Nubia Site Guide - The Nubians - Egyptology

Sites in Lake Nasser And Nubia

The area to the south of Kom Ombo until the Sisal Mountains in the south of the Nile valley is basically known as Nubia, Nubia is divided into two parts:

Upper Nubia which is part of Sudan now, and lower Nubia which the most southern part of Egypt and ends up in to Wadi Halfa

It was in our modern time that attention was given to this part of Egypt since the construction of the Aswan first dam and then flowed by the Aswan high dam, ever since that time the eyes of the Egyptologists over the world turned to this site.

The etymology of the name of Nubia is uncertain but some researchers believe it is derived from the ancient Egyptian word Nbu, meaning gold, referring to the gold mines for which Nubia was famous. .the ancient Egyptian texts have no reference to this name, but they referred to Nubia generally as Ta-seti, meaning the land of the Bow, a clear reference to the weapon favored by the Nubians

Since the old kingdom time in the ancient Egyptian history and Nubian is a very important commercial route for African trade, it was rich with gold, fine stones and temper. 

At the times of the 6th dynasty ancient Egyptians send expedition to upper Nubia to trade and to bring more of Nubian people who have been employed into the army. 

At the time of the middle kingdom the more military expedition were sent to control bigger areas of Nubia and prevent immigrants to come t Egypt expect for trade.

T the time of the new kingdom especially at the 18th dynasty, more of these campaigns were sent to Nubia to secure the northern borders of Egypt. Kind Thutmosis II took over the city of Dongula which is located at the fourth cataract , he added a new principality to the country by appointed new ruler for Kosh, it was also the time where many of the Egyptian monuments where constructed ,

At the end of the new kingdom the province of Nubia was controlled directly by the priests of god Amon. They established cult center in the city of Nabat for god Amon Ra.

At the seventh century AD the capital of Kosh moved from the city of Nabata to the city of Morei, and the influence of the ancient Egyptian civilization stated to fade gradually

At the Greco-Roman times, the area had once again flourished, and many temples were built or rebuilt at this time

In the roman times the many roman emperors have sent military campaigns to suppress the Belimy tribes who have waged many raids on the southern provinces of Egypt.

When Christianity became the prevailing religion in Egypt many christen monasteries were built down in Nubia and many of the Nubian monuments were converted into churches. Including the temples of Philae and the temples of Dendour ,Tafa, Beit EL Wali, Gerf Housian, and Wadi Es-sebua. 

With the spread of Christianity through Nubia pagan believes began to dwindle together with Morai culture, a new age was beginning, in which the Christianity played an important rule, during the eight and ninth, Nubia enjoyed growth and prosperity in both political and cultural sphere, at the rate which had not been enjoyed for a longtime.

Since Nubian church was affiliated at that time to that of Egypt, the Coptic patriarch at Alexandria was acknowledged as its head many churches, monasteries and cathedrals were built often modeled on the basilica type which was common in the Byzantine Empire

At Kasr Ibrim , the ruins of a church probably dating from the second half of the fifth century AD, yielded some Coptic texts on fragments of papyrus and parchment dating fifth to tenth century AD, Qasr Ibrim was the seat of the patriarch of Nubia . 

Folk heritage of Nubia:

Because of it s long cultural history, the folk heritage of Nubia is rich, varied and wonderfully original. It is has distinctive features since its the result of there mingled groups that make up the Nubian people, the Kenzi who speak the Matouki language and the Fadija who speak their own language, and the tribe of Aliqat who moved to Nubia from the Sinai on the 18th century.

Nubian fold heritage naturally includes building, furniture m arts, crafts , jewelry and costumes

Houses: 

The Nubian houses are built of stone, clay and sand; the roofs are commonly built of Jareed and grain stalks, the roofs of the well- to –do are arched domes of clay bricks. The flowers are covered with clean sand and house hold utensils for everyday use hang from the ceiling.

The walls of the house especially the façade are decorated with ornaments and paintings of flags, flowers birds and animals. Crockery is often used for wall decorations; a plate usually occupies the center of the facade. 

A Nubian house is usually composed of:

- The entrance hall opens court. 

- Domed bedrooms 

- The store 

- The kitchen and the toilet 

Amulets, charms, talismans:

Nubian use amulets, Charms and talismans for good luck and protection form the evil eye; some are painted on walls on form of scorpions, eyes or triangles.

Some are made of breaded beads, shells or hair which hang on he post of the bed, or hang thickly form the ceiling. Baskets made of palm branches and decorated with white shells hanging from the ceiling may have the same function. 

Dancing: 

Nubian folk dancing is practiced in groups by women and men of all ages. A number of folk dances are performed in seasons of sowing and harvest, in prayer for prosperity and more crops.

Marriage and birth:

In Nubia marriage is usually the responsibility of the parts and also uncles shared the responsibility. Because kinship in Nubia is both patriarchal and matriarchal.

The most common marriage is between cousins and sometimes is obligatory. The pride dowry at that case is much lower than what an outsider would have to pay. The amount varies in different tribes. Presents and money gifts are given to both families to help with expenses which usually very high for wedding.

Since the Nile plays a very important rule in Nubian culture, the couple have to go down to the river an on their wedding night and wash into water to ensure prosperity good health and numerous progeny.

When a male child is born, the birth is celebrated on the seventh day with the slaughter of sheep or more. Recital of Quaran and the boy is given a name. But when the child is a female they only invite close friends and go to the Nile bank where the baby is named.

Nubian art and its symbols: 

Nubian art reflects Nubian culture many of it symbols and motives are significant experiencing of folk traditions and supper stations, this can be easily seen in tattoos and wall painting that decorate the façade and entrances halls of many Nubian houses, these symbols recur in the designs of bead works and many kind of baskets, mate ..etc

- Sward in the Nubian culture stands for courage and heroic achievements .

- Stars and crescent are Islamic symbols of good fortune.

