[EN]This paper presents a preliminary approach to the problem of royal tomb orientation in ancient Egypt from the early dynastic mausoleums at the necropolis of Umm al Qab to the impressive subterranean chambers of the tombs at the Valley of the Kings (Biban al Muluk). This clearly shows that the correct orientation of the monuments, from the earlier mastabas to the later hypogea, was mandatory and that the sky plays a key role in understanding ancient Egyptian funerary monuments.

The volumen title is ASTRONOMY AND COSMOLOGY IN FOLK TRADITIONS AND CULTURAL HERITAGE Edited by Jonas Vaigkunas. Archaeologia Baltica volume 10 was prepared by Klaipėda University Institute of Baltic Sea Region History and Archaeology and Museum of Molėtai district. Published with a grant from the Ministry of Education and Science of The Republic of Lithuania.

This work is partially financed under the framework of the projects P310793 "Arqueoastronomía" of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, and AYA2004-01010 "Orientatio ad S idera" of the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science.

Peer reviewed