Hidden in the heart of Egypt, softly kissed by the moon's tender touch upon the tombs of the pharaohs, lies an elusive village named Dra’ Abu el-Naga. This mystery-shrouded necropolis, nestled on the West Bank of the Nile, in the ancient city of Thebes, has its roots deeply rooted in time, with its origins dating back nearly a millennium. Known by the locals as Dra’ Abu el-Naga, this village and archaeological site, shares a close proximity with the Valley of the Kings and Deir el-Bahari, serving as a continuous burial ground between the Middle Kingdom and the early Christian (Coptic) eras.
The graves found here stretch back to the end of the 11th dynasty, roughly 2000 B.C, during the Seventeenth Dynasty and the early 18th. Scholars suspect that Nubkheperre Intef, Sekhemre-Wepmaat Intef, Sobekemsaf I, Ahhotep II, Amenhotep I, and Ahmose-Nefertari, amongst others, rest here. The tombs show considerable social stratification, with some graves featuring few simple goods, while others belong to higher-ranking individuals adorned with grand burial rites.
In the early Middle Kingdom, at the end of the Second Intermediate Period and at the beginning of the New Kingdom, Dra’ Abu el-Naga was a vital residence cemetery. Its close association with the royal tomb complexes and the Temple of Karnak, the main cult center of Amun during the Middle Kingdom and one of Ancient Egypt’s most important temples during the New Kingdom, added to its holiness and significance.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Mutabor
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