Three Egyptian New Kingdom-era tombs found near Luxor

Archaeologists working in the Dra Abu el-Naga necropolis in Luxor unearthed three new tombs, the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said on Monday. The tombs belonged to statesmen from the New Kingdom era, between 1550 and 1070 B.C. The tombs’ owners were identified by inscriptions inside the tombs, the ministry said in a statement.

Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy said in the statement that he expected the find to boost tourism. Fathy highlighted the fact that an all-Egyptian archaeological team worked on the tombs, saying it showed that Egyptians could make internationally renowned discoveries. The team plans to continue cleaning and studying the tombs and will publish its findings in the future, the secretary-general for antiquities, Mohamed Ismail Khaled, said.

What do the archaeologists know about the tombs so far?

• One of the tombs belonged to a person named Amun-em-Ipet, who worked in the temple of Amun during the Ramesside period. The tomb had a small courtyard with an entrance leading to a square hall with a burial niche. The wall with the niche had been broken during reuse at a later period. Most of the paintings in that tomb had been destroyed, but fragments depicted offerings, funeral furniture carriers, and a banquet.

• Another tomb, from Egypt’s 18th Dynasty period, belonged to a grain silo supervisor named Baki. The Baki tomb had two courtyards leading to its entrance, then two halls at an angle, ending with an unfinished burial chamber.

• The last tomb belonged to a person known only as “S” from inscriptions. It had several halls and a courtyard with a well. S worked as a supervisor of the Temple of Amun, a city leader, and a scribe.

What did the team find in the tombs? Photos from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities showed several figurines of women, several wooden instruments, and a small section of what appeared to be a vibrant painting of servants.