Asyut, Tomb III

The German-Egyptian "Asyut Project" has been working in the Gebel Asyut al-gharbi, the Asyut necropolis in middle Egypt since 2003. One of the most studied tombs is that of prince Iti-ibi, ruler of the city at around 2040 BC. His tomb is considered to be one of the largest of the First Intermediate Period in Egypt. It has been repeatedly re-used, raided or used for storage space by early archaeologists. Despite, or rather thanks to, its unhappy history, the tomb contained many findings from the First Intermediate to the Early Modern Period, the first part of which is presented in this study: amulets, glass, wooden models, mollusks, clay offering plates and Ushabtis. These collections provide the first systematic insight into the specific regional characteristics of Asyut culture.