Photos: After half a century, the ‘Kampp23' tomb's owner has been revealed

Egypt Independent

26-05-2025

A joint Egyptian-Canadian archaeological mission, comprising the Supreme Council of Antiquities and the University of Ontario, has finally identified the owner of the Kampp23 tomb in the Asasif area on Luxor's West Bank, which was first discovered in the 1970s.
Excavations from the mission identified the tomb owner as likely being Amun-Mes, mayor of Thebes during the Ramesside period, alongside uncovering several other titles he held.
The Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Mohamed Ismail Khaled, explained that although the tomb had been previously known for half-a-century, archaeologists had been unable to determine the identity of its owner or his titles.
This mission is the first to work inside the tomb since its discovery in the 1970s, he said, adding that more work will be done to continue excavations and study of the tomb's inscriptions to learn more about the tomb owner's role in ancient Egyptian history.
Disputed identity
The head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector at the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said that several artifacts and inscriptions previously discovered in various locations on Luxor's West Bank bear other titles for a person named Amun-Mes.
These include advisor to the king, divine father of Amun, tax collector, and head of the quarry service for the expedition of King Ramesses IV to Wadi Hammamat.
However, it has not yet been confirmed whether these titles specifically belong to the owner of the tomb, Kampp 23.
The head of the mission from the Canadian side, Casey L. Kirkpatrick, said that the mission is continuing its work to uncover more about the tomb's owner, expressing her hope that the mission's upcoming excavation seasons will resolve debate surrounding the identity of the tomb's owner.
The tomb features a rock-cut construction and an open courtyard surrounded on three sides by the remains of mudbrick walls and a large mudbrick edifice on the eastern side.
Two niches carved into the walls surround the entrance to the tomb.
The architectural layout of the tomb resembles that of Ramesside-era tombs, in a T-shape. It features a corridor leading from the chamber to the burial chamber. It also features rock-cut statues in the transverse hall and the chamber.
Tourism Minister praises finding
Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy hailed the discovery, which he called a new achievement in the record of Egyptian-foreign missions operating in Egypt – the result of fruitful scientific cooperation with international academic institutions.
This discovery further serves to enhance the understanding of the lives of senior officials in the ancient Egyptian state, he said.
The minister assured that Egypt will continue to support archaeological research and discovery efforts, which will aid in strengthening the country's position on the global cultural tourism map.