- The black cat, crows and owls carry bad omens

- Roses and flowers in general stands for friendship and love

- The apple stands for feminine attraction

- Prayer rug stands for purity and chastity

Saving Nubian monuments:

When the high dame was built, the rising water of lake Nasser threaten to flood the many Nubian monuments, there fore a worldwide reuse campaign at the time attempted to save all Nubian monuments . Thanks to the collaboration of many different nations under the supervision of the UNESCO, we were able to save many monuments: 

These Nubian monuments are: 

• Temple of Abu Simbel
• Wadi Es Seboua Temple
• The Nubian Museum
• Temple of Amada
• Temple of Derr
• Temple of Dekka
• Temple of Aniba
• Temple of Moharka
• Temple of Kalabsha
• Qasr Ebrim
• Temple of Philae
• Temple of Isis
• Temple of Gerf Hussain
• Temple of Beit Wali
• Temple of Qertassi

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Tanis or San El Hagar - Luxor - Egyptology

Tanis or San El Hagar - Luxor

Tanis or San El Hagar, as it is called today, was once the capital of ancient Egypt. When the Arabs conquered Egypt in the 7th century, Tanis was called San and because it had many rocks and stones, which means Hagar in the Arabic language, they called it San El Hagar.

Some historian records assert that Tanis dates back to the Old Kingdom of the ancient Egyptian history as some stone blocks that were found in Tanis held the names of Cheops, Pepi I, and some other Old Kingdom Pharaohs.

Tanis, located about 150 kilometers to the North East of Cairo, the capital of the 19th province of Lower Egypt or northern Egypt.

In the Middle Kingdom, many kings and Pharaohs of Egypt had establishments and structures founded in Tanis like the Kings Senosurt I and Amenmehat I.

San El Hagar

The city truly flourished during the reign of Ramses II to perpetuate the visits of his father and grandfather to the city. The grandfather of Ramses II was one of the army leaders in the reign of Hour Moheb and his father has also visited the city when he became Seti I, the king of Egypt in 1330 BC.

The walls of the city, that were constructed by King Senosurt I and it was made out of brick stones with a width of seven meters still remain until today and they hold the name of the king, in some locations all over the walls.

On the other hand, Ramses II has constructed three temples in Tanis; the Grand Temple, the Small Temple, and the Temple of the Gods. This is besides a large number of obelisks and the only surviving scared lake that survived in the Nile Delta.

Tanis had some water storage wells to preserve the required water to be used by the builders of different structures of the city, the priests of the temples, and some of the officials working for the king.

The Royal Necropolis of Tanis hosts the tombs of the kings and queens who belong to the 21st and the 22nd dynasty and some princes and military leaders as well.

Tanis used to host a large number of obelisks in many locations. However, most of them were destroyed due to earthquakes and the many attacks that the area was exposed to.

Moreover, some the obelisks that were originally constructed to be erected in Tanis was relocated in other places like the obelisk of Ramses II that was transferred to be put in El Andalus Garden in Cairo and the other obelisk that belongs to Ramses II as well that has positioned in the Cairo Airport.

This is besides many obelisks that were exported outside Egypt to be put in many cities in Europe, like Rome and Istanbul.

The Name Tanis

Many historians and archeologists believe that Tanis is the richest historical site in Egypt. The city has the name “Janet” during the reign of the Pharaohs.

San El Hagar

The name “Tanis” is derived from the word “Jan” in the ancient Egyptian language and the Coptic name “San”, the word that has been mentioned in the Old Testament and all these names refer to the capital of the kings of the 21st and the 22nd dynasties in Egypt.

The significant geographical location of Tanis and its port situated on the Manzala Lake made the city an important destination until the establishment of Alexandria and its port in the Ptolemaic period in Egypt.  

The significant geographical location of Tanis and its port situated on the Manzala Lake made the city an important destination until the establishment of Alexandria and its port in the Ptolemaic period in Egypt.  

The Items that were taken From Tanis

When the French invasion of Egypt, led by Napoleon, entered Egypt in the 17th century, the French scientists accompanying the military forces stated in some of their historical records that Tanis survived at the time and many of its treasures and components were in a good state.

However, many of the items that were found in Tanis at the time were taken to Europe. This includes two large statues of sphinxes that were relocated in Paris and some other valuable items that were taken to Berlin and Saint Petersburg. 

On the other hand, some of the statues and findings that were unearthed in Tanis were sent to the Louver. No wonder the historical site of Tanis today has slightly lost its importance. 

Excavation works in Tanis throughout History

The first archeologist that ever did serious excavation works in Tanis was the famous French scientist, Auguste Mariette in the middle of the 19th century. 

The French archeologist was able to unearth many interesting items including a number of royal statues that date back to the Middle Kingdom. He also stated that Tanis might have been the capital that Ramses II has established for himself in the Delta and it was called Pi Ramses, a city that no evidences or traces belonging to it were ever found.

The second archeologist that explored Tanis was Petrie, an English Egyptologist that excavated Tanis in the end of the 19th century. He was able to configure the whole design of the historical site of Tanis and its temples. Moreover, some of the findings of Petrie are now put on display in the British Museum in London. 

San El Hagar

However, the most important excavation that was carried out in Tanis was done by the famous French Egyptologist, Pierre Montet and lasted for more than 25 years from 1922 till the 1950s.

Montet was able to prove, by scientific evidence, that Tanis was never Pi Ramses, the capital of Ramses II during the New Kingdom. He is also the archeologist credited for discovering the royal necropolis that date back to the period of the 21st and the 22nd dynasties in Egypt

The tombs of the royal necropolis of Tanis were all constructed using mud brick stones. Many tombs were unearthed in Tanis with four of them being constructed in the period from 1039 till 991 BC; one of them belonged to king Amenemope who ruled Egypt from 993 BC till 984 BC.

There were also some remarkable sarcophaguses that were found in the tombs in Tanis. This includes the royal coffin of Sheshonk III who ruled Egypt from 825 till 733 BC and the coffin of Taklot II who governed the country from 850 till 825 BC.

The Surviving Sections of Tanis

Tanis that we view today looks significantly different than what the city was centuries ago as the historical site today is full of ruins. The main courtyard lies in the heart of the area and most of the fortified historical walls of the city are now gone.

In the historical site of Tanis today there are a lot of ruined columns that date to different periods of the Egyptian history starting from the Old Kingdom, passing by the Middle Kingdom, and ending with the New Kingdom and the establishments of Ramses II.

The historical site of Tanis today has a surface area of around 75 acres and the most important structures in Tanis are the Temple of Amun constructed by Ramses II.

Inside the temple of Amun, there are two water wells that were functioning as a Nilometer, the gadget that the ancient Egyptians used to measure the height of the water in the river Nile to get ready for the harvest season.

This is besides the royal necropolis that dates to the period of the 21st and the 22nd dynasties where many golden and silver items were unearthed and they are now put on display in the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities and they are called “The Treasures of Tanis”.

