Atlas Obscura - Latest • Jan. 18, 2026, 1:36 p.m.
The Tomb of Ni-Ankh-Khnum and Khnum-Hotep in Badrshein, Egypt
The decorated tombs that have survived from ancient Egypt share detailed biographical information about the their occupants. From the elaborate wall-paintings and hieroglyphic inscriptions, we can learn a great deal about the deceased—their names and ages, their professions and accomplishments, the size and composition of their families.
In the 1960s, archaeologists were flabbergasted to discover a tomb that was not like the others. Instead of a husband and wife, the tomb had been built for two men named Ni-Ankh-Khnum and Khnum-Hotep, who had worked together as manicurists and hairdressers at the royal court during the Fifth Dynasty.
More than 4000 years ago, two men had decided to spend eternity together. Ni-Ankh-Khnum and Khnum-Hotep commissioned an unusual series of wall paintings to decorate their tomb.
Source: atlasobscura.com ↗
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