Tomb -529-

Tomb -529- is situated in the area of Lower Sheikh ʿAbd el-Qurna, in between Theban Tomb 13 6 and Theban Tomb 137. In December 2025 we started work at Theban Tomb 136, tomb - 529-, and Theban Tomb 137. These tombs were until recently hidden under modern houses, which were built on top and in front of many of the tombs at Qurna. Between 2006 and 2010, the houses at Qurna were demolished as part of a countrywide policy of removing modern buildings from archaeological sites, and the inhabitants were relocated to new villages. As a result of the demolition the houses, the tombs are now surrounded by high heaps of debris and the remains of partially demolished buildings.

Tomb -529- is a large corridor, seemingly without decoration. Its architecture suggests that the tomb dates to the Middle Kingdom, with other examples of this type of Middle Kingdom corridor tomb being known from the Theban Necropolis (e.g. Theban Tomb 60, Theban Tomb 61, and Theban Tomb 119). Pottery vessels that were found as part of an in situ deposit in front of the tomb's entrance date to the Middle Kingdom (11th and early 12th Dynasty), with similar vessel types known from Tomb MMA 28 at Deir el-Bahari and from the foundation deposits of the pyramid of Senwosret I at Lisht. We aim to fully investigate tomb -529- in future fieldwork seasons, in order to find out more about its date, and for whom this structure was built.

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View into tomb -529-.