What the tourists can view in Tanis today is a number of historical establishments that include a number of temples including the Temple of Amun, the Temple of Mut, the Temple of Khonsu, and the Easter Temple.

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Tombs of Beni Hassan - Egyptology - Luxor

Tombs of Beni Hassan - Luxor

About the Tombs of Beni Hassan ‎

Situated about 20 kilometers to the South of the city Al Minya, located 245 ‎kilometers to the South of Cairo, the tombs of Beni Hassan are carved into some ‎limestone hills on the East Bank of the Nile.‎

This necropolis is called Beni Hasan and it was established and used to burry the ‎dead bodies of the provinces rulers during the Middle Kingdom on the ruins of a ‎much older burial site that was in use during the period of the Old Kingdom. ‎

The burial chamber of Beni Hassan dates back to the Middle Kingdom in the period ‎of from the year 2055 until 1650 BC. This necropolis belonged to the military ‎leaders and local rulers who chose to be buried in their provinces because of their ‎growing power and independence rather than being buried near their kings in ‎Saqqara.‎

The necropolis of Beni Hassan reflects the political differences between the ‎provinces rulers and the Pharaohs kings. When the Pharaoh king became weaker the ‎power of the rulers of provinces and the local governors increased automatically and ‎vise versa.‎

when the Pharaoh King declared the centerlization of the power and assigned a ‎governor for each region, the power of these local rulers and governers became mesh ‎less.‎

Due to their more elaborate layout and more complex decorations the tombs of Beni ‎Hassan mark a transition stage in the style of the tombs from the Old Kingdom to ‎the New Kingdom. ‎

The journey to the Toms of Beni Hassan can be organized as a one day trip from ‎Cairo to view the tombs and the historical sites of Hermopolis and Tell El Amarna, ‎the center of the cult of Aton which was established by Ikhnton in the 14th century ‎BC. ‎

Situated to the South of the city of Al Minya, Beni Hassan is just another small ‎village located in beginning of the region of Upper Egypt. The Tombs of Beni ‎Hassan, the same as many other historical necropolises in Egypt, are reached using a ‎staircase made of stones to arrive in the hillside where the tombs are located.‎

The Necropolis of Beni Hassan hosts a large number of tombs. However, there are ‎only thirty tombs that are important and contain attractive decorations and layout. ‎

These tombs are all situated on the same height and the entrances to the tombs are ‎located on the same plateau. The ancient Egyptian paintings and drawings, with ‎exciting themes and everlasting brightful colors, coat 12 of the tombs of Beni ‎Hassan. ‎

In some of these tombs, the mountains were cut to make the facades of the tombs ‎appear in the same level accurately as many of the ancient Egyptian pieces of art. ‎

However, due to many conditions, some of the colors of the tombs were lost and ‎many of the columns constructed inside them were damaged. Overall many of the ‎tombs of Beni Hassan are still worth visiting.‎

The Distinctive Features of the Tombs of Beni Hassan ‎

Although the Necroplis of Beni Hassan hosts around 39 tombs dating mostly to the ‎Middle Kingdom, only four out of them are open to public, plus another tomb which ‎has no decorations. ‎

The tombs of Beni Hassan are quite distinctive than any other historical necropolis ‎this is because it enable the guests to view unique style of decoration that was ‎common in the Middle Kingdom specially the bright colored wall paintings.‎

Moreover, almost all the burial sites of ancient Egypt were established in the West ‎Bank of the Nile, as the Pharaohs thought that this was the City of the Living, while ‎the East Bank was the City of the Living. ‎

This is another unique feature about the Tombs of Beni Hassan as they were dug on ‎East Bank of the Nile different than any other historical necropolis of ancient Egypt. ‎

Many excavation missions have explored the Tombs of Beni Hassan as early as the ‎end of the 19th century as the Necroplis was studied by the Egypt Exploration Fund ‎that made a great job in the area ‎

Moreover, the British Archeologist, John Garstang, unearthed some of the tombs ‎that belong to the 6th and the 7th dynasties and many of the Tombs by Beni Hassan ‎were restored by the Egyptian Antiquities Authority in the beginning of the 20th ‎century.‎

The Tomb of Baqet ‎

Although the Tomb of Baqet was numbered as the 15th tomb of Beni Hassan, BH15, ‎it was the first tomb to be excavated in the historical necropolis of Beni Hassan. The ‎owner of the tomb was the governor of the El Minya during reign of the 6th dynasty, ‎during the beginning of the 21st century BC. ‎

The tomb of Baqet has a simple façade with no decorations or architectural features ‎to be noted while the tomb itself has a rectangular shape that was cut out of rock ‎with two pillars that has the popular shape of the lotus plant.‎

The walls situated in the Northern section of the tomb host many remarkable ‎paintings displaying the owner of the tomb during his daily life activities. Since ‎Baqet was the ruler of a province during the ruling period, he is represented hunting ‎for animals in the deserts of El Minya, chasing birds, and doing his daily life duties ‎as a ruler.‎

On the other hand, the walls located in the Eastern section of the tomb display some ‎scenes of different battles that took place in the region during the period of the 6th ‎dynasty, a common feature of funerary paintings during this period.‎

The Southern wall of the tomb, the most traditional among its walls, contains scenes ‎from the burial of Baqet plus some other scenes of the owner of the tomb playing ‎sports and sitting with his family members.‎

The Tomb of Khety‎

Khety, the son of Baqet, worked in the same position as his father, a ruler of a ‎province situated near the city of El Minya. Maybe this was why the plan and the ‎design of his tomb looks quite like that of his father. ‎

The Tomb of Khety is featured with its six lotus shaped columns and its rectangular ‎shape, the same as that of Baqet. The paintings of the walls located in the Eastern ‎and the Northern sections of the tomb display Khety during his hunting trips in the ‎deserts of the reign. ‎

There are also some scenes of the owner of the tomb, accompanied by his wife, ‎supervising the activites taking place in the province they were rulling. This ‎included some scenes of women singing and dancing. ‎

The Eastern wall of the tomb has some scenes of soldiers practicing to participate in ‎battles. The ancient Egyptian artist who brilliantly created this wall showed the ‎movement of the soldiers wonderfully by using different shades to show how each ‎soldier moved during his trainings. ‎

The wall located in the Southern section of the tomb shows Khety supervising the ‎process of making wine and there are some burial rituals displayed in this section as ‎well.‎

