The Necropolis of El Anfushi
The Necropolis of El Anfushi is located near the Eastern Harbour, in Ras El Tin area. There are five Greek rock-cut tombs that date back to the 2nd and the 3rd centuries, circa 250 BC. Built of alabaster and marble, these Ptolemaic tombs were only discovered in 1901 AD. At the site, two funeral constructions were discovered, each had two tombs.
The plan of the tombs is an open courtyard surrounded by chambers that contained one or more burials. As for the depictions, the tombs have scenes of Egyptian gods (such as Osiris, Isis, Horus and Anubis) decorated with multi-coloured geometric patterns and fine fresco ornaments.
In the two tombs of the first funeral building, there is a granite sarcophagus and a Pharaonic-styled burial chamber. A hole in this building leads to a cistern. One can proceed to reach the second funeral construction through staircase leading to a yard. Walls of the two tombs of this building are gracefully decorated with long fresco stripes and Pharaonic ornaments. The fifth and last funeral construction is considered the richest in decoration and relief. It has a rock-cut tomb, with a staircase and an open courtyard, from which one can view four small chambers.
