The rock tombs of Beni Hasan lie on the edge of the desert on the east bank of the Nile some 14mi/23km south of El-Minya and 22mi/35km north of Tell el-Amarna. The site takes its name from an Arab tribe which formerly lived in a number of neighboring settlements now ruined and abandoned and it now occupies the village of Beni Hasan el-Shuruq. The tombs were constructed during the Middle Kingdom (11th and early 12th Dynasties) for princes and dignitaries of the Oryx or Antelope nome, the 16th nome of Upper Egypt. The architectural features of the tombs and the important inscriptions and representations of scenes from everyday life which they contain make this the most important necropolis between Memphis and Asyut.
The quality of the later tombs is distinctly inferior to that of the earlier ones, reflecting a gradual decline in cultural standards during a period when there was no failing off in material prosperity.
The mural decorations were painted on stucco in bright colors, but many of the scenes are damaged or, particularly in the later tombs, so faded that they can barely be distinguished. The tombs, 39 in all, extend in a row along the rock face. Visitors whose time is limited should confine themselves to the four most important tombs (Nos 17, 15, 3 and 2); the others, less well preserved, are of interest only to specialists.
Tombs 34-39 were left unfinished.
On the slopes below the tombs of these dignitaries are many smaller tombs belonging to less important officials and citizens of the Middle Kingdom.
Tomb 14, belonging to Khnumhotep I, Prince of the nome in the reign of Amenemhet I. The main chamber had two plant columns, now broken off; the wall paintings are badly faded. On the rear wall are warriors and a caravan of Libyans entering the dead man's nome along with their wives and children and their herds of livestock, the men with ostrich feathers in their hair, the women carrying their children in baskets on their backs.
Tomb 18, left unfinished, is of interest for showing the method of hewing the chambers from the rock; the floor in the front part of the chamber has not been completely excavated. To the rear are ten cluster columns with bud capitals, five of them unfinished.
Tomb 23, belonging to Neternakht, Governor of the eastern districts, has wallpaintings of no particular interest; on the east wall is a Coptic inscription.
Tomb 29 belonged to Beket, a Nomarch of the Antelope nome. The doors opening into the adjoining Tombs 28 and 30 were made by the Copts. The wall paintings are comparatively well preserved, but offer no new points of interest; note, in the western half of the south wall, the dwarfs following the dead man, and the wrestlers on the north wall.
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Tomb of Beket
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