{"id":4117,"date":"2026-07-22T14:45:25","date_gmt":"2026-07-22T14:45:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=4117"},"modified":"2026-07-22T14:45:25","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T14:45:25","slug":"egypt-has-reopened-the-3400-year-old-tomb-of-amenhotep-iii-after-more-than-20-years-of-restoration-letting-visitors-descend-46-feet-into-the-valley-of-the-kings-site","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=4117","title":{"rendered":"Egypt has reopened the 3,400-year-old tomb of Amenhotep III after more than 20 years of restoration, letting visitors descend 46 feet into the Valley of the Kings site |"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"e9jwa\">\n<div class=\"vdo_embedd\">\n<div class=\"GfdvZ\">\n<section class=\"_bIDB  clearfix id-r-component leadmedia undefined undefined  E9tg9 \" style=\"top:0px\">\n<div class=\"_bIDB\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">\n<div class=\"ypVvZ\">\n<div class=\"WGttI\"><img src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-132557095,imgsize-228468,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/egypt-has-reopened-the-3400-year-old-tomb-of-amenhotep-iii-after-more-than-20-years-of-restoration-letting-visitors-descend-46-feet-into-the-valley-of-the-kings-site.jpg\" alt=\"Egypt has reopened the 3,400-year-old tomb of Amenhotep III after more than 20 years of restoration, letting visitors descend 46 feet into the Valley of the Kings site\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Visitors can now descend 46 feet underground into the newly reopened tomb of Amenhotep III, one of ancient Egypt&#8217;s most powerful rulers. Closed to the public for the past two decades, the 3,400-year-old site has officially been reopened just ahead of the historic debut of the Grand Egyptian Museum.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"2\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>A king who ruled Egypt<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"4\"\/><\/p>\n<div data-pos=\"0\" class=\"id-r-component iIpbx undefined  &#10;        \">\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A king who ruled Egypt&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;\" msid=\"132557178\" width=\"\" title=\"Amenhotep III, often called Amenhotep the Magnificent, ascended the throne as a teenager and ruled for nearly 38 years\" placeholdersrc=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/83033472.cms\" imgsize=\"\" resizemode=\"4\" offsetvertical=\"0\" placeholdermsid=\"47529300\" type=\"thumb\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/msid-132557178\/a-king-who-ruled-egyptbrbr.jpg\" data-api-prerender=\"true\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Amenhotep III, often called Amenhotep the Magnificent, ascended the throne as a teenager and ruled for nearly 38 years<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"6\"\/>Amenhotep III, often called Amenhotep the Magnificent, ascended the throne as a teenager and ruled for nearly 38 years, from around 1390 to 1350 BCE, during the height of the 18th dynasty. Early in his reign, he married Tiy, a commoner and a shrewd and able woman who became the chief queen and the mother of the reforming king Akhenaten.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"8\"\/>His reign left behind temples, palaces and statues that intrigue historians to this day. <!-- -->Among these monuments are the Colossi of Memnon near Luxor, a pair of large stone figures that once guarded his mortuary temple. It also includes a major temple at Soleb in Nubia and many buildings in Memphis.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"13\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>Discovery of the tomb<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"15\"\/>The official reopening of the site took place on October 4, 2025, strategically timed just weeks ahead of the long-awaited debut of the Grand Egyptian Museum near the Giza Pyramids on November 1, 2025. French engineers Prosper Jollois and \u00c9douard de Villiers du Terrage first located the tomb in 1799 during Napoleon\u2019s Egyptian campaign. British archaeologist Howard Carter later conducted a full excavation in 1915.<!-- --> By then, however, looters had stripped the chamber bare centuries earlier.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"20\"\/>The restoration ran in three distinct phases over more than 20 years, with teams working from 2001 to 2004, 2010 to 2012, and 2023 to 2024. A collaboration of Egyptian, Japanese, and international teams led the effort. They focused on cleaning, conservation, and repairing the damaged wall paintings, which depict Amenhotep III alongside his royal consort, Queen Tiye. <!-- -->\u201cTwo hundred and sixty representatives over these 20 years \u2014 researchers specialised in conservation, technicians with particular skills.<!-- --> I think this is a special achievement,\u201d said Nuria Sanz, <a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/topic\/unesco\" styleobj=\"[object Object]\" class=\"\" commonstate=\"[object Object]\" frmappuse=\"1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">UNESCO<\/a>&#8216;s regional director in Egypt.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"27\"\/>Even without its original treasures, the tomb still shows remarkable splendour. Vibrant, weathered paintings line the walls alongside sacred hieroglyphs drawn from the Book of the Dead. <!-- -->These texts were intended to guide the pharaoh safely into the afterlife. \u201cYou can still see the frame of the stolen sarcophagus box, with its lid preserved in the place where it once rested,\u201d said Mohamed Ismail, secretary-general of Egypt\u2019s Supreme Council of Antiquities, during the launch.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"31\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>Inside the tomb<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"33\"\/><\/p>\n<div data-pos=\"0\" class=\"id-r-component iIpbx undefined  &#10;        \">\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Inside the tomb\" msid=\"132557257\" width=\"\" title=\"The wall scenes show Amenhotep III standing among the gods, surrounded by ritual inscriptions invoking eternal life\" placeholdersrc=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/83033472.cms\" imgsize=\"\" resizemode=\"4\" offsetvertical=\"0\" placeholdermsid=\"47529300\" type=\"thumb\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/msid-132557257\/inside-the-tomb.jpg\" data-api-prerender=\"true\"\/><\/p>\n<p>The wall scenes show Amenhotep III standing among the gods, surrounded by ritual inscriptions invoking eternal life<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"35\"\/>A 36-meter (118-foot) passage slopes downward into a network of three connected chambers. One belonged to the king, while the other two belonged to his queens, Tiye and Sitamun. <!