Tombs of Three Ancient Egyptian Officials Found in Luxor

LUXOR, EGYPT—Three new tombs of senior ancient Egyptian statesmen were recently unearthed on Luxor’s West Bank, according to an Ahram Online report. The discoveries were made at the New Kingdom necropolis of Dra Abu el-Nagra and have provided new insights into the lives of officials who worked in the upper echelon of Egyptian government. Archaeologists learned the men’s names and titles from inscriptions written on the walls of the burial chambers. One tomb belonged to a man named Amun-em-Ipet, who worked at a temple or estate dedicated to the god Amun during the Ramesside period (ca. 1295–1070 b.c.). The other two date to the 18th Dynasty (ca. 1550–1295 b.c.). One contained the burial of a man named Baki, who was a granary supervisor, while the other, an individual called Es, had earned multiple titles including supervisor of the Temple of Amun, mayor of the northern oases, and scribe. Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy said that the newly discovered burial chambers were windows into the lives, roles, and beliefs of key figures in ancient Egyptian society. To read about the grave of another high-level Egyptian official uncovered at the site, go to "Afterlife of a Dignitary."