Tuna El-Gebel city is situated in Al Minya Governorate. It is AKA Tuna Necropolis. It is thought that this city was used for the first time during the king Akhenaten period, but the golden age of Tuna El-Gebel city was during the late period and the Greco-Roman period as it became a necropolis for the ancient town Hermopolis or Ashmonin.

What is the importance of Tuna El-Gebel city?

During the Roman period, Tuna El-Gebel city was the center for worshiping the god Thoth or Djhuty (the god of wisdom and knowledge) so it houses the catacombs of Ibis. The god Thoth was depicted in the shape of ibis or baboon animals.

Besides, it was considered as a necropolis for Ashmonin city as it contains many burial homes showing the mixture between the ancient Egyptian and Roman art.

What is worth visiting in Tuna El-Gebel city?

1 – Boundary Stelae of Akhenaten:

The boundary stelae are considered the oldest monument in Tuna El-Gebel. These stelas date back to the Akhenaten period during the 18th dynasty, New Kingdom. It presents King Akhenaten, Queen Nefertiti, and their daughters worshipping for the sun disk (the god Aten).

2 – Catacombs of Ibis:

The Catacombs was a necropolis for the god Thoth or Djhuty, the main god of Tuna El-Gebel, where thousands of sacred mummies of baboons and ibises were buried.

3 – Burial Homes:

The city contains approximately 60 burial homes dating back to the Greco-Roman period. These burial homes are very unique because they mix between ancient Egyptian and Roman art. The most important ones among these tombs are the tomb of Petosiris and Isadora.

  • Tomb of Petosiris

Petosiris was the high priest of the god Thoth during the Ptolemaic period. This tomb was designed to look like a temple. It has amazing preserved reliefs. It is worth visiting.

  • Tomb of Isadora

Isadora was a beautiful girl living during the Roman period. She aka the first martyr of love because she drowned in the Nile while crossing to meet her fiancé. Her father commanded to build this tomb for her, mummify her body, and lamented her with a Greek poem written in the tomb. The tomb contains Isadora’s mummy now.

Enjoy discovering this and more with Explore Egypt Tours day tours.