Thebes, on the west bank of the Nile, was a vast mortuary site for the rulers of the New Kingdom, 1550 – 1069 BC. Alongside the Valley of the Kings and Queens were several mortuary temples. One of the best preserved is the temple for Ramesses III at Medinet Habu. Many fine painted reliefs have survived, partly because the early Christians covered them when they converted the site into a church. Acquired by the Prince of Wales, 1862