During his recent visit to Luxor Governorate, Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, inspected the restoration and rehabilitation project of the Southern Chapels of the Akh Menu Temple in the Karnak temple complex. The project was conducted in cooperation with the French-Egyptian Center for the Study of the Karnak Temples (CFEETK).

Dr. Khaled emphasized the importance of this project, which has led to the restoration and opening of a new archaeological site to visitors. This aligns with the directives of Mr. Sherif Fathy, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, to open new heritage sites, contributing to increased tourism, particularly cultural tourism.

He expressed his full appreciation for the cooperation with the French side on several significant archaeological projects, noting that this initiative represents one of the fruitful outcomes of that partnership, helping to preserve a vital part of Egypt’s ancient heritage.

The restoration work at the Southern Chapels of Akh Menu included cleaning, structural and detailed restoration, and comprehensive documentation of the religious inscriptions and scenes.

Mr. Mohamed Abdel-Badie, Head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector at the Supreme Council of Antiquities, stated that the cleaning work revealed several important inscriptions, including scenes of the king performing rituals to honor the god Amun. The walls of the main passage are adorned with scenes from the Heb-Sed (jubilee festival) of Thutmose III, along with a long foundation inscription describing the temple as a “Temple for Millions of Years” dedicated to Amun-Ra and the gods of Karnak.

Dr. Abdel-Ghaffar Wagdy, Director-General of Antiquities in Luxor and the Egyptian Director of the French-Egyptian Center, noted that the development also included improving visitor services. Informational signs were installed to explain the history of the Southern Chapels, and accessibility features such as ramps were added for people with disabilities.

The Akh Menu Temple dates back to the reign of Thutmose III (ca. 1479–1425 BCE) and is one of the most significant New Kingdom sanctuaries dedicated to the worship of Amun-Re within the temple complex of Karnak. The Southern Chapels, located to the right of the main entrance, consist of seven chapels and two large columned halls connected by an interior corridor. The structure is well-preserved, with large portions of walls and ceilings still intact and the vibrant wall inscriptions remarkably clear.

While in Luxor, Dr. Khaled also inspected excavation projects being conducted by various Egyptian missions affiliated with the Supreme Council of Antiquities at several sites.

At the Asasif area in Qurna, the Egyptian mission uncovered a collection of small wooden coffins for children, most of which are in very poor condition and lack any inscriptions. Dr. Khaled noted that specialists in human remains and wooden coffins will be consulted to determine the time period of these coffins and to study the remains inside to identify age, gender, and causes of death, contributing to a deeper understanding of the site.

Mr. Abdel-Badie also reported that the mission uncovered a group of ostraca made of limestone and pottery, two conical seal impressions—one bearing the title “Supervisor of the House Khonsu”—as well as a shaft containing several small faience ushabti figurines. A room with a central column bearing traces of mortar but no inscriptions was also found.

Regarding the excavations at Nagaa Abu Asba, south of Karnak, Dr. Abdel-Ghaffar Wagdy revealed that the team discovered a massive mudbrick wall dating back to the reign of King-High Priest Menkheperre of the 21st Dynasty (c.1045–992 BCE). Each brick was stamped with the king’s name and that of his wife. A sandstone gate was found inside this wall. Workshops and kilns for making bronze statues, as well as a large beer production workshop found in this site shed light on the industrial use of the area during different historical periods. Portable finds reported from this site include Osirian bronze statues in various sizes, amulets but also coins.