The Tomb of Amenmehat ‎

Amenmehat lived during the ruling period of the 7th period and maybe this was why ‎the plan of his tomb is rather more complicated and the walls are more decorative ‎and better crafted. Even the age of Amenmehat can be better indetified and so is his ‎biography. ‎

Amenmehat had was the last to be entitled with an important royal name as he was ‎working as an official in a period when the governing system of Egypt was more ‎centralized and Amnenmehat used to report to the government in the capital of ‎Egypt at the time.‎

The design of the tomb of Amenmehat consists of a central courtyard and only two ‎pillars before the entrance to the main chapel of the tomb which is in the shape of a ‎recantgle but with a bigger space.‎

The walls of the tomb of Amenmehat have paintings that look like other tombs in ‎Beni Hassan that were constructed earlier. The main theme of the paintings include ‎Amenmehat in different military and daily life activities. ‎

The Southern wall has a scene of the owner of the tomb sitting with his wife at a ‎large table with many goods that were produced in the lands that he governed. ‎

There are also some remains of a statues of Amenmahat, his wife, and his mother ‎presenting the gods with offerings, a feature that was common during eralire tombs ‎in Beni Hassan ‎

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Valley of The Nobles - Luxor - Egyptology

Valley of The Nobles - Luxor

The Valley of The Nobles is locatThe site has rock cut tombs of Nobles, and high officials of ancient Egypt,ed on the west bank of Luxor, in an area called Sheik Abd El-Korna. who once served the Pharaohs during the time of the New Kingdom. (1500 - 500 BC)

Among the most important tombs in this cemetery is the tomb numbered 55, which belonged to Ra-Mose. He was the mayor of Thebes, and during the end of the reign of Amenhotep III (Amenophis III) and his son Akhenaton, the vizier.

Unfortunately this tomb is unfinished because Ra-Mose moved, with Akhenaton, to the new capital Akht-Aton (modern day Tell El-Amarna), therefore the decoration work stopped, and the tomb was left unfinished, except for the scenes which already had been completed. Because of this, we can appreciate the high techniques that Egyptian art had during that period.

This tomb consists of a square rock-cut court, with a central doorway, opening into a broad columned hall with columns in the papyrus bud form. The inner hall is undecorated! On the left of the broad hall, and under the inner hall, were shafts’ leading below to two burial chambers, but the mummy of Ra-Mose was not found. The relief carving in this chapel is very fine and only some parts were painted.

The tomb numbered 100 is another one of the important tombs in this cemetery; it belonged to Re-khme–e, who was vizier of Tuthmosis III and Amenhotep II. 

It is another rock cut tomb and its walls are decorated with many painted scenes of the various aspects of life in Ancient Egypt. One of the most beautiful scenes is the one that represents the arrival of the foreign delegations to the court of the Vizier Re-khme-Re, carrying presents and tributes to the King of Egypt and his men. These presents and tributes included items such as, utensils, agricultural products and various animals. One of the most important text engraves in the this tomb is the one which mentions the duties and responsibilities assumed by the vizier in order to let the justice prevail on Earth. 

When you visit the tombs, it is very important to know the number of the tomb you want to visit. This way you can visit exactly what you want to see; otherwise you will be lost, as many of the names of the Nobles are similar.

The Tombs Chapel of Nakht, Number 52:

The owner of this tomb was one of the Nobles who had the title of the great scribe! He was also an astronomer in the Temple of Amon during the time of the reign of King Tuthmosis IV; his wife was also involved in the activities carried on in the Temple, as she worked as a chanter.

The tomb is fairly small but has one the most brilliant colourful scenes; these scenes are well preserved and have great beauty.

The tomb is decorated with scenes of agriculture, and a marvellous scene of Nakht in hunting action, together with his wife standing on a boat harpooning fish. Near to this scene, there is another one of him fowling in the marshes of the Delta, where he is catching birds using a boomerang.

Next, there is a wonderful scene where you can see some female musicians playing their instruments, while a blind singer sings for the crowds. You can also see crowds of people, who were invited to this party, watching the show, talking amongst each other and eating from a fruit laden table.

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The Tomb of Menna N 69:

It is considered amongst the most famous tombs in the Valley of the Nobles, and one of the most beautiful, as it has many magnificent scenes and still remains in good condition 

The tomb belonged to a Noble, who had the title of being the land surveyor during the time of King Tuthmosis IV. His job was important, as he was the one responsible for estimating how much in taxes should be levied, for the King, from the local farmers.

The tomb is full of scenes of daily life. There are scenes of cultivation, including harvesting, threshing, ploughing the fields and winnowing the seeds (separating the chaff from the seeds).

In the middle of the left wall, in the second register of the agriculture scenes, there is a very cute scene that depicts two girls fighting over falling seeds that passing farmers are dropping, while transporting them to the threshing ground.

This tomb also includes some offering scenes, here Menna and his wife are offering to the God Osiris.

There are also scenes of fishing and fowling in the marshes of the Nile. As well as all of the relief’s, there is also a destroyed statue of Menna and his wife, of which nothing remains but the feet!

When looking at the depictions of Menna on the walls, you will notice that his eyes have been destroyed! It seems that he had an enemy, who entered his tomb after the burial and destroyed the eyes in the paintings, meaning that Menna will never be able to see again in the after life.

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The Tomb Chapel of Ra Mose

This is my passion and the best tomb so far. This marvelous tomb belongs to the vizier andtomb of ramose counselor of the city of Thebes, who lived during the reigns of King Amonhotep III and Akhenaton (or Amenhotep IV) in the 18th Dynasty. In this tomb, there is a complete record of the new cult that Akhenaton, who was regarded as the heretic King, introduced and called Atonism.

Ra-mose lived until the 5th year of the reign of King Akhenaton. Evidence was found that proved that this tomb was opened and re-used by many other Noblemen in a later period; most probably they were the ones who erased the names of King Akhenaton of the walls of the tomb!

The high Priest Ra-mose of Amon Ra had great power! It is clear from the style of decoration inside this tomb, that he enjoyed a very unique position.

The most interesting part of the tomb was for the worshippers of the sun disk, the God Aton, which illuminates the name and figures of the wives and children of Akhenaton. Next to him, in this scene, there is another one of the high Priests with a long mantle and clean-shaven head.

