The Rock-Tombs of Qubbet el-Hawa North. A new Necropolis and its Impact on Upper Egypt and Lower Nubia

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The objective of this long-term project comprises the scientific excavation, documentation and publication of the recently discovered necropolis called Qubbet el-Hawa North in the region of Aswan (Upper Egypt). The find spot has been unknown to the scientific community until 2012, when the rock tombs had been discovered by local looters. The venture is based on a bilateral cooperation between the Ministry of Antiquities of the Arab Republic of Egypt and the local inspectorate of Aswan together with the German partners. The invitation for this joint venture has been offered by the Egyptian authorities in 2014. The region in question is situated on the west bank of the Nile and covers approximately 25.000 sqm. This cemetery turned out to be the direct chronological and geographical continuation of the main necropolis of the site, some 800 m to the south. Most of the ten – hitherto unknown – rock tombs can be dated to the New Kingdom (1550–1100 BC). A regional elite-necropolis of this important period was unidentified so far. The presence of the new necropolis closes a big gap in terms of the comprehension of local administrative patterns in the region of Aswan. Disregarding the severe damage by the looters inside the tombs, a lot of in-situ findings are traceable in the courtyards. Furthermore a huge amount of contemporary pottery is still preserved, which will help to clarify the chronological situation based on a detailed typological study for this particular region. The unique tomb architecture and the unusual delicate decoration as well as the hieroglyphic inscriptions will highlight many cultural aspects like the local development of rock-cut tombs or art historian and stylistic questions. In comparison with other Upper Egyptian nomes and the residential features at Thebes the necropolis of the Qubbet el-Hawa North will play a significant role. Prosopographical studies regarding the personal names and the depicted persons – in connection with anthropological and genetic investigations of skeletons and mummies – will offer the opportunity to estimate the quota of Nubian officials, priests and high ranking soldiers within the Ancient Egyptian local administration during the New Kingdom. It is of great importance in reference to further stratigraphical studies that at least two rock-cut tombs of the new necropolis can be dated to the late Old Kingdom (ca. 2200 BC).All those comprehensive studies will be based on the scientific documentation and publication of the individual tombs in a new special series related to the Qubbet el Hawa North. The results of the excavations of this new necropolis will shed new light on the understanding of many different archaeological and social aspects of the region in the 2nd millennium BC.