These limestone tombs, which date from about 250 BC, are painted to
simulate alabaster and marble. They are decorated with pictures of Egyptian
gods and daily life, along with graffiti, which also dates from the same
period.
The tomb lies to the south of the esplanade leading to the palace of
"Ras el-Tin" and consists of five tombs, all dating from the first
half of the 3rd century. They were discovered in 1901 and 1921. The first and
most remarkable of the tombs is reached by way of a vaulted stairway hewn out
of the rock, leading down into a square courtyard which is open to the sky and
provides access to two tombs. The walls of the stairway and tombs have a
painted stucco revetment imitating alabaster and marble.
The vaulted ceiling
of the funeral chamber is decorated with geometric "trompe l'oeil"
designs reminiscent of the covered ceiling in certain ancient villas. The
funeral motifs are an example of the combined influence of Greek art and the
traditional forms of Egyptian arts.