Tombs of the Nobles (Amarna)

Located in Middle Egypt, the Tombs of the Nobles at Amarna are the burial places of some of the powerful courtiers and persons of the city of Akhetaten.

The tombs are in 2 groups, cut into the cliffs and bluffs in the east of the dry bay of Akhetaten. There are 25 major tombs, many of them decorated and with their owners name, some are small and unfinished, others modest and unassuming. Each seems to reflect the personality and patronage of the tomb's original owner.

Northern tombs
Northern Tombs at Amarna, looking south along the cliffs

These tombs are located in two groups in the cliffs overlooking the city of Akhetaten, to the north and east of the city. They are split into two groups by a Wadi, and are near one of the Boundary Stelae (Stelae V).

Tomb number Owner Title Comments
Amarna Tomb 1Huya[1]Steward of Queen Tiye
Amarna Tomb 2Meryre II[2]Overseer of the houses in the royal quarters of the Great Royal Wife Neferneferuaten-Nefertiti
Amarna Tomb 3Ahmes[1]Sealbearer of the King of Lower Egypt, Steward in the house of Akhenaten
Amarna Tomb 4Meryra (also called Meryre I)[2]Greatest of seers of the Aten in AkhetatenIncomplete. Had it been completed, it would have been the largest of the noble's tombs.
Amarna Tomb 5Penthu[1]First servant of the Aten in the mansion of the Aten in Akhetaten, Chief of physicians, chamberlainThe tomb was cross-shaped, containing a long outer hall, and a long transverse hall, containing the burial shaft and a now destroyed shrine to Penthu. Only the outer hall is decorated.
Amarna Tomb 6Panehsy[2]First servant of the Aten in the house of Aten in AkhetatenThis was originally a two-roomed tomb; each of the rooms had four columns. Later reuse as a Coptic church has changed the layout and damaged the original decoration.

Desert altars

At a short distance to the west and north of the Northern Tombs lie the remains of three large mud-brick solar altars in the form of platforms with ramps. The reason for their location is not clear. Their connection with an ancient road leading to the Northern Tombs would seem to be a sign that they were for the benefit of those buried in them.

Southern tombs

The southern tombs are located in a series of low bluffs south and east of the main city. Associated with these tombs a recently discovered workers cemetery has been found.[3]

Southern Tombs at Amarna, showing cliffs behind
Tomb number Owner Title Comments
Amarna Tomb 7Parennefer[4]Cupbearer of the king's PersonParennefer had another tomb in Thebes, TT188
Amarna Tomb 7a,b,cUnknown[1][4]Small unfinished tombs located near Tomb 7.
Amarna Tomb 8Tutu[4]Chamberlain of the Lord of the Two Lands, etc.
Amarna Tomb 9Mahu[1]Chief of the Medjay (police) of Akhetaten
Amarna Tomb 9a,b,cUnknown[1]Small unfinished tombs located near Tomb 9.
Amarna Tomb 10Ipy[1]King's scribe, the overseer of the large inner palace of the pharaoh
Amarna Tomb 11Ramose[1]Scribe of Recruits, General of the Lord of the Two Lands
Amarna Tomb 12NakhtpaatenHereditary prince, count, sealbearer, overseer of the city and vizier, etc.
Amarna Tomb 13Neferkheperuhesekheper[1]Mayor of Akhetaten
Amarna Tomb 14May[4]General of the Lord of the Two Lands, etc.
Amarna Tomb 15Suti[1]Standard-bearer of the company of Neferkheprure-Waenre (Akhenaten)
Amarna Tomb 16unknown
Amarna Tomb 17unknown
Amarna Tomb 18unknown[4]Only the facade of the tomb was completed
Amarna Tomb 19Satau[4]Treasurer of the Lord of the Two Lands
Amarna Tomb 20unknown[4]The lintel shows the royal family adoring the Aten
Amarna Tomb 21unknown[4]
Amarna Tomb 22unknown[4]The lintel shows the royal family adoring the Aten
Amarna Tomb 23Any[4]Scribe of the offering table of the Lord of the Two Lands, Steward of the House of Aakheprure (Amenhotep II), etc.
Amarna Tomb 24Paatenemheb[4]General of the Lord of the Two Lands, Steward of the Lord of the Two Lands
Amarna Tomb 25Ay[4]Fanbearer on the right of the King, God's Father, The commander of all the horses of his PersonAy was a future pharaoh of Ancient Egypt
Southern Tomb 25a[4]Ia (?)

Rediscovery and excavation

Some the tombs have obviously been open since antiquity, and have been used variously as burial places in the Ptolemaic times, store houses, houses and as coptic churches.

Notes and references

References
  1. N. de G. Davies, The rock tombs of El-Amarna, Parts III and IV, 1905 (Reprinted 2004), The Egypt Exploration Society, ISBN 0-85698-160-5. Facsimile in Internet Archive: Part III. The Tombs of Huya and Ahmes, 1905 and Part IV. The Tombs of Penthu, Mahu and Others, 1906
  2. N. de G. Davies, The rock tombs of El-Amarna, Parts I and II, 1905 (Reprinted 2004), The Egypt Exploration Society, ISBN 0-85698-159-1. Facsimile in Internet Archive: Part I. The Tomb of Meryre, 1903 and Part II. The Tombs of Panehesy and Meryra II, 1905
  3. "The Pharaoh's Lost City". Retrieved 2008-01-29.
  4. N. de G. Davies, The rock tombs of El-Amarna, Parts V and VI, 1905 (Reprinted 2004), The Egypt Exploration Society, ISBN 0-85698-161-3. Facsimile in Internet Archive: Part V. Smaller Tombs and Boundary Stelae, 1908 and Part VI. Tombs of Parennefer, Tutu and Ay, 1908

Further reading

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