Mountain of the Dead in Siwa | Gebel al-Mawta

Location:

It is situated in Siwa oasis  ​

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How to reach?

By vehicle: If you need a private transfer, Memphis tours can arrange that for you by Air-conditioned modern vehicle from anywhere in Cairo or Giza.

Explanation:
The mountain contains number of tombs. The tombs, which cover every inch of its base and are situated on its terraces and on all sides of the conical part, date from the 26th dynasty , the Greek and the Roman periods, though there appear to be no Christian burials.


One of the most famous tombs is that of Si-Amun which is considered the most beautiful one in the oasis of the Western desert. The tomb dates to about the 3rd century BC. It was discovered in October,1940 and unfortunately, some of its decorations were badly damaged by soldiers in Siwa at that time, who cut away parts of the painted plaster. The tomb, as with others in the area, was robbed during the Roman period.

During the reign of Muhammad Ali, the Ottoman ruler of Egypt , the French consul from Cairo and other distinguished friends were allowed to accompany the troops and visit the mountain, but the notes of Drovetti add little to the writings of earlier visitors. However, later in the same year, the German Consul from Egypt, Von Minutoli, visited Siwa and he refered to the tombs, stating that some of them were painted with green, red, yellow and blue colors and contained hieroglyphs. He also mentioned that the Siwans lived in some of the tombs and that during his stay a few hundred Bedouin of the Mjabir tribe from Tripoli were living in the tombs.




Another tomb in the mountain of the Dead is called the tomb of the Crocodile is one of four notable tombs at Gabal El Mawta , The tomb was discovered in October,1940. It probably dates to the late Ptolemaic or early Roman Period. Some of the details of its scenes, particularly the offering tables, are comparable to those painted in the tomb of Si-Amun in the same necropolis. Unfortunately, the name of the owner is not preserved. The local Siwans gave it the name, "Tomb of the Crocodile", after it was cleared of debris and the paintings became visible