Old Kingdom Rock-Cut Tombs Unearthed at Qubbet El-Hawa in Aswan

An Egyptian archaeological mission from the Supreme Council of Antiquities has uncovered a group of rock-cut tombs dating back to the Old Kingdom at the Qubbet El-Hawa necropolis in Aswan during the current excavation season.

Located on the west bank of the Nile, Qubbet El-Hawa is one of Upper Egypt’s principal archaeological sites. According to a statement from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the newly identified tombs include burial shafts and chambers, with preliminary studies indicating that they date to the Old Kingdom and were later reused during the First Intermediate Period and the Middle Kingdom.

Mohamed Abdel-Badie, Head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector at the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said the mission uncovered two burial chambers containing approximately 160 pottery vessels of various sizes and shapes dating to the Old Kingdom. Most of the vessels are well preserved and bear hieratic inscriptions. Initial studies suggest they were used for storing liquids and grains.

In the outer courtyard of the tomb complex, the team also discovered artefacts dating to the Middle Kingdom, including bronze mirrors, alabaster kohl containers, multicoloured bead necklaces and a range of amulets. Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy said the ministry continues to provide technical and logistical support to archaeological missions across the country. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, stated that documentation and scientific recording of the finds will continue as part of the council’s academic and research mandate. Excavations at the site remain ongoing. The Qubbet El-Hawa necropolis includes burials spanning from the early Old Kingdom through to the Greco-Roman period.