Second ancient Egyptian tomb discovered in Qurna in a week

A second tomb, believed to date back to Ancient Egypt’s New Kingdom has been discovered just six days after a similar discovery in the renowned archaeological site of Al-Qurna in Luxor Governorate (formerly known as Thebes).

This tomb, said to belong to a nobleman identified as “Sa-Mout” and his wife, “Takha-Et,” may date back around 3,500 years.

A team of US archaeologists — the American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE) — in coordination with the Egyptian Antiquities Ministry, announced on Tuesday their discovery of a colorful burial chamber, located next to that of the nobleman Amenhotep, which they unearthed last week in the same area.

According to a statement by the ministry, Sa-Mout’s tomb, like that of the nobleman Amenhotep, is believed to have been constructed during the New Kingdom’s 18th Dynasty (Circa ~1543–1292).

Some of the hieroglyphic inscriptions and wall paintings in the tomb have reportedly been defaced, the ministry added.

Ministerial sources say the defacing of the tomb probably occurred during the religious revolution in the brief reign of the monotheistic Pharaoh Akhenaton (Circa ~ 1351–1334 BC).

According to John Sherman, who headed the ARCE team, the discovery of the tombs of Noblemen Amenhotep and Sa-Mout “opens the door to further discoveries in the upcoming period, which requires additional work to understand the scientific and archaeological truths behind them.”

The tombs of both these ancient noblemen include vividly colorful paintings depicting religious rituals and offerings to the gods, while also providing insight into the daily lives of people from this social class and their families.

Ministerial sources say teams of archaeologists and Egyptologists are still studying the tombs in the hope of better understanding their owners and the conditions in which they lived.

The online magazine, Live Science, published a report indicating that the tombs of both these ancient noblemen were T-shaped, and may also share a common courtyard between them.

Beyond the presence of lively colorful murals, Live Science published additional photos revealing the presence of some artifacts buried within the tomb of Sa-Mout