An American team of archaeologists have discovered two ancient Egyptian tombs near Luxor. Incredibly, its beautifully adorned walls, though 3,500 years old, have retained their vivid colors, allowing us to see these amazing murals in what is practically their original glory.


The tombs were unearthed by archaeologists from the American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE) alongside Egypt's Ministry of Antiquities. Both tombs were discovered last week while the archaeologists were mapping an area of Sheik Abd Qurna, a courtyard referred to as Theban Tomb 110.


The tombs have been dated to the 18th Dynasty of the New Kingdom, which lasted from 1543 to 1292 BC.

The tombs were found filled with debris, but the clear sections still have beautiful scenes with bright colors on plaster. According to the ARCE archaeologists, the scenes depict the tomb owner and his wife in front of an offering table. On one wall, a painting shows the tomb owner making offering to a goddess nursing a royal child. Others depict scenes of daily life and the tomb owner's funerary rites.


Sadly, the tombs were exposed to ancient vandalism. Some of the texts, including the name and title of the owner, were damaged. That said, preliminary examinations of the partial remnants have revealed the owner's name, titles, and family. An inscription states that one of the tombs belonged to Amenhotep, a doorkeeper of the god Amun. His wife is named Satamen, and their son, whose images were erased long ago, was Samut.


The entrance to the second tomb is shaped as a "T". It consists of a hall, which leads to another chamber with a small, unfinished niche at its end. Its southern entrance leads to a small room with a middle shaft the archaeologists believe may lead to a burial chamber.



[ American Research Center in Egypt ]