New Kingdom tomb discovered in Egypt's Luxor
Cairo, July 13
The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has announced the discovery of a Pharaonic tomb on the West Bank of Luxor, unearthed during ongoing archaeological excavations.
According to a ministry statement, issued on Sunday (local time), the discovery was made by a Dutch archaeological mission working within the Theban Necropolis.
Hisham Elleithy, secretary-general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), said inscriptions identify the tomb's owner as "Paser," with wall reliefs tentatively dating the structure to the New Kingdom (1550 BC-1069 BC), reports Xinhua news agency.
Elleithy noted that the archaeological team will conduct comprehensive documentation and analysis to identify those buried at the site and reconstruct their histories, aiming to place the tomb within its broader historical and cultural context.
Mohamed Abdel-Badie, head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector at the SCA, said the tomb's layout comprises an external courtyard, an inverted T-shaped rock-cut chapel, and several subterranean burial chambers, consistent with the customary style of private tombs during the New Kingdom period.
Abdel-Badie said the courtyard remains well-preserved, featuring a mud-brick mastaba with a central niche for a funerary stela and a staircase flanked by ramps leading to the tomb's primary entrance.
The wall decorations bearing Paser's name are partially obscured by a thin layer of debris, he said, adding that excavated sections reveal intricate, colourful paintings depicting the deceased paying homage to deities in shrines, alongside scenes portraying him and his wife before a traditional offering table.
Earlier in April, the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced that a Spanish archaeological mission uncovered a rare tomb dating from 30 BC to 395 AD in Egypt's central Minya province.
The find will help shed light on the funerary features during the Roman and Greek periods, the ministry said in a statement.
At the site, the mission also found several Roman-era mummies, some wrapped in bandages decorated with geometric patterns, alongside wooden coffins, three golden tongues and one copper tongue. Evidence of gold chips used on some mummies was also found.
The discovery offers new insights into funerary practices in the area during the Roman and Greek periods, said Hisham El-Leithy, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The level of preservation after 3,000+ years is incredible. That bit about the golden tongues from the Roman-era find is particularly wild—imagine the craftsmanship! Also kudos to the Dutch team for their work.
Beautiful colours on those wall paintings! Reminds me of Ajanta and Ellora. Different continents, same human desire to honour the afterlife. History connects us all. ✨
"Paser"—the name sounds almost Indian, no? 😄 Jokes aside, it's amazing how systematic the tomb architecture was. An external courtyard, T-shaped chapel, subterranean chambers... it's like they had a blueprint for eternity.
Honestly, the Egyptian government is doing a great job protecting and promoting these finds. Unlike some places where heritage sites get neglected. Hope the documentation helps us understand life in 1550 BC better. 👏
The Roman-era mummies with golden tongues are baffling! Why would they put gold in the mouth? Symbolic offering to Charon? Our own practices with tulsi leaves and coins for the afterlife seem less dramatic in comparison. 🤔
Great news for archaeology. But is anyone else worried about tomb raiders? These sites
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