The Ill-Paid Should Not be Guardians of Antiquities
On paper, the rules for tourists at Luxor's famed Valley of Kings seem pretty strict. No photos inside or outside the tombs, no speaking or even fast walking inside, and definitely no touching of any walls. The reason is plain and simple: after 3000 years sealed underground, the world is lucky to just see the colorful wall painting of the royal tombs at all; the paintings are so fragile that anything that can possibly damage it must be avoided. The strict rules, at least in theory, are the main ways to keep the paintings alive for posterity while keeping the tourists coming.