Archaeologists in Egypt say they've discovered not one, but two beautifully decorated ancient tombs near the historic city of Luxor.
The tombs, found earlier this month in the Sheikh Abd el-Qurna ('Tombs of the Nobles') archaeological site, are believed to date back to the 18th Dynasty of the Egyptian New Kingdom (1543-1292 B.C.), according to a written statement from The American Research Center in Egypt. Both were covered in hieroglyphics and colorful murals on plaster depicting the tomb's owners, who are believed to be father and son.
Both tombs contain debris and evidence of ancient looting and vandalism, according to the statement. The tombs share a courtyard with the Tomb of Djehuty, which was commissioned by a royal cupbearer for the pharaohs Hatshepsut and Tuthmosis III, Discovery reported.
A god's doorkeeper and his wife. The first tomb, discovered on Mar. 2, belongs to an Amenhotep (doorkeeper to the Egyptian god Amun) surnamed Rabiu, and his wife, Satamen.
Incredible photographs below have been distributed by the ministry show a tomb with bright green and brown paintings with hieroglyphics with murals that depict both celebrations and everyday activity, and despite their age are still remarkably vibrant and colorful.
Antiquities Minister Mamdouh al-Damaty said in a statement that the tombs do sadly appear to have been looted at some point and the sarcophogi containing the bejeweled mummies were missing.
'The tomb contains many stunning scenes with bright colours painted on plaster,' Antiquities Minister Mamdouh Eldamaty said in a statement.
'Many of scenes represent the tomb owner and his wife in front of an offering table and a view of a goddess nursing a royal child as well as scenes of the daily life,' he added.
The tomb was discovered by a team of American archaeologists alongside an Egyptian inspectors' team in the city of Luxor, 700 kilometres (435 miles) south of Cairo.
However, the temple guard's final resting place had been vandalised for unknown reasons.
The T-shaped tomb 'was deliberately damaged in ancient times,' said Sultan Eid, the ministry's general director for the Upper Egypt region.
'The name and titles of the tomb owner, some hieroglyphic texts and scenes in addition to the names of the god Amun were deliberately erased,' Eid added.
The first tomb was discovered on March 2, and the second was discovered on March 10.
The second tomb is believed to be that of Sa-mut and his wife, Ta-Khaeet.
The first tomb meanwhile is believed to be that of Sa-Mut's father, Amenhotep.
Luxor, a city of some 500,000 people on the banks of the Nile in southern Egypt, is an open-air museum of intricate temples and pharaonic tombs.
Eldamaty said in a separate statement that a royal rest house belonging to King Thutmosis II, also from the 18th Dynasty of the New Kingdom period, had been discovered in the Suez Canal province of Ismailia.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2992781/American-archaeologists-unearth-stunning-Egyptian-tombs-Luxor-featuring-intricate-colorful-murals-unseen-thousands-years.html#ixzz3UsByTCfa
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Amenhotep's son and his wife. The second tomb, discovered Mar. 10, belongs to Sa-mut, the son of Amenhotep and Satamen, and his wife, Ta-Khaeet.
Read More: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/12/ancient-egypt-tombs-luxor_n_6855154.html
