Mountain of the Dead, Siwa

The mountain of the dead is a significant archaeological site in Siwa. It dates to the same period as the Temple of Amun (see another post) and was an important necropolis of the 26th Pharaonic dynasty. Burials here extend well beyond that time and include Greek and Roman tombs as well. As with many things, the higher on the hill the tomb is located, the more important the tomb occupant would be.
The 1st picture looks up to the main part of the hill from across a portion of the site. Some of the carved tombs are visible. The 2nd picture looks from the top of the hill over the area where the 1st picture was taken. You can see many tomb sites that have been excavated and backfilled.
The last 3 pictures were taken in tombs that were excavated and are open. These tombs are carved down into the rock on the level where the 1st picture was taken. Local legend being what local legend can be: one such legend suggests that Alexander the Great's tomb may be here, but there is no evidence to support that, at least not yet.
In the 3rd picture, the "box" to the right is a mini olive press for the deceased to use in the afterlife.
The 4th picture seems to me to be an Egyptian tomb as the pictures on the back wall are Isis and Osiris.
The last picture is another tomb decorated in Egyptian motifs.Читать далее