On the interiors wall to the south, is the fine colour scene showing the funeral ceremony and female mourners. There you will see a group of servants carrying offerings to the deceased. On the eastern wall there is a fine specimen of relief sculpture made by the finest artists of the 18th Dynasty; here the scene shows Ra-mose’s wife, father, uncles and sisters.

There is also a large scene that shows Ra-mose sitting on a stool with his wife, and their pet goose sitting underneath.  On the southern wall of the tomb, there is a fresco that shows the funeral of Ra-mose, his possessions, and the offerings being made for him. In another scene you can see groups of mourners weeping and wailing. In front of them there is a Priest, standing at the entrance of the tomb.

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The Valley of The Queens - Egyptology - Luxor

The Valley of The Queens - Luxor

The Valley of the Queens is an isolated cemetery, at the southern part of the vast necropolis of Thebes, on the west bank of Luxor. It contains about 70 tombs, mainly belonging to Queens, Princesses, Princes and Nobles, who lived during the XIX and XX Dynasties.

In general, these tombs are smaller than the ones of the Kings. The plans of these tombs usually consist of a small antechamber, a long narrow corridor with several side chambers, and at the end - the burial chamber.

One of the most important tombs in the valley is the one that belongs to the famous Queen Nefertari, the principal consort of King Ramses II. This beautiful tomb was in a bad condition because of the salt crystals seeping through its poor quality limestone. It was restored and reopened for visitors, though nowadays it is closed to the general public because of the high CO2 levels, and water in breathparticles, which were damaging the beautiful artwork. Her tomb consists of a stairway leading down to a hall, valley of queeswhere on the walls, there are representations of the Queen with different Gods and Goddesses. This hall leads to an inner side chamber decorated with religious scenes such as Queen Nefertari burning incense, and giving offerings to the Gods Osiris and Atum. A corridor then leads to the burial chamber, whose walls are decorated with scenes of the "Book of the Gates". Also located in the valley, are the tombs of three of the sons of King Ramses III, who were also buried there.

Tomb 55 is considered to be one of the mostimportant tombs amongst them. It was dedicated to Prince Amon-khopshef, a son of King Ramses III who had died atan early age. Among the most beautiful scenes in this tomb, are on the walls of the 1st chamber. It is a scene representing the Prince, with his father, with the King making offerings to various deities. The large hall is decorated with some scenes of the "Book of the Gates".

Tomb 44: This tomb belongs to Prince Khaem-waset, who was another son of Ramses III. It consists of 2 long corridors, with 2 side chambers, and a square burial chamber. The walls of this tomb are decorated with various painted scenes, some of them representing the Prince with different deities, and with his father in front of the deities of the after world.

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Valley of The Kings - Luxor - Egyptology

Valley of The Kings - Luxour - Egyptology

The Valley of the Kings was the royal cemetery for 62 Pharaohs and is located on the west bank at Luxor. The only entrance to this place was a long narrow winding path. This was a secret place, where sentries were placed at the entrance of the Valley, as well as along the top of the hills, in the hopes of discouraging tomb robbers, who had in the past plundered all royal tombs, including the treasures of the Pyramids! Some thefts were probably carefully planned, but others were spur of the moment, as when an earlier tomb was accidentally discovered while cutting a new one and workmen took advantage of the opportunity. This may have happened when KV 46 was found during the cutting of KV 4 or KV 3 nearby. The tombs in the Valley range from a simple pit (e.g. KV 54), to a tomb with over 121 chambers and corridors ( KV 5)

John Gardiner Wilkinson first established the present numbering system, in 1827, as part of his preparation of a map of Thebes. Wilkinson painted the numbers 1 through 21 at the entrances of the tombs that were then visible. The numbers were assigned geographically, from the entrance to the Valley southward. Since Wilkinson's day, tomb numbers have been assigned in chronological order of discovery, KV 62 (Tutankhamen) being the most recent. Wilkinson's is not the only system of tomb designation that has been used in the Valley though. Several explorers assigned numbers, letters or descriptive labels to the tombs, as the accompanying chart indicates, but Wilkinson's is the only system that is still in use. There are two main wings to the Valley of the Kings, west and east! You will find that eastern side has the majority of the tombs, the western part having very few, but including the tombs of Amenhotep III and Ay.

The earliest known tomb of the New Kingdom within the Valley of the Kings, is that of Tuthmoses I, who started to use the valley as a royal burial site. It is located in a desolate part of the valley, which is supposed to add greater protection as it was small enough to be closely guarded. The good quality of the stones gave the ancient Egyptians the chance to cut many tombs close to each other.

Most of the tombs were found already plundered! A few, like the tomb of Tutankhamen (KV 62) or that of Yuya and Thuyu (KV 46), contained thousands of precious artifacts. Some tombs have been accessiblesince antiquity, as Greek and Latin graffiti will attest. Some were used as dwellings, or as churches during the Greco-Roman and Byzantine Periods. Most of them have been discovered in the past two hundred years.

Some tombs, like KV 5, had been "lost," and their locations only recently rediscovered. kent weeks and myselfThe very well known Egyptologist, Kent Weeks, who is still working in the valley, on many projects, among them the Theban mapping project, Mr. Kent weeks (Shown with the site author in the picture a bove) spent more than 6 years exploring and trying to uncoverthe secrets of this massive tomb. KV5 is the largest tomb ever found in the valley! Re-excavated in 1995, it contains at least 121 chambers andcorridors! Mr. Weeks believes that it was built for the children of Ramses II. On your way to the inner side of the valley,You can see KV5's entrance location (currently closed to the public)

Since 1922, and Howard Carter's discovery of the Tomb of Tutankhamen (KV 62), there had been no new tombs discovered in the valley until, on February 9, 2006, the Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt announced the discovery of a new tomb.Kv5 Designated the number KV63, it was discovered by a joint effort between the University of Memphis (USA) and the Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt.This is one of the smaller tombs that have been found, consisting of a vertical shaft with an adjacent chamber at the bottom. Some artefacts have been found, but as this is an ongoing project, the details are still to be released

Presently, there are several archaeological projects currently at work in the Valley of the Kings.

Tomb Building - Tools

Before the actual creation of the tombs is discussed, it is important that the tools, which the workers used, are examined, as well as the actual work crews. Though they are over three thousand years old, many of these tools have survived and in many cases are similar to tools used in construction today.

