Ra. [5][7]
Like many royal burials, KV34 was robbed in antiquity. Priests later moved a number of royal mummies to hidden caches to protect them, including the famous “Royal Cache” at Deir el‑Bahari (TT320/DB320). [6]
KV34 was cut high in the cliff face at the far end of the wadi, which is one reason it feels more “adventurous” than many neighboring tombs. [5] The plan is described as bent-axis: the corridors change direction rather than running in a single straight line. [5]
The cartouche‑like burial chamber is one of KV34’s signature features: instead of a rectangular hall, the main space becomes an oval/rounded form, reinforcing the “royal name” symbolism of the cartouche. [5]
KV34 can feel like stepping into a painted papyrus manuscript: a yellow ground with cursive hieroglyphs and simplified figures arranged in registers—very different from later tombs with dense, polychrome scenes. [5][8]
The Amduat (“That Which Is in the Underworld”) narrates the sun god’s journey through the night hours, mapping danger, protection, and rebirth—aligned with a king’s hoped‑for regeneration. [5]
The Litany of Ra is a sequence of invocations of the sun god’s manifestations. In KV34 it is associated with the burial chamber’s pillars, reinforcing the king’s identification with Ra/Osiris concepts of death and rebirth. [5][7]
While inside, look for the flow of the registers: repeated divine forms, repeated “journey” motifs, and a continuous narrative logic. Even without reading hieroglyphs, you can sense the tomb is designed as an ordered passage from death to renewal. [5]
The Valley of the Kings served as the royal burial ground for rulers of the 18th, 19th, and 20th Dynasties (New Kingdom). It includes over sixty tombs plus additional unfinished shafts. [1]
Ministry sources emphasize the symbolic meaning of the west bank (linked to the setting sun) and the valley’s secluded desert setting, which helped shift royal burials away from earlier, more visible pyramid complexes. [1]
KV34 is within the broader property “Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis” (World Heritage List no. 87), covering major temple and necropolis zones around Luxor/Thebes. [3]
KV34 was rediscovered and first excavated in 1898 by the French Egyptologist Victor Loret. [5][6] This era of exploration also intersected with the study of hidden mummy caches, which preserve key evidence about how priests tried to protect royal burials from robbery. [6]
Modern work focuses on documentation, conservation, and understanding KV34’s place in the evolution of royal tomb architecture and funerary literature. [7]
For a fuller framework, see major survey and specialist works (references [9]–[10]) that connect tomb plans with the Books of the Afterlife.
Official sources publish ticket tables for Luxor sites (fees can change, so treat prices as “check‑before‑you‑go”). The Valley of the Kings is commonly listed as open roughly 6:00am–5:00pm. [2]
Ticketing guidance states that mobile phone photography is free of charge, but policies can change and may vary by tomb—always follow on-site instructions. [2]
Combine KV34 with other West Bank sites (e.g., Deir el‑Bahari, Medinet Habu, the Colossi of Memnon) to see how the Theban necropolis fits together. [3]
Content tip: KV34’s “papyrus‑style” walls often read better in photos when you frame a single register and let the repeating forms create rhythm, rather than trying to capture a whole wall at once. [8]
Quick answers for planning, terminology, and “what am I looking at?” questions.
Numbered references used for key claims on this page. Accessed 2026-02-14.