There are over 300tombs situated in the sides of small hills in this section of the Amheida cemetery, which Drovetti in 1919 named “Muzauwaken,” from the Arabic muzawwaqa, meaning decorated.’ Two tombs stand out: the single room tomb of Petubastis and the double room tomb of Padiosiris. Both are decorated with exquisite full-color paintings. In the winter of 1998 the tombs were closed because the ceilings were collapsing. 

 

Located 35 km. away, the El-Mezawaka Tombs date back to the Pharaonic period. The most important are the rock hewn tombs of Pelusis and Petosiris. While the tombs are decorated in traditional Egyptian fashion, Petosiris is dressed as a Greek, and there is a bull on the ceiling from the Persian Mithras cult.