BIA

III – MARS 2015
Mardi 3 mars 2015
A painted wall depicting a cultivation scene
The entrance of the side hall
An 18 th dynasty tomb belonging to the
guard of the ancient god Amun’s gate,
Amenhotep, has been discovered in al-Qurna
on Luxor’s west bank. The tomb was uncovered
by an archaeological mission of the American
Research Centre in Cairo during excavation
work carried out in the al-Qurna necropolis.
The tomb’s large hall
Minister of Antiquities Mamdûh al-Damâtî
told Ahram Online on Tuesday that the tomb is
a T-shaped tomb with two large halls and an
unfinished small niche at its end. An entrance
leading to a side room with a shaft at its
middle is found at the tomb’s southern side.
“Such a shaft could lead to the burial
chamber,” al-Damâtî pointed out. He went on
saying that the tomb’s walls are painted with
scenes depicting the tomb’s owner and his wife
in front of an offering table. Hunting scenes
are also decorating a part of the walls.
Sultân ‘Îd, director of Upper Egypt
Antiquities, explained that the tomb was
subjected to deterioration and looting in
antiquity as some parts of the decoration
scenes and hieroglyphic texts are erased as
well as the name of god Amun. Such action,
asserted ‘Îd, indicates that the tomb was
deteriorated during the religious revolution led
by monotheistic king Akhenaten who united all
ancient Egyptian gods into one called Aten.
The tomb will be subjected to restoration in
order to open it to visitors. (Nevine El-Aref,
“Tomb of Amun gate’s guard uncovered in
Luxor”, Ahram Online, March 3, 2015. Voir
également Dînâ ‘Abd al-‘Alîm, « Découverte
d’une nouvelle tombe du gardien d’Amon à
Louqsor », al-Yawm al-Sâbi‘, 3 mars ; Nayera
Yasser, “Ancient tomb discovered in Luxor”,
Daily News Egypt, March 3 ; ‘Alâ’ al-Dîn al-
Zâhir, « Mise au jour d’une nouvelle tombe
archéologique à Louqsor », Ruz al-Yûsuf, 10
mars ; Nasma Réda, « Amenhotep découvert à
al-Qurna », Al-Ahram Hebdo du 11 mars).
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Le ministre de l’Archéologie, Dr Mamdûh al-
Damâtî, a approuvé une série de promotions
décidées par le secrétaire général du Conseil
Suprême des Antiquités dans la zone
archéologique de Haute-Égypte. En vertu de ces
avancements de carrière :
— Sultân ‘Îd est nommé directeur général
des antiquités de Haute-Égypte.
BIA LI — Janvier/Juin 2015 53