Tombs of Mir

Northern Nile Valley

The necropolis of the governors of Cusae, the Tombs of Mir, as they are commonly known (sometimes also Meir), were cut into the barren escarpment during the Old and Middle Kingdoms. Nine tombs are decorated and open to the public; six others were unfinished and remain unexcavated.

Tomb No 1 and the adjoining tomb No 2 are inscribed with 720 Pharaonic deities, but as the tombs were used as cells by early Coptic hermits, many faces and names of the gods were destroyed. In tomb No 4, you can still see the original grid drawn on the wall to assist the artist in designing the layout of the wall decorations. Tomb No 3 features a cow giving birth.

The tombs are about 50 minutes’ drive from Asyut towards Minya. The bus will drop you at Al Qusiya. Few vehicles from Al Qusiya go out to the Tombs of Mir, so you’ll have to hire a taxi to take you there. Expect to pay at least LE70, depending on how long you spend at the site. A taxi from Asyut to Mir will cost LE20 to LE300. Ideally, you could combine this with a visit to Deir Al Muharraq.

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