After the pyramids were looted, where did kings build tombs?

After the pyramids were looted, where did kings build tombs?

• A. Into the sides of mountains
• B. On the plains
• C. In river islands
• D. On top of hills

Answer: (A)

When tomb robbing became a major concern, rulers looked for burial places that would be harder to reach and less obvious to plunder. Carving tombs into the sides of mountains gave natural protection: solid rock walls, concealed entrances, and a layout that could be sealed off and monitored. This led to the rock-cut tombs of the Theban necropolis, where royal burial chambers were literally carved into cliff faces along the desert mountains. It’s a move from visible, monumental structures to secure, hidden ones that still support the elaborate funerary rituals and cult practices. Building on plains would expose the tombs to sight and theft; river islands aren’t practical for monumental royal burial, and placing tombs on top of hills would again make them easier to spot and access.

When tomb robbing became a major concern, rulers looked for burial places that would be harder to reach and less obvious to plunder. Carving tombs into the sides of mountains gave natural protection: solid rock walls, concealed entrances, and a layout that could be sealed off and monitored. This led to the rock-cut tombs of the Theban necropolis, where royal burial chambers were literally carved into cliff faces along the desert mountains. It’s a move from visible, monumental structures to secure, hidden ones that still support the elaborate funerary rituals and cult practices.

Building on plains would expose the tombs to sight and theft; river islands aren’t practical for monumental royal burial, and placing tombs on top of hills would again make them easier to spot and access.