Tombs of the Nobles in Aswan

• 16 / 5 / 2023

The cooler months from October through April are the greatest for travel. Because of the nicer weather, sightseeing and outdoor activities are more enjoyable. It can get very hot throughout the summer (May to September).

The majority of the Egyptian shrines and monuments were built with stones obtained from Aswan, which served as a source of granite. This includes the Giza pyramids. On the east bank of the Nile River, close to the first cataract, is a lively market in Aswan. The Island of Elephantine has now been added to Aswan's territory.

As a result, thieves carried out a number of tomb raids. The damaged and desecrated mummified remains of his predecessors from the 18th, 19th, and 20th dynasties were reburied in a secure location by a later monarch from the 21st dynasty.

Aswan has a desert climate, characterized by hot and dry conditions. Summers in Aswan are extremely hot, with temperatures often exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). Winters are milder, with average daytime temperatures ranging from 20 to 25 degrees Celsius (68 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit). It is generally a sunny destination with very limited rainfall.

The ancient rock-cut tombs known as the Tombs of the Nobles in Aswan, or the Tombs of the Nobles of El-Kab, are situated close to El-Kab. These Old Kingdom tombs served as the last resting places for aristocrats, administrators, and high-ranking officials. The elaborate wall paintings and reliefs on the tombs offer insights into religious rituals, everyday life, and mythology. Ramses II's influential official Setau's tomb is renowned for its well-preserved paintings and reliefs. Ahmose's Tomb, a high-ranking official of the 18th Dynasty, has exquisitely decorated chambers and provides insight into Ahmose's wartime military exploits. The tombs are a component of a wider archaeological site.

The Tombs of the Nobles in Aswan are a group of ancient tombs located in the Nubian Village area near Aswan. They date back to the period of ancient times in Egypt, specifically between the Neolithic period (2686-2181 BC) and the Ancient Roman period (30 BC - 641 AD).

The idea of building tombs centered around the idea of religion and afterlife beliefs in ancient Egyptian civilization, as noble tombs were considered a place of burial for nobles, officials, and employees with high socio-economic status.

Noble tombs were characterized by their unique and elaborate design, and usually included numerous funerary halls and rooms decorated with inscriptions and wall paintings depicting daily life, religious rituals, and beliefs in the afterlife in the underworld. Tombs were similar in structure and design to a pyramid, and often included a series of corridors and chambers leading to the main burial chamber.

The Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Mostafa Waziri, said that these tombs are of various types, numbering about 250 tombs dug at several levels in the mountain, including tombs with one or several burial wells, and others with a sloping corridor ending in a burial chamber. The tombs span time periods ranging from the end of the Old Kingdom to the end of the Ptolemaic period.