The first of these tools are the mallet and chisel, a pair of which were discovered and are now in the Royal Ontario Museum, Canada. The mallet is made from acacia wood and is well used, the chisel also being well used and constructed of bronze. Though they were not found in either Deir El-Medina or the Valley of the Kings, they have been dated to the 18th-20th Dynasties and so it can be safely assumed that they are the same type of tool that the tomb makers would have used. Many different types of chisel were used during tomb construction, from pointed tips to flat, broad tips, depending on the type of cut required.

Boning rods were an integral part of ensuring that horizontal surfaces were kept as straight as possible. A set of these were found with the two items above, and are also in the Royal Ontario Museum, Canada. Two workers would hold the boning rods with one of them also holding an identical piece of wood in his other hand. As he moves the piece of wood along the string, any protruding pieces of rock will be seen and can be cut away.

A vast assortment of other tools were used by the tomb makers; triangular level and plumb bobs, plumbs, squares, square levels, and drills, each with their very own specific piece of work to do. Measurement was made by cubits, though whether they were "small cubits" or "Royal cubits" is not always clear (A cubit was a forearm length divided into 6 palms or 24 fingers. The Royal cubit was divided into 7 palms or 28 fingers which corresponds with 20.9 inches per Royal cubit, 3 inches per palm, and ¾ inch per finger)

Pounders were usually made from dolerite, though gneiss or granodiorite could also be used, and tended to be shaped between round and oval, varying in size and weight. Often showing signs of battering and chipping, they were generally used for less precise work.

Polishers tended to be round, oval or flat with a smooth surface. They were produced from a variety of rock, including sandstone, flint, chert or basalt. Used for the final finishing of surfaces they often show signs of polish or abrasion from constant use.

Tomb Building - Work Crews

The workers in the Valley of the Kings were all housed at Deir El-Medina, though they would often spend nights in the small enclave of huts built about halfway between the village and their workplace and some workers may even have spent their nights in one of the small huts which were scattered throughout the valley. Each workman had his own task to perform, whether they were stonemasons, draughtsmen, chisel-bearers, carpenters, artists or any one of the other trades which was represented within this community. From an ancient papyrus (Papyrus Salt 124) we know that work crews were separated into two different gangs, a right side and a left side, with a chief workman in charge of each "side".

During the Ramesside Period the workmen were known as the "Servants in the Place of Truth" and also the "Men of the Gang", a name which had come from the Egyptian military and navy referring to the Egyptian term "ist" which means gang or crew. The size of these gangs ranged from thirty to about one hundred and twenty, depending on the tomb being cut.

Work in the tombs depended on the length of time it took an oil filled lamp to burn and die, which was usually about four hours. This meant that the working day was divided into two shifts of four hours each, with a break for lunch and/or rest in between. The lamps were often in the shape of a bowl with a central jar made from one piece of clay. The central jar holds the twisted wick used in oil lamps, which was probably made out of linen coated with oil or animal fat to last longer and to provide light. Forget the illumination of tombs by reflected light off polished surfaces, as seen in the movie "The Mummy", as experiments have shown that this does not work. Also, the theory that says that the tombs would soon run out of air is a non-starter due to the tombs always being open; they were never closed until the Pharaoh was interred.

Scribes accounted for everything that went on in the valley, from the issuing of oil for the lamps to the visit of the vizier, as well as keeping an inventory of tools issued and returned, and these reports were periodically sent to the vizier so he would know what progress was being made. One particular scribe, Qenherkhepeshef, collected a library of reports and other important documents, and it is through him that many facts about life in Deir El-Medina, and the Valley of the Kings, is known. He, and his descendants, amassed a huge collection of papyri which included religious texts, official letters, poetry, stories, and magical and medical texts. They were discovered by French archaeologists at Deir El-Medina in 1928.

Tomb Building - Cutting and Constructions

Once the King, vizier, architects and chief stonemasons had decided on a suitable site, work on cutting the tomb could commence. The workmen would be issued with the required tools, with this transaction being recorded by the scribe, who would also record its return. Large spike-like chisels would be hit with a mallet to break the rock, debris being removed by workers using leather or wicker baskets: limestone is a relatively soft stone and so work would have progressed at a reasonable pace, unless flint became an obstacle. The entrance doorway was shaped as soon as the workers had cut a space large enough for this operation to be conducted. Once sufficient depth into the mountain was achieved, a red line was painted on the ceiling to ensure that the stone cutters could follow a straight path, as well as it being used as a central point for measurements to be taken from, which could be used to make certain that all the walls were parallel to one another, angles of corners were correct and doorways were perpendicular. These red lines can still be seen inside some of the tombs today. The cutting of a tomb was a matter of great skill as the tombs had to run straight, unless a bend or corner was planned, and any aids which builders of external constructions could not be employed here.

Once work was progressing inside the passageway, smaller chisels were used to shape the corridors, leaving a rough surface for the pounders and polishers to finish. Because many tombs were finished at varying stages of completion, due to the death of the Pharaoh, it is easy to see how these workmen did their tasks. The rock was cut out in small blocks, leaving steps that would allow the stone cutters to work at a greater height without the need for scaffolding. Beyond the stepped portion the cutters continued to dig deeper into the mountain, shaping the ceiling as they dug deeper. Quite often niches were cut, and finished, at the same time as the corridor to save the following workers from having to use scaffolding.

In larger rooms pillars were created to support the ceiling. These were left rough at first, but axial lines were painted on them to assist in the final cutting and smoothing. These rooms also allowed for many workers to complete their tasks at the same time. The burial chamber of Hatshepsut-Meryet-Ra (KV42) revealed that plasters and painters were performing their tasks at the same time as the finishers and smoothers, due to the painted walls and yet the unfinished pillar and ceiling. This could be due to the sudden death of Hatshepsut-Meryet-Ra, and the seventy days in which they had to complete their work, but it does show that the workers would all work together if, and when, required.

When finishing the corridors one thing that had to be ensured was that the walls were not only parallel, but also perpendicular, and the tomb of Thutmose IV (KV43) has left the answer to how this was performed. Thutmose IV was an 18th Dynasty Pharaoh and the archaeological evidence shows that the work patterns, techniques and strategies that the work crews used, throughout the history of the Valley of the Kings and at Akhetaten, changed very little during this period. This tomb shows how plaster blobs were fixed to the walls to serve as plumb line pins.

Once the cutting crew had levelled the surfaces, getting the rock smoothed down to a smooth finish, the work of the cutting crew was complete. These finished surfaces could be extremely smooth allowing for careful studies to be made of the chisel marks left on the walls of tombs in order to determine the sizes and shapes of the implements.

