The New Kingdom (1550-1069 BC) was divided into three dynasties: the 18th, 19th and 20th. The first ruler “Ahmose and the other warrior kings of the early 18th dynasty led the Egyptian armies to the Euphrates” (Pinch Geraldine, page 19). In the late 16th century BC, Thebes, now known as Luxor, became the main religious capital. The 18th Dynasty is often considered the high point of Egyptian culture, many great arts and architecture were built during this dynasty. Luxor Temple, with its imposing columns and statues of Ramesses II. The main structures were built during the reigns of Amenhotep III and Ramesses II, between 1500 and 1200 BC. The Valley of the Kings was used to bury royalty during much of the New Kingdom era. The rulers were entombed in elaborate underground structures, with decorated chambers and passageways. and filled with everything a pharaoh could need in his afterlife. The valley is best known for the tomb of Tutankhamun (1336-1327 BC), with its legendary treasures, discovered by Howard Carter in 1922. Many other members of the royal family have been buried here, but few of known tombs have remained as intact as that of Tutankhamun, largely due to tomb robberies. “Since the First Dynasty, every Egyptian king was called a Horus” (Pinch Geraldine, page 6), god of the sky, protection and war. This association of the pharaoh with the divine gave them a lot of power, control, and loyalty from the Egyptians. One of the great gods of this era was Amun, who was thought to have reached his peak after replacing the war god Montu as the central god of Thebes. Amun was the creator god whose name meant “the hidden one” or “the secret one.” ". He was associated with air as an invisible force and, according to Egyptian myth, he created himself. It was in the middle of a paper... and a book of Egyptian mythology. California: ABC-CLIO, 2002;2 – http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/world-heritage/ancient-thebes/. National Geographic. (Rated 02-09-2014);3 - http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/amun-re.htm. Jimmy Dunn. Egypt: The God Amon and Amon-Re, last updated August 4, 2011. (Evaluated 02/10/2014);4 - http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/mut.htm. Caroline Seawright. Egypt: Mut, mother goddess of the new empire, wife of Amen, vulture goddess, last updated June 11, 2011. (Assessed 02/14/2014);5 – Wilkinson R. The complete set of gods and goddesses of ancient Egypt. Thames and Hudson, 2003;6 - http://ancientegyptonline.co.uk/hathor.html. Ancient Egyptian Gods: Hathor. J.Hill. Last updated: 2010. (Evaluated 02/16/2014);7 - http://www.touregypt.net/osirnam.htm. Egypt: Gods - The names of Osiris. (Rated on 02-16-2014).