Archaeologists discovered a 3,000-year-old tomb near the southern Egyptian city of Luxor, authorities said Sunday, the latest in a series of discoveries that authorities hope will boost tourism.
The tomb, identified as belonging to a man named Paser, was found by a Dutch archaeological mission from Leiden University at the Sheikh Abd el-Qurna necropolis on the West Bank of Luxor, according to Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
Specialists believe the tomb dates to the Ramesside period, spanning Egypt’s 19th and 20th dynasties, based on the artistic style of its inscriptions.
Located to the east of a previously known burial site, the tomb follows the traditional design of private Theban tombs of the New Kingdom (1570-1069 BC), they added.
It consists of an open courtyard leading to a chapel carved into the rock in the shape of an inverted “T”, with burial chambers excavated below ground level.
Archaeologists found several well-preserved architectural elements in the courtyard, including an adobe bench designed to house a funerary stele and a staircase flanked by inclined ramps leading to the entrance.
Inside, inscriptions bearing Paser’s name depict him worshiping various deities within shrines, as well as sitting with his wife before an offering table.
The excavation team said documentation and study will continue to determine who was buried in the tomb and better understand its historical and archaeological context.
The discovery comes as Egypt seeks to promote new archaeological finds to support tourism, a key source of foreign currency for the country.
Luxor is home to some of the most important ancient monuments and archaeological sites in the world.