Tomb Collisions

As mentioned earlier, some tomb collisions did occur, which would have surely been avoided had some type of map been available to later workers. During the New Kingdom only three tombs accidentally encroached upon others, and it is surprising that this did not happen more often, especially when one considers how many tombs are in the valley.

The tomb of Siptah (KV47) broke into the tomb of Tia'a (KV32) and the design of the tomb was immediately altered, the intended burial chamber becoming another corridor. The ancient Egyptians simply repaired this accidental intrusion with large stone slabs.

Setnakhte's workers (KV11) broke into the tomb of Amenmeses (KV10) and abandoned work in this tomb. Ramesses III took over ( KV11), the workers changing its direction without further problems.

Whilst cutting (KV9) for Ramesses VI, the workers collided with (KV12)(an unknown occupant) and had to change their design to finish this tomb. This collision was repaired with a simple stone patch.

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Egyptian Tombs - Egyptology

Egypt Famous Tombs

Tombs of the Pharaohs, Queens and Princes at Thebes (Luxor)

For full list of Egypt Tombs:

1. Valley Of The Kings
2. Valley Of The Queens
3. Valley Of The Nobles
4. The Tombs Of Beni Hassan
5. Tomb Of Tanis or San El Hagar

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Giza Tombs

The earliest private burials at Giza were laid out in rows or streets of mastaba tombs divided geographically to the east and west of the Great Pyramid (generally called the Eastern Field and the Western Field). They are the tombs of high officials and minor royalty of the Old Kingdom who were rich or privileged enough to be buried close to the pharaoh’s royal tomb. There are also cemeteries grouped around the other Giza pyramids and to the south of Khafre’s causeway. The term ‘Central Field’ is given to the old quarry area between Khafre’s Pyramid and his Valley Temple and the Sphinx with Khafre’s causeway as its northern border. The Southern Field is as the name suggests, at the southern limit of the Giza necropolis where the ground rises steeply above the Giza Plateau and this has not yet been very well explored.

On an archaeological map of Giza, the necropolis is further divided into separate areas within each location, usually offshoots of the main cemeteries and mostly relating to their excavation. Cemetery GIS is immediately to the south of the Great Pyramid, and another necropolis called the Quarry Cemetery is to the west of Khafre’s pyramid. These are part of the East and Central Fields, though with a more remote location they are often treated separately. A third smaller group of tombs around Menkaure’s pyramid is generally known as the Menkaure Cemetery.

There was no standard numbering system used at Giza, each early excavator tending to use his own numerical system. The necropolis was first investigated by Lepsius, who gave each of the tombs he investigated a number and these were the numbers used by Maspero and Mariette when they re-investigated the tombs at the end of the 19th century. In the 1920s excavations were begun by the Boston-Harvard Mission, directed by George Reisner, who developed a more consistent classification system. Reisner’s system is the one we use today and can be recognised by the letter G, followed by four digits. The rows of tombs are usually arranged into blocks within a particular part of a cemetery (numbers generally proceed from west to east) and a few of the larger monuments may have more than one number, for example, the tomb of Queen Meresankh is numbered G7530-7540. Dr Reisner’s classification provides a rough skeleton when searching for specific tombs.

There are currently thought to be over 6000 tombs on the Giza Plateau and around 50 have been open to the public for some time. In recent years there have been a number of newly restored tombs which are now open to the public for the first time. There are currently around 50 tombs at Giza into which visitors are allowed, but it is an impossible task to find out which ones these are, and needless to say I have not yet managed to visit them all. Some of them are open all of the time, while others may be closed for archaeological work sometimes. Many are ‘unofficially’ open, which means that if you can find a guard with a key, for a little backsheesh they will open them for you. On these pages, at least to begin with, I can only include a selection of these fascinating structures – tombs which are newly opened, easily accessible or of particular interest and if I miss out your favourites I apologise in advance.

Photography is no longer allowed inside any of the tombs.

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Giza Eastern Cemetery

The Eastern cemetery at Giza, contains large stone mastaba tombs belonging mostly to members of Khufu’s family, his sons and daughters and some of his most important officials. This group of tombs is located immediately to the east of Khufu’s queens’ pyramids and arranged roughly into seven rows. The largest mastaba in the Eastern Field belongs to Prince Ankh-haf (G7510) which is in the north-east corner, while at the other end of the row, near her pyramid, is the burial shaft of Queen Hetepheres (G7000x) where her wonderful funerary treasures were discovered by Reisner.

The tomb of Qar (G7101)
The large multi-roomed mastaba of Qar can be found on the edge of the Eastern Cemetery, east of the pyramid of Hetepheres I (G7000) and close to her tomb shaft.The limestone superstructure of the mastaba has now almost completely disappeared and the remaining chambers are below ground. This official, also known as Meryrenefer, or Kar, was ‘Overseer of the Pyramid Towns of Khufu and Menkaure’, ‘Inspector of wab-priests of the Pyramid of Khafre’ and ‘Tenant of the Pyramid of Pepy I’, probably during the Dynasty VI reign of Pepy I or II. His wife Gefi, a ‘Prophetess of Hathor’, is known from tomb inscriptions. It is generally assumed that Qar is the father of Idu but there are suggestions that the truth could in fact be the oppsosite.

The entrance to the tomb is down a flight of steps which lead into a passage which in turn opens up into a hall with pillars supporting an architrave, richly worked in incised hieroglyphs. On the faces of the pillars the tomb-owner is shown in various stages of his life. The wall to the right of the entrance depicts the funerary rites, with Qar seated at a table to receive offerings. He is shown in a similar manner with his wife on the western wall, with offering lists and illustrations of the funeral procession – the purification tent and embalming-house are the focus of the ceremonies. On the southern wall of the open court, a niche contains statues of the deceased and his family, including his young son. Carved in high relief the row of six life-like standing statues is cut from the rock. Four of them have identical wigs and short narrow kilts, while the fifth is a naked young boy with a shaved head. The sixth and full-sized statue also had a shaved head or short wig and wears a longer flared and pleated kilt. The worn inscription above the statues gives another of Qar’s titles ‘Overseer of all the Works’. There is another statue of Qar seated in a niche on the eastern wall, where there are more offerings.

