The Tombs Of The Nobles  

Of the several thousand nobles’ tombs identified in the Theban Necropolis, nineteen are today open to the public. They span a period of nearly five hundred years, from the mid-18th Dynasty onward. We have chosen not to describe these tombs in geographical order, as a tour guide might arrange them for a visit, but instead to deal with them in chronological order.

 The tombs divide themselves chronologically into several distinct stylistic groups, and discussing them in such an order makes it easier to understand the subject matter of their reliefs and paintings, and the details of their iconography. For those who have time, it is recommended that a visit be arranged to at least one tomb from each of the five groups we have identified. That will allow one to trace the changing patterns of Egyptian private mortuary art through the New Kingdom.

If time does not permit such a tour, then one should at least visit TT 100: Rekhmire and TT 55: Ramose, the first with superb paintings of daily life, the second with rellief carving of outstanding quality. It is the detail in these tombs’ decoration that reward the visitor, and it is much better to explore a few tombs slowly than to hurry through several. The walk from parking areas to the tombs can be equally enjoyable, and one should note the mud-brick houses decorated with Hajj paintings that line the footpaths, and the views of the Nile Valley to the east.

Tombs of The Late New Kingdom
Private tombs of the late 19th Dynasty and later tend to be small, often cut into areas of poor quality bedrock that earlier craftsmen would have rejected [...]
Tombs From The Reigns of Thutmes III and Amenhetep II
Tombs from the reigns of these two powerful rulers illustrate a transitional period in Egyptian art. Under the reign of king Thutmes III [...]
Painted Tombs From The Late Reign of Thutmes IV and Early Amenhetep III
The three tombs from this period currently open to the public–Menna, Nakht, and Thutmes–are among the most interesting nobles’ tombs at Thebes and should be a part of any tourist itinerary. [...]
Relife-Decorated Tombs From The Last Decade of Amenhetep II
For much of early Dynasty 18, Egypt’s administrative capital lay in the north, at Memphis. From the reign of Thutmes III onward, however, Thebes played an increasingly prominent role in civil and religious affairs. [...]
Tombs of Dyasties 19 and 20
Often regarded as inferior to the tomb paintings earlier in the New Kingdom, Ramesside tombs at Thebes are demeaned for their flat colors and heavily outlined figures. [...]