Tombs Of The Nobles Aswan – Visiting Qubbet El-Hawa

When exploring Tombs of the Nobles Aswan is home to some of the best. These types of tombs have been discovered in several different parts of Egypt, including Aswan. Interestingly, such tombs are also often called “Princes’s Tombs” despite the fact that they were not reserved only for princes and princesses. Instead, they were routinely used as burial sites for priests, officials, and even for certain workers. Visit some of these timeless monuments in comfort and style with one of out amazing Egypt tour packages or one of our epic Nile River cruises.

Tombs of the Nobles, Aswan

View of the Nile River from Tombs of the Nobles, Aswan.

Tombs of the Nobles in Aswan

Generally speaking, if you see “Tombs of the Nobles” mentioned in package tour itineraries, it will almost always be referring to the Qubbet El-Hawa which is the site of a group of rock-cut tombs on the west bank of the Nile River near Aswan. While you won’t see these tombs featured in many regular tour packages, they are among the top attractions in Aswan.

The main reason why the Tombs of the Nobles Aswan are considered to be so significant is because they are among the oldest such tombs ever discovered in Egypt. The first of these ancient tombs were carved out of the rock during the time of the Old Kingdom, and they’ve remained intact throughout the Middle Kingdom and New Kingdom periods.

Apart from being the chambers in which several nobles were laid to rest, the Tombs of the Nobles Aswan are also unique in that they contain linked family complexes. These family complexes were in turn found to contain important text describing their families as well as various aspects of everyday life in Egypt at the time.

One thing which you can’t help noticing when you enter these ancient tombs, is the fact that the colors of the wall paintings and other wall decorations are exceptionally vivid. The majority of the paintings illustrate everyday Egyptian life, and many also include hieroglyphic biographies and inscriptions.

The most striking wall decorations are without question found in the linked tombs, or “tomb complex” belonging to Sarenput I and Sarenput II. Visitors will also be amazed by the beauty of the tomb which today is simply known as Tomb 31. Archeologists know that this tomb belonged to royals, but their exact identity has not yet been determined.

Over and above the tombs already mentioned, there are several more which are truly spectacular, including the tombs belonging to Pepynakht; Harkhuf; Khunes and Mekhu Qubbet Al Hawwa, after whom the Tombs of the Nobles Aswan burial site is named.

Tombs of the Nobles Elsewhere in Egypt

Generally speaking, you will find tombs of nobles at all the royal necropolises in Egypt where pharaohs have been laid to rest. However, as has already been mentioned, the other tombs of the nobles are not as old as those found at the Qubbet El-Hawa in Aswan.

Visiting the Qubbet El-Hawa Tombs

There is no public transport to the tombs so people wanting to visit the site will need to use either a taxi or hire a car. Alternatively, there are many tour operators that offer day excursions to a number of ancient sites which typically aren’t included in most package tours. Aswan is home to many famous sites that are considered to be more historically significant than this particular site. For this reason, the Tombs of the Nobles Aswan are not always featured in mainstream package tours.

Visiting this ancient burial ground is highly recommended. If you are booking one of our all-inclusive Nile cruises from Aswan to Luxor or one of our Nile cruises from Luxor to Aswan, please check the itinerary of your preferred tour package to see if it includes a visit to the Tombs of the Nobles Aswan, and if it doesn’t, you can ask to have it included in your tour itinerary because all our Egypt tour packages can be customized to fit your exact needs.

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Last Updated on March 26, 2024