An offering chamber is entered from the western wall and here there are more offering scenes and texts. In the doorway there are more reliefs of the deceased. The false door of Qar is set into the western wall of the offering chamber with offerings and offering-bringers to either side. The tomb of Qar is thought to be an excellent example of later Old Kingdom art.

Tomb of Idu (G7102)

Idu (or Idut) is thought to have been the father (or son?) of Qar, and his smaller mastaba is adjacent to the previous one. He also held the title of ‘Tenant of the Pyramid of Pepy I’ as well as ‘Overseer of Scribes of the mrt (royal documents?)’, ‘Inspector of wab-priests of the Pyramids of Khufu and Khafre’ during the reign of Pepy I. The relationship mentioned in his tomb with Meryrenefer (Qar) and Gefi is uncertain.

A staircase descends to a large vestibule and to a passage into the single long rectangular offering chapel. On either side of the doorway are depictions of mourners at Idu’s house, the purification tent and the funeral procession. On the long western wall there are five large niches containing statues of Idu plus a smaller one on the left of his son (?) Qar, with their names and titles in beautifully carved hieroglyphs. At the end of the western wall there is a scene depicting men and cattle returning from the marshes. Idu is shown seated on a palanquin on the northern wall, watching scenes of activities including children’s games, dancers and musicians and the preparation of food and drink. In the centre of the east wall is a false door stela, painted to simulate granite. In the bottom half of the false door Idu’s statue eerily rises out of the ground to receive his offerings and in a panel above, the deceased and his wife are shown sitting opposite each other at an offering table. Near the floor an offering bench is placed in front of this wall, which depicts offerings to be given to the tomb owner and his wife.

Tomb of Queen Meresankh III (G7530-7540)

The large and beautiful double-mastaba of Queen Meresankh III is situated just to the south of the huge tomb of Prince Ankh-haf (G7510). She is named as a ‘Daughter of the King’, the daughter of Kawab (a son of Khufu) and her mother was Hetepheres II. She was married to Khafre (Dynasty IV) who was in fact her half-brother.

The entrance stairway leads down into the large main chamber of the tomb, which contains two square pillars and its walls are decorated with many beautiful and colourful reliefs of daily life in the Old Kingdom. Texts near the doorway give her name and titles with the date of her death and funeral. On the left hand side of the doorway, two sculptors whose names are given as Re’hay and Inkaf (identified by Reisner but now almost illegible), carve and paint statues of the Queen, while below other men are shown carving the funerary sarcophagus and false door. Goldworkers are also shown smelting gold and making a palanquin. On the southern wall, three niches contain six statues of men who are not identified but are thought to be scribes or priests. An incomplete false door stela on the western wall shows Meresankh seated at a table.

The walls of this chamber show many interesting scenes of various industries – fowling, mat-making, furniture-making and agricultural and hunting scenes. Meresankh is shown with her mother Hetepheres gathering lotus flowers and catching birds. On the pillars of the main hall, the deceased Meresankh is depicted facing into the tomb and dressed in an elegant white robe. Her two sons, Niussere (later pharaoh) and Duaenre stand at her feet. The northern wall is a rock-cut extension to the large chamber which contains a group of ten statues varying in size. They are unidentified but are thought to represent the deceased four times, her mother three times and three daughters.

The second chamber is smaller than the first and has two large openings leading into it. The left-hand wall is decorated with funerary scenes, offering lists and scribes bringing accounts of the estate. The small portion of wall between the doorways shows scenes of agriculture, and on the northern wall, food and wine is being prepared for the banquet, while musicians, singers and dancers entertain Meresankh who sits above holding a lotus flower and watching over the proceedings. These reliefs are unpainted. Two more niches on the western wall contain statues, probably of Meresankh and her mother with a false door between them.

In 1927, in the second chamber, Reisner found a large burial shaft whose chamber contained Meresankh’s black granite sarcophagus complete with the mummy of the queen (now in Cairo Museum). The sarcophagus has a palace-façade decoration and was presented to Meresankh by her mother Hetepheres.

Tomb of Nefermaat (G7060)

This tomb belongs to a group of recently restored and newly opened tombs immediately to the south of Khufu’s queens’ pyramids. Nefermaat is named as ‘King’s Son’, ‘Hereditary Prince’, ‘Vizier of Khafre’ and ‘Overlord of Nekheb’ during the Dynasty IV reigns of Khufu and Khafre. His mother is named as Nefertkau (probably tomb G7050).

The mastaba of this important official and member of the royal family, today consists mainly of the tomb-chapel, which is decorated with the usual agricultural and offering scenes of the period. Nefermaat is depicted in one scene with his wife before scribes and men bringing animals and birds (including cranes) and in another he sits at the banquet with his dog under his chair, being entertained by musicians and clappers. Unfortunately his wife’s name is lost in the reliefs, but he is shown in another scene with his son, Senefrkaef, whose tomb (G7070) is adjacent. At the rear of the chamber is a false door of Nefermaat.

Tomb of Senefrukaef (G7070) 

Senerfrukaef was the son of Nefermaat, and he was ‘Treasurer of the King of Lower Egypt’ and ‘Herdsman of Apis’ during late Dynasty IV to early Dynasty V. His mastaba now consists of the tomb-chapel, decorated with scenes of the owner and his family. On the lintel of the doorway there is an offering text and genealogy of Senefrukaef’s family and he is depicted in reliefs in the chapel with his sons. The deceased also has a false door. An uninscribed limestone sarcophagus was found in the burial shaft, which is now in Cairo Museum.

Tomb of Seshemnefer IV

Near the south-east corner of the pyramid of Khufu is the mastaba of Seshemnefer IV, which has been newly restored by the Egyptian Antiquities Organisation, with a new roof, and thorough cleaning of the reliefs.

Seshemnefer IV was obviously a favoured official, ‘Overseer of the Two Seats of the House of Life’, and ‘Guardian of the King’s Secrets’, during Dynasty VI. One of the largest tombs at Giza, Seshemnefer’s porticoed tomb has an impressive façade with two columns. At either side of the portico, life-sized seated statues of the deceased official watch out over the Giza Plateau. The vestibule leads to an inner and outer hall and an offering chamber. Scenes within the tomb include reliefs of the deceased, daily life in the Old Kingdom and the usual funerary scenes. There is a sloping burial shaft into which the intrepid visitor is sometimes allowed.

Entrance

The tombs of the Eastern cemetery are often open or may be opened on request. Photography is no longer allowed inside any of the tombs.

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