Overview
- Archaeologists supervised by Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities and the Zahi Hawass Foundation uncovered the chamber in the limestone courtyard of a previously known tomb at El-Asasef on Luxor’s west bank.
- The wooden sarcophagi are dated to the Third Intermediate Period and remain largely intact, with mummies inside and vividly painted exteriors in blues, greens, reds and yellows.
- Most coffins bear the titles “Singer of Amun” or “Chantress of Amun,” pointing to temple-affiliated roles while personal names are absent and identities remain under study.
- A large pottery vessel in the chamber holds eight papyrus scrolls that are still sealed with clay and will be unfurled and translated after specialist conservation.
- Stabilisation work is reinforcing fragile wood, plaster and pigments, and officials say the project reflects Egypt’s broader commitment to archaeological research and heritage preservation.