Last year, the Theban Mapping Project was asked by Dr. Zahi
Hawass, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, to take the
lead role in developing a masterplan for managing the Valley of the Kings.
In antiquity, the valley was the burial place of the Egyptian elite for
over five hundred years, and for the last three thousand years it has been
the focus of attention from scholars, travellers and tourists. Today,
after centuries of damage and looting, the valley is facing its most severe
challenge: its future preservation hangs in the balance. Unless swift,
radical and all-encompassing action is undertaken we may see the destruction
of this site within the next twenty-five years. The problems facing
the valley today come predominantly from human intervention, but in addition
there are natural threats that have to be managed. The sheer number of
visitors brings countless problems, ranging from damage to the fabric of the
site to issues surrounding the provision of tourist facilities appropriate
to the site and the visitors.
The first stage of developing this masterplan is a consultation process
involving as many interested parties as possible and we are particularly
interested in the views and suggestions of previous
visitors...
