A 3,000-year-old Egyptian tomb filled with artwork has been unearthed in the southern city of Luxor, the country's Ministry of Antiquities announced Tuesday according to the Associated Press.
The tomb in Luxor, which in ancient times was considered "Upper Egypt," belongs to a nobleman of the 18th Dynasty named Amenhotep. The 18th Dynasty of the New Kingdom is considered the most famous of ancient Egyptian dynasties, including King Tutankhamun and Queen Hatshepsut.
Archaeologists from the American Research Center in Egypt discovered the tomb but no date was given. But Egyptian ministry officials did say the tomb was accidentally stumbled upon when the team was clearing and restoring a neighboring tomb at the site on Luxor's west bank, The Cairo Post reported.
The tomb's walls are adorned with paintings of "stunning scenes with bright colors," including daily activities like hunting, Minister of Antiquities Mamdouh el-Damaty said according to the AP. Another scene shows Amenhotep with his wife standing in front of an offering table before several deities.
The nobleman was a guard at the temple of the god Amun.
"The gatekeeper of Amun, one of several titles that were found carved at the tomb's door lintel, is strongly believed to be a job description of an 18th Dynasty (1580 B.C.- 1292 B.C.) high official," el-Damaty told The Cairo Post.
But Amun's name along with other inscriptions inside the tomb were scratched out, suggesting it was looted during a time of religious rebellion under the Pharaoh Akhenaten who sought to erase all sings of worship of the Egyptian gods.
"Figures of the solar god Amun inside the tomb were intentionally erased and demolished by the followers of the heretic Pharaoh Akhenaten (1353B.C-1336B.C), who was the first recorded monotheist on earth," Sultan Eid, Director of the Upper Egypt Antiquities Department, told the newspaper.
