Gebelein

Welcome to Gebelein, a site whose name literally means 'The Two Mountains' in Arabic. Located on the west bank of the Nile, about 30 kilometers south of Luxor, this area was known in ancient times as Per-Hathor, the House of…

One of the most evocative residents of this site is a man who died over five and a half thousand years ago, around 3500 BCE. Known to history as the 'Gebelein Man,' he is one of the best-preserved individuals from ancient Egypt. …

If the British Museum holds the body of Gebelein, the Egyptian Museum of Turin holds its soul. Between 1908 and 1920, Ernesto Schiaparelli led a series of missions that transformed our understanding of this site. …

One of the most extraordinary aspects of the Gebelein finds is the survival of delicate organic materials that usually perish in the archaeological record. The dry climate preserved a wealth of textiles that offer a rare glimpse…

As you explore the different sectors of the Gebelein necropolis, you can trace the fascinating evolution of how the ancient Egyptians protected their dead. In the earliest periods, ordinary people were often buried in simple clay…

The tombs of Gebelein also provide vivid depictions of the rituals that accompanied a person to their final rest. In the Egyptian Museum of Turin, you can see paintings from Gebelein that show mourning processions in incredible…

While the necropolis is the most visible part of Gebelein today, the heart of the ancient town was the temple of Hathor. Hathor was the 'Mistress of Gebelein,' a goddess of love, music, and foreign lands. …

As our tour of Gebelein comes to an end, take a final look at the hills that have stood watch over this valley for millennia. This site serves as a powerful reminder that history is not just made of gold and giant temples, but of…