-- -->The wall scenes show Amenhotep III standing among the gods, surrounded by ritual inscriptions invoking eternal life. Unlike some other tombs in the valley, this one was never fully decorated.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"39\"\/>The pharaoh\u2019s mummy no longer rests inside the complex. Ancient priests long ago moved it to the tomb of his grandfather, Amenhotep II, for protection. Today, it is displayed at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation in Cairo alongside 16 other royal mummies.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"43\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>Improved tourism for Egypt<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"45\"\/>Egypt\u2019s tourism ministry is counting on this addition to the Valley of the Kings, combined with the active first year of the new Grand Egyptian Museum, to continually draw international visitors.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"47\"\/>\u201cWe are continuing to grow at a rate of 20 per cent,\u201d said Sherif Fathi, Egypt\u2019s minister of tourism and antiquities, regarding the seasonal trajectory.<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/life-style\/travel\/news\/egypt-has-reopened-the-3400-year-old-tomb-of-amenhotep-iii-after-more-than-20-years-of-restoration-letting-visitors-descend-46-feet-into-the-valley-of-the-kings-site\/articleshow\/132556906.cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Visitors can now descend 46 feet underground into the newly reopened tomb of Amenhotep III, one of ancient Egypt&#8217;s most powerful rulers. Closed to the public for the past two decades, the 3,400-year-old site has officially been reopened just ahead of the historic debut of the Grand Egyptian Museum. A king who ruled Egypt Amenhotep [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4118,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4117","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-31"],"magazineBlocksPostFeaturedMedia":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/egypt-has-reopened-the-3400-year-old-tomb-of-amenhotep-iii-after-more-than-20-years-of-restoration-l-150x150.avif","medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/egypt-has-reopened-the-3400-year-old-tomb-of-amenhotep-iii-after-more-than-20-years-of-restoration-l-300x169.avif","medium_large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/egypt-has-reopened-the-3400-year-old-tomb-of-amenhotep-iii-after-more-than-20-years-of-restoration-l.avif","large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/egypt-has-reopened-the-3400-year-old-tomb-of-amenhotep-iii-after-more-than-20-years-of-restoration-l.avif","1536x1536":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/egypt-has-reopened-the-3400-year-old-tomb-of-amenhotep-iii-after-more-than-20-years-of-restoration-l.avif","2048x2048":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/egypt-has-reopened-the-3400-year-old-tomb-of-amenhotep-iii-after-more-than-20-years-of-restoration-l.avif","blogsy-small":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/egypt-has-reopened-the-3400-year-old-tomb-of-amenhotep-iii-after-more-than-20-years-of-restoration-l.avif","blogsy-small-tall":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/egypt-has-reopened-the-3400-year-old-tomb-of-amenhotep-iii-after-more-than-20-years-of-restoration-l.avif","blogsy-small-square":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/egypt-has-reopened-the-3400-year-old-tomb-of-amenhotep-iii-after-more-than-20-years-of-restoration-l.avif","blogsy-small-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/egypt-has-reopened-the-3400-year-old-tomb-of-amenhotep-iii-after-more-than-20-years-of-restoration-l.avif","blogsy-medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/egypt-has-reopened-the-3400-year-old-tomb-of-amenhotep-iii-after-more-than-20-years-of-restoration-l.avif","blogsy-medium-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/egypt-has-reopened-the-3400-year-old-tomb-of-amenhotep-iii-after-more-than-20-years-of-restoration-l.avif","blogsy-large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/egypt-has-reopened-the-3400-year-old-tomb-of-amenhotep-iii-after-more-than-20-years-of-restoration-l.avif","blogsy-wide":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/egypt-has-reopened-the-3400-year-old-tomb-of-amenhotep-iii-after-more-than-20-years-of-restoration-l.avif"},"magazineBlocksPostAuthor":{"name":"admin","avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8709732a479614e7a8aa24d3eb1b239f30dc6d90c61464ed495001e7a469d856?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"magazineBlocksPostCommentsNumber":"0","magazineBlocksPostExcerpt":"Visitors can now descend 46 feet underground into the newly reopened tomb of Amenhotep III, one of ancient Egypt&#8217;s most powerful rulers. Closed to the public for the past two decades, the 3,400-year-old site has officially been reopened just ahead of the historic debut of the Grand Egyptian Museum. A king who ruled Egypt Amenhotep [&hellip;]","magazineBlocksPostCategories":["\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36 \u0b2c\u0b3f\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36"],"magazineBlocksPostViewCount":1,"magazineBlocksPostReadTime":3,"magazine_blocks_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/egypt-has-reopened-the-3400-year-old-tomb-of-amenhotep-iii-after-more-than-20-years-of-restoration-l.avif",400,225,false],"medium":["https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/egypt-has-reopened-the-3400-year-old-tomb-of-amenhotep-iii-after-more-than-20-years-of-restoration-l-300x169.avif",300,169,true],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/egypt-has-reopened-the-3400-year-old-tomb-of-amenhotep-iii-after-more-than-20-years-of-restoration-l-150x150.avif",150,150,true]},"magazine_blocks_author":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/author\/admin"},"magazine_blocks_comment":0,"magazine_blocks_author_image":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8709732a479614e7a8aa24d3eb1b239f30dc6d90c61464ed495001e7a469d856?s=96&d=mm&r=g","magazine_blocks_category":"<a href=\"#\" class=\"category-link category-link-31\">\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36 \u0b2c\u0b3f\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36<\/a>","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4117","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4117"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4117\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4118"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4117"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4117"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4117"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}