The Festival of the Valley history was a celebration held annually in Thebes (modern-day Luxor) during the New Kingdom period (c. 1550-1070 BCE). The festival was there to the goddess Mut, the mother goddess and wife of the god Amun, who was the most powerful god in the Theban pantheon. It was a time of joy and celebration, featuring processions, offerings, and ceremonies that honored Mut and other deities.

The festival was an important event in the religious calendar of Thebes.  One of the highlights of the festival was the ‘arrival of the barques’, a procession in which the statues of Mut, Amun. Their son Khonsu were from their temples to the temple of Amenhotep III on the west bank of the Nile.  The procession was accompanied by offerings of food, drink, and other goods to the gods.

Origin and Significance

The Festival of the Valley was first celebrated during the 18th Dynasty of the New Kingdom period. It grew in popularity and significance during the 19th Dynasty. The origin  was an important religious event that marked the beginning of the Egyptian calendar year. It coincided with the rising of the Nile river – a crucial event in Egyptian agriculture.

Processions

The Festival of the Valley featured several processions that were led by the priests and officials of the temples. One of the most important processions was the ‘procession of the barques,’ in which the statues of the gods were carried from their temples to the temple of Amenhotep III. Other processions included the ‘procession of the boat of Ra,’ in which the image of the sun god was carried across the Nile River, and the ‘procession of the Osiris cult,’ in which the cult of Osiris was honored and remembered.

Offerings and Sacrifices

In fact, people would make offerings of food, drink, and other goods to the gods. As well as to their ancestors and to deceased members of their households. Sacrifices of animals, such as cattle, sheep, and goats, were also common during the festival. The blood and meat of the sacrificed animals were famous to nourish the gods and provide sustenance for the people.