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2mo ago

Egypt Reopens Amenhotep III’s Tomb After Two-Decade Restoration

The 20-year conservation led by Japanese specialists serves Egypt’s push to boost heritage tourism before the Grand Egyptian Museum’s November 1 opening.

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Overview

  • Egypt opened the tomb to visitors on October 4 in Luxor, with Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy presenting the site to the press.
  • The three-phase project, conducted with the Supreme Council of Antiquities and supported by UNESCO, mobilized more than 260 conservators, technicians and researchers.
  • Restored wall paintings show Amenhotep III with Egyptian deities, and the burial chamber displays passages from the Book of the Dead.
  • WV22 descends a 36-meter corridor to about 14 meters deep and includes the king’s burial chamber with side rooms attributed to queens Tiye and Sitamun.
  • Most original portable treasures and the sarcophagus were removed long ago to collections such as the Louvre, the Met and Highclere Castle, while the pharaoh’s mummy is displayed in Cairo’s National Museum of Egyptian Civilization.