Archaeologists in Luxor, Egypt, have announced the discovery of three ancient tombs in the Dra Abu el-Naga necropolis. The tombs, dating back 3,500 years to the New Kingdom period (1550 BC), belonged to prominent statesmen.
Inscriptions found within the tombs revealed the names and titles of their owners. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, secretary-general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, stated that further study is needed to fully understand their roles. The tourism and antiquities ministry has released images of artifacts and statues discovered inside the tombs.
One tomb, largely destroyed, belonged to Amum-em-Ipet from the Ramesside period. The other two tombs date back to the 18th Dynasty. One belonged to Baki, a grain silo supervisor, and the other to S, a supervisor at the Temple of Amun, a writer, and the mayor of the northern oases. Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy hailed the discovery as a major achievement expected to boost cultural tourism in Egypt.