Egypt is
opening 18th Dynasty New Kingdom Tombs in
Luxor’s An – Khokha Necropolis (West bank) to the public for the first
time following restoration according to Sada El - Balad, a news website and
satellite television channel headquartered in Giza.
The
opening of these tombs is part of a project of the country’s Ministry of
Tourism and Antiquities that continues to work on cultural heritage
conservation and development of tourist sites.
The tombs
belong to Amenhotep Rabuia from the time of Pharaoh Thutmose III (fifteenth
century BC) and his son Samut, from the
reign of Thutmose IV (fourteenth century BC)
both high - ranking officials and they feature restored, vibrant, over
3.000 - year old wall paintings, along the tomb of Nakht, also from the reign of
Thutmose IV, which is now open to
visitors.
The tombs
belong to the New Kingdom and feature a “T” shaped structure, typical of the
period, with room decorated with scenes of daily life and funerary rituals, reused in late periods, which led architectural modifications.
The tomb
of Amenthotep Rabuia, guardian of the
god Amun at Karnak, stands out for its high - quality decorations in a standard
chapel layout for the period, consisting of a transverse hall (front) features
beautiful, detailed paintings of agricultural life, including harvesting grain,
storing it in granaries, breadmaking, potters at work and including a rare
depiction of offerings to the fertility goddess Renenutet, who is depicted breastfeeding a royal child.
The tomb
of Samut despite being left unfinished, is noted for its high - quality
artwork, conventional T – shaped layout and unique scenes.
The facade
includes two stelae flanking the entrance, with one showing Samut offering to
the gods Ra - Harakhti and Maat, and the other depicting him and his wife,
Raiay, offerings to Isis and Osiris.
The tomb
is decorated with skilled wall paintings that include in the hall banqueting scenes similar to other tombs. A
detailed scene on the eastern wall shows the funeral procession on the Nile.,
featuring a mummy on a ship accompanied by rowers.
The walls
also features scenes from the “Book of Gates” , a judgement scene with
Ammit, a scene of the “ tree goddess”,
agricultural images includes the offering of cattle to Amun - Ra, and a scene
featuring King Ramses II adoring Amun - Ra is present along with hymns to Mut
and Ra - Harakhti.
The inner
chamber contains a niche that houses four statues, including representations of
Samut and his wife, Raiay.
The tomb
of Nakht belongs to a Scribe and Astronomer of Amun named Nakht responsible for
tracking celestial bodies at the Karnak temple, under Thuthmose IV.
This small
tomb consisting of a, T - shaped plan with a small corridor and a decorated
chapel with a niche for a statue is highlighted by vibrant, detailed wall
paintings capturing daily life, music, agricultural and banquet scenes.
The tomb
showcases exceptionally well - preserved colours ,and lively intimate scenes
rather than strictly religious imagery. Key scenes depict wine production
(grape harvesting), fishing and fowling, agricultural activities (harvesting
wheat) and musicians performing at banquets.
Relevant
highlights of the tomb are the “Tree Goddess” scene offering food and beverages and
the painting of three ladies wearing perfume comes in their hair.
In this
tomb an important restoration work was carried out, such as the replacement of
protective glass, the improvement of ventilation and lighting, and the detailed
cleaning aof the frescoes.
The works at the tombs included the
restoration of wall paintings, the consolidation of architectural structures,
the cleaning of surfaces, the repair of cracks and the recovery of original
colours and details.
In
addition, wooden walkways, modern lighting, stairs, informative signage, rest
areas and protective covers are being installed, along with information
materials in Arabic and English.
This
initiative is part of a project that not only seeks to preserve and showcase these relevant historical monuments, but also to improve the experience of tourists through
the development of services and infrastructures.
Link
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