Theban Tomb 136

Theban Tomb 136 is situated in the area of Lower Sheikh ʿAbd el-Qurna, immediately adjacent to tomb -529- and to Theban Tomb 137.

In December 2025 we started work at Theban Tomb 136. The tomb was until recently hidden under modern houses, which were built on top and in front of many of the tombs at Qurna. Between 2006 and 2010, the houses at Qurna were demolished as part of a countrywide policy of removing modern buildings from archaeological sites, and the inhabitants were relocated to new villages. As a result of the demolition of the houses, the tombs are now covered and surrounded by high heaps of debris and the remains of the partially demolished buildings.

So far, not much is known about Theban Tomb 136. According to Porter and Moss, the tomb dates to the 19th Dynasty, and the unidentified tomb owner was "royal scribe ... of the Lord of the Two Lands". Kampp follows Porter and Moss and adds that Theban Tomb 136 could perhaps be a reused 18th Dynasty tomb. Grimm and Schlögl propose to date the tomb to the early reign of Akhenaten and speculate that the tomb may have belonged to the "high steward, royal scribe of the Lord of the Two Lands, steward of Memphis and overseer of the great harem" Ipy, who is the owner of Tomb 10 at Amarna and who is thought to have been buried at Saqqara. Grimm and Schlögl's proposed dating of Theban Tomb 136 and their proposed identification of the tomb owner are highly speculative, and we have so far not found the owners name and titles in this tomb, nor have we found any other evidence to support their hypothesis.

Theban Tomb 136 consists of a transverse hall and a longitudinal hall leading to a final room with a niche. The transverse hall comprises four Osiris pillars, which is an exceptional architectural feature rarely found in private tombs, as Osiride pillars are usually reserved strictly for royalty. Based on its architecture, Theban Tomb 136 can be dated to the New Kingdom (ca. 1550–1070 BCE).

On the doorway giving access to the tomb are the remains of a relief showing the deceased and several columns of hieroglyphic inscriptions. The texts are partially covered in modern plaster and are therefore currently difficult to read. Furthermore, as a result of the recent human habitation of the tomb, its walls and ceiling are covered in a thick layer of black soot. As part of our conservation programme for Theban Tomb 136, we will remove the modern plaster and the soot from its walls and ceilings. This will expose the original decoration, enabling us to read the hieroglyphic texts allowing us to identify the tomb owners, and to study the painted wall decoration in order to establish the historical and personal narratives associated with this monument. In doing so, this hitherto anonymous tomb will be transformed into recognised historical monument having a precise chronological anchor and personal context.

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View on the entrance area of Theban Tomb 136 (left), tomb -529 (center), and Theban Tomb 137 (right) in December 2025.