Beni Hasan

Beni Hasan is an ancient Egyptian cemetery complex of rock-cut tombs on the east bank of the Nile in Minya Governorate. The tombs date mainly to the Middle Kingdom and were built for provincial governors and elite officials.

The site is particularly valued for its well-preserved wall paintings and reliefs that depict scenes of daily life, military activities and athletic contests, with the tomb of Khnumhotep II among the most famous for its detailed narrative scenes. The tombs are cut into a steep limestone cliff and open onto a plain used for agriculture.

Most of the tombs date to the 11th and 12th Dynasties (approximately the early to mid-second millennium BCE) and were exposed and studied by archaeologists from the 19th century onward. Excavation and recording have provided important evidence for provincial administration and artistic styles of the Middle Kingdom.

Beni Hasan lies on the east bank of the Nile in Minya Governorate, in Upper Egypt, set against a limestone escarpment a short distance from the modern towns along that stretch of the river.

• Chronology: Contains roughly 39 Middle Kingdom tombs belonging to provincial governors and officials, primarily from the 11th and 12th Dynasties (circa 21st to 19th centuries BCE).

What to See #

• Rock-cut tombs: A necropolis of rock-cut tombs carved into a limestone escarpment, most dated to the Middle Kingdom of Egypt and built for local governors and officials.
• Tomb of Khnumhotep II: The tomb of Khnumhotep II (tomb BH3) noted for its vivid wall-paintings, including scenes of daily life, agriculture and well-known wrestling depictions.