Ancient Egypt, Archaeology
Identity of the Owner of Luxor's Nameless Tomb Discovered
In the 1970s, a tomb was discovered in the Al-Asasif necropolis on the west bank of Luxor, Egypt, which archaeologists designated Kampp 23. The identity of its owner had remained a mystery since then, as at the time archaeologists were unable to determine the name of its occupant.
Now, an Egyptian-Canadian archaeological mission has succeeded in deciphering the identity of the owner of this nameless tomb. His name was Amon Mes, and he was a royal official who held various positions, such as Mayor of Thebes, during the Ramesside period.
The Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Sherif Fathy, emphasized the importance of this achievement: This discovery enhances our understanding of the role of high dignitaries in ancient Egypt and underscores the state's commitment to archaeological research, he stated.
Meanwhile, the Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Mohamed Ismail Khaled, explained that although the tomb had already been documented, its original owner had never been confirmed. Recent excavations made it possible to identify 'Amon Mes' and reveal some of his titles, which raises new questions about his historical influence, he noted.
According to Mohamed Abdel Badie, head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector, the name Amon Mes was not entirely unknown to researchers, as more inscriptions bearing his titles had been found in other areas of Luxor's west bank: royal counselor, divine father of Amun, tax collector, and even overseer of quarries during a King Ramesses IV expedition to Wadi Hammamat.
Even so, it is still unclear whether all these roles belonged to the same person buried in Kampp 23 or if there were other officials with the same name in later periods.
The doubt remains, Abdel Badie admitted. It is possible that there was more than one 'Amon Mes' in Thebes, but the evidence suggests that this was a key figure during the New Kingdom.
The tomb is hewn into the rock and has a T-shaped design typical of Ramesside necropolises, with an open courtyard surrounded by mudbrick walls and a pylon on its eastern side. Inside, a corridor connects the chapel with the burial chamber, where statues are carved directly into the stone.
According to Abdul Ghaffar Wagdy, head of the Egyptian side of the mission, the tomb was reused several centuries later. We found remains of painted plaster covering the original reliefs, fragments of the main entrance reconstructed with different materials, and even broken ushabtis, he detailed.
Upcoming excavation seasons could confirm whether all the titles attributed to 'Amon Mes' belonged to the same man or to different officials with the same name, stated Dr. Casey L. Kirkpatrick, the Canadian leader of the project. If it is confirmed that this was a single individual who held so many positions, we would be looking at a figure of exceptional power in Ramesside Thebes.
-- Sent from my Linux system.
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