Archaeological Discovery at Jabal al-Tayr in Minya Redraws the Landscape of Funerary Architecture in Ancient Egypt

The Egyptian archaeological mission affiliated with the Supreme Council of Antiquities has unearthed two tombs dating back to the Early Dynastic Period during excavations in the Jabal al-Tayr area of ​​Minya Governorate, along with several burials from the Predynastic and Late Periods. You too will discover new discoveries through our packages, Egypt Travel Packages offers exclusive and distinctive trips. They have Egypt Classic Tours featuring must-see destinations. For example, Cairo and the Nile by Air (8 Days, 7 Nights) is an all-inclusive trip showcasing the most famous sites.

This discovery represents a new addition to the record of Egyptian archaeological discoveries, providing evidence that contributes to tracing the development of funerary architecture in ancient Egypt throughout its various periods. This was confirmed by Mr. Sherif Fathy, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities.

For his part, Dr. Hisham El-Leithy, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, explained that the first tomb is a rare architectural discovery, distinguished by its unique design. The second tomb is a very similar model and is in a good state of preservation. If you enjoy visiting countries during the holidays, don't hesitate to browse Egypt Christmas Tours to attend a gala dinner in Egypt. We offer you our best tours, such as the 5-Day Christmas Holiday to Cairo, Luxor, and Hurghada. Don't miss our exclusive tours!

The Secretary-General also explained that preliminary studies show a remarkable similarity between the design of the two discovered tombs and the design of the famous tomb of King Den in Abydos. This reinforces the archaeological importance of the Gebel el-Teir area and confirms its status as one of the important necropolises used over extended periods, from the Predynastic Period to the Late Period. If you wish to visit this area, you can take a day tour to El Minya from Cairo and enjoy a private tour of this region. Also check out Cairo Day Tours, which offers various tours and attractions.

The first tomb's design is based on a progressive increase in wall thickness from bottom to top, with the thickness growing at the base and progressively diminishing towards the summit, according to Professor Mohamed Abdel Badie, Head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector. He made the observation that this architectural style might be an early phase of the evolution of engineering theory that eventually gave rise to the step pyramid and eventually the genuine pyramid.