Quick answer
Gebel al-Mawta, the Mountain of the Dead, is a small limestone hill on the northern edge of Siwa town, honeycombed with rock-cut tombs from the 26th Dynasty to Roman times. Its highlight is the painted Tomb of Si-Amun. Allow about an hour, ideally in the morning, and expect only a few tombs to be open.
What is the Mountain of the Dead?
It is the ancient cemetery of Siwa: a low conical hill cut on every side with rows of tombs that look from a distance like the cells of a honeycomb. The earliest date to the 26th Dynasty, the same era as the Oracle Temple, and burials continued through the Ptolemaic and Roman periods, when the oasis prospered on dates, olives and pilgrims to the oracle.
Most of the hundreds of tombs are small, plain chambers, many robbed long ago, and you can still see broken pottery and bone fragments in some. A handful were painted for wealthy families, mixing Egyptian gods and funerary rituals with Greek touches in dress and portraiture. For what the scenes meant to the people buried here, see our guide to the ancient Egyptian afterlife.
Why is the Tomb of Si-Amun special?
It has the finest surviving paintings in the Western Desert, with colours still bright and a fascinating blend of Egyptian and Greek styles. Si-Amun ("son of Amun") was a wealthy man, probably of Greek descent, living in the Ptolemaic era; he is shown with a curly beard and hair in Greek fashion, yet worshipping Egyptian gods.
Look for:
- The family scene: Si-Amun with members of his family, his own portrait strikingly Greek in style.
- A tree goddess (usually identified as Nut) in a sycamore, pouring water for the dead to drink.
- Osiris, Isis and Anubis in scenes of judgement and protection; read more about Osiris.
- The ceiling: painted with stars and outspread vultures, the protective wings of the goddess over the burial chamber.
Some panels were damaged or cut out after the tomb was rediscovered, so gaps sit beside nearly perfect sections.
Which other tombs can you see?
Besides Si-Amun, three more decorated tombs are usually shown, depending on which the guardian opens that day.
Tomb of the Crocodile
Named for a painting of a crocodile, the animal of the god Sobek. The decoration is simpler and more faded, but the crocodile is clear and unusual in a desert setting far from the Nile.
Tomb of Mesu-Isis
An unfinished tomb with a decorated entrance, interesting for showing how artists laid out their work before completing it.
Tomb of Niperpathot
Among the oldest tombs on the hill, with inscriptions and drawings in red, offering a glimpse of the earlier, more austere style.
How were the painted tombs rediscovered?
During the Second World War, Siwans sheltered in the old tombs during Italian air raids and, while enlarging them, broke through into painted chambers, including Si-Amun's, in about 1940. Siwa was a frontline outpost in the desert war, used by Allied forces and later briefly occupied by Axis troops. The discovery attracted soldiers, and some paintings were chipped away as souvenirs before the tombs were secured. It is a reminder that the hill had been used and reused for 2,500 years before anyone thought of it as a monument.
How does it compare with tombs on the Nile?
These are small private tombs of a provincial elite, not royal tombs, so expect a few painted rooms rather than long decorated corridors, and an intimate visit with almost no one else around. What makes them worth seeing is the mix of cultures. Like the Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa in Alexandria, they show Greek settlers adopting Egyptian gods and burial customs during the Ptolemaic centuries, with Egyptian scenes painted around a Greek-looking face.
If you have already seen the vivid daily-life scenes in the private tombs of Luxor's west bank, Si-Amun will feel modest in scale. But it is the best-preserved painted tomb in Egypt's Western Desert, and on a Siwa itinerary it is the one place where you step inside the ancient oasis's own art.
How do you visit Gebel al-Mawta?
It is about 1–2 km north of the centre of town, a 20-minute walk, 5 minutes by car, or a short ride by bicycle or donkey cart. Buy a ticket at the entrance; current details are on egymonuments.gov.eg. A guardian unlocks the decorated tombs, and their opening can be limited for conservation, so ask on arrival which you can see.
- Best time: morning, when the guardians are on duty and before the hill heats up.
- Photography: rules inside the painted tombs vary; ask first, and never use flash on the paintings.
- The view: walk to the top for a panorama over the palms, the slumped walls of Shali Fortress and the salt lakes.
- Tipping: a small tip to the guardian who opens the tombs and switches on the lights is customary.
Gebel al-Mawta (Mountain of the Dead): FAQs
Why is it called the Mountain of the Dead?
Because the hill was Siwa's main cemetery for about a thousand years, from the 26th Dynasty to the Roman period, and is cut with hundreds of tombs.
Can you go inside the tombs?
Yes, into the few decorated tombs the guardian opens, usually including the Tomb of Si-Amun. Others can be viewed from the entrance.
How long do you need at Gebel al-Mawta?
About an hour to see the open tombs and climb to the top for the view.
Are there mummies at Gebel al-Mawta?
No intact mummies are displayed. The tombs were robbed in antiquity, and you may see fragments of bone and pottery in the plain chambers.
