El-Hammamiya Attractions

At El-Hammamiya, on the edge of the desert, are three rock tombs (reliefs) of high officials of the early fifth Dynasty. Some 1.25mi/2km southeast of this are large rock tombs, laid out on terraces, belonging to Princes of the 10th (Aphroditopolitan) nome of Upper Egypt (Middle Kingdom) and the extensive necropolis of Antaeopolis, with tombs of the Late Period. A short distance away are quarries with demotic inscriptions and two curious painted figures of the god Antaeus and the goddess Nephthys. The name Qaw is derived from the ancient Egyptian Tu-kow (Coptic Tkow); the Greeks called the town Antaeopolis, after a local god whom they equated with Antaeus.