The three Tombs of Bahariya Oasis

Bahariya Oasis has revealed the secrets of the Valley of the Golden Mummies, but there are other major discoveries in the area and these sites will attract people from all over the world.  Bahariya Oasis includes major archaeological sites that we will explain in a different article and also introduce a beautiful modern site, known as the hot spring wells, in which you can swim in the evening.  Another site is the English house, it is set atop a high mountain where you can sit and watch the sunset whilst eating the most romantic dinner.TOMB OF PED-ASHTARTo enter this set of three adjoining tombs you climb down a shaft into a cave-like maze of rooms with rounded walls.  The first tomb belongs to a man named Ped-Ashtar who lived during or just before the reign of King Apries in Dynasty 26.  He was the grandfather of Zed-Khonsu-efank, the governor of Bahariya whose tomb is probably nearby although we have not yet found it.  Ped-Ashtar was a high priest of Khonsu and priest of Horus, as was his father, Harkheb.  His wife, Ta-Nefert-Bastet, was the daughter of the prophet Pedisi.  The unusual name, Ped-Ashtar, means the gift of Ashtar.  Ashtar was a Syrian goddess, which is indicative of the merging iconography in the Oasis then between Egyptian and invading cultures of the Third Intermediate and Late Period.This is the oldest tomb in Baharyia after that of Amenhotep-Hui.  Its three chambers, four pillared hall and vaulted ceilings were once painted with scenes representing the hours of day and night and the forty-two gods of the Judgement Hall.  We know from Dr. Fakhry's descriptions that some of the images differed slightly from earlier standard tomb scenes.  These alterations give us insight into how the religious practices might have gradually been changing at that time.TOMB OF THATYConnected to Ped-Ashtar's tomb by a break in its northern wall is the tomb of Thaty, grandson of Ped-Ashtar, son of Pedisi.  The pillared hall and two chambers had typical inscriptions of Thaty's titles and parentage, offerings to Osiris, scenes from the Judgment Hall, the journey of the Sun boat and journey of the Moon.  His Family lineage was lovingly invoked and honored in the inscribed text as a kind of family tree of priests: Thaty the priest of Khonse, the repeater priest of Amun-Hour-Khomsu, Thaty, son of the same man Pedisi, son of the same man Ped-Ashtar, son of the same man Harkheb, born of N'as.TOMB OF TA-NEFERT-BASTETTa-Nefert-Bastet was Thaty's wife, daughter of Pedisi, born of N'as.  She was also depicted in her own burial chamber wearing the same fringed clothes as her husband.  Further evidence points to the probability that she was a descendent of a Phoenician or Greek Family.  Though still wearing the traditional black Egyptian headdress, she was painted with pink skin and black eyes.  Her tomb, constructed behind Thaty's, was left unfinished.  Why she was buried in a separate tomb from that of her husband we cannot say.It was in this last tomb of Ta-Nefert-Bastet that I approached the opening under the wall one morning in October.  I considered the possibility of waiting until some of our workers could carefully dig out a larger entrance for me to fit through safely.  But my curiosity out-reasoned my reason!  I got down on my belly and tried to peek under but the wall was too thick to see what was on the other side.  I figured I would take my chances and climb under the wall, but just to be on the safe side I would bring my assistant, Mohammed Tiyab who was in charge of the excavation after the demolition of the houses.The opening was about one and a half feet high.  I wriggled through the opening of red sandstone like a snake.  When my feet were clear of the hole I tried to stand up realized the space was only about three to five feet high.  When we held up the light we suddenly saw ourselves with red hair, red clothes and red faces.  We were covered in red sandstone.  I laughed later when I saw myself in the mirror although I love this part of the adventure of archaeology.
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Source : DR Zahi Hawas – Horus Magazin