Quick answer
The Tombs of the Nobles are the private tombs of high officials of New Kingdom Thebes, cut into the hillside of Sheikh Abd el-Qurna on Luxor's West Bank. Instead of underworld texts, their walls show everyday life: farming, banquets, crafts and foreign tribute. They are far quieter than the royal valley, and two ticket groups take about 1.5 hours.
What are the Tombs of the Nobles?
They are several hundred decorated tombs of viziers, priests, scribes and estate managers who served the pharaohs, scattered across the hills of the Theban necropolis and numbered with the prefix TT, for Theban Tomb. The best-known cluster is on the hill of Sheikh Abd el-Qurna, with others at el-Khokha, the Asasif and Dra Abu el-Naga.
Unlike royal tombs, which are filled with guides to the underworld, nobles' tombs show the life the owner hoped to continue after death: his work, his estates, his family and his feasts. That makes them the best place in Egypt to see how people actually farmed, cooked, made jewellery and entertained around 3,400 years ago.
Until the late 2000s the hillside was covered by the village of Qurna, whose houses sat among and even on top of the tombs. The residents were moved to new settlements and most houses were demolished, so the slopes now look bare.
The decoration technique is part of the appeal. The local limestone here is poor and crumbly, so most tombs were plastered and painted rather than carved, which is why their colours are so soft and lively. The usual plan is shaped like an inverted T: a broad transverse hall with scenes of the owner's career and daily life, then a long passage leading to a statue niche of the owner and his wife.
Which noble tombs are the best?
If you see only a few, make them Ramose for carving, Rekhmire for content, and Nakht or Menna for colour.
- Ramose (TT55): vizier under Amenhotep III and the young Akhenaten. Exquisite raised relief of guests at a banquet, a funeral procession of wailing women, and one wall in the new Amarna style, a snapshot of the moment art changed.
- Rekhmire (TT100): vizier of Thutmose III. A long hall shows tribute from Punt, Nubia, Syria and Crete (including a giraffe and Aegean vases), workshops of brickmakers, sculptors and metalworkers, and the text of the vizier's duties.
- Nakht (TT52): a scribe and astronomer of Amun. A tiny chamber with a banquet scene, a blind harpist, three female musicians and a cat eating a fish under a chair, all behind protective glass.
- Menna (TT69): a scribe of the fields. Surveyors measure crops with rope, harvesters cut grain, and Menna spears fish in the marshes, with colours restored by a recent conservation project.
- Sennefer (TT96): mayor of Thebes, whose burial chamber ceiling is painted with a trailing grapevine, hence its nickname, the Tomb of the Vines.
Why are they so much quieter than the Valley of the Kings?
Most cruise and coach itineraries simply do not include them, and the tickets are sold in small groups, which puts off visitors in a hurry. On a typical morning you may share a tomb with no one but the guard, while queues build at the royal tombs a few kilometres away.
For travellers who have already seen the Valley of the Kings, or who find royal religious texts hard to follow, the nobles' tombs are often the more memorable experience. The scenes are easy to read without specialist knowledge: you can recognise the wine-making, the fishing and the party guests straight away.
How do the tickets work?
At the time of writing, tickets are sold for small groups of two or three tombs, so you choose the groups rather than individual tombs. Typical pairings have included Nakht with Menna, Rekhmire with Sennefer, and Ramose with Userhat and Khaemhat, but the combinations and which tombs are open change with conservation work.
Tickets are usually bought at the main West Bank ticket office or at the site; confirm on egymonuments.gov.eg before you go. The multi-site Luxor Pass, explained in our sightseeing passes guide, covers many of the tombs.
How long, when, and how to get there
Allow one to two hours for two or three ticket groups, and go mid-morning, when the royal valley is at its busiest and this hillside is at its quietest. The tombs are on the slope directly behind the Ramesseum, about 25 minutes by car from East Bank hotels.
The groups are spread across the hillside, linked by dusty, uneven paths with some steps, so wear proper shoes. The tombs are small and dim; let your eyes adjust before you look closely, and bring a small amount of cash for the guard who may show you round. A natural pairing is the Ramesseum in the late afternoon, or Deir el-Medina, where you can compare the officials' tombs with those of the craftsmen who painted them.
Tombs of the Nobles: FAQs
Are the Tombs of the Nobles worth visiting?
Yes. Their scenes of farming, feasting and crafts are among the most vivid in Egypt, they are far less crowded than the royal tombs, and many repeat visitors rate them above the Valley of the Kings.
Which is the best tomb of the nobles in Luxor?
Ramose (TT55) for its fine carving, Rekhmire (TT100) for its tribute and workshop scenes, and Nakht (TT52) or Menna (TT69) for colour. Which tombs are open varies.
How many tombs of the nobles are there?
More than 400 private tombs are numbered in the Theban necropolis, but only a small selection is open to visitors at any time.
Can you take photos in the Tombs of the Nobles?
At the time of writing, phone photography without flash is generally permitted. Never use flash, and check the current rules in our photography rules guide.