Archeologists and antiquities specialists in Egypt have finished restoring the tombs of two ancient nobles at the Draa Abul Naga necropolis, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Luxor’s West Bank. The work was started in 2015 by the American Research Center, ARCE, in collaboration with Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities and funding from the U. S. Agency for International Development. It included cataloguing the findings at the tombs, which date back as far as 1549 BC, removing the debris from modern buildings that have been demolished, and putting in new visitor pathways, lighting, and signage. Cairo photojournalist Hamada Elrasam got a sneak preview.
US-Egyptian Venture Reveals Splendors of Luxor Tombs
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British tourists wait their turn to visit the TT 159 tomb of Raya, dating from the 19th Dynasty. He was an official known as the fourth prophet of Amun. (Photo: H. Elrasam)
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Dr. Mostafa Waziri, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities points to recent excavation work inside the tomb known as TT286. The tomb dates to the 20th Dynasty and belongs to Niay, who was the Scribe of the Table. (Photo: H. Elrasam)
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A mural inside the tomb depicts Raya, the fourth prophet of Amun and his wife, Mutemwia. (Photo: H. Elrasam)
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Journalists and tourists take photos of the murals inside Khonsu Temple at Karnak. (Photo: H. Elrasam)
