An ancient tomb belonging to Amenhotep , guard of the temple of Egyptian deity Amun , has been discovered in the southern city of Luxor by an American research team , the Egypt 's antiquities ministry said on Tuesday . The ministry says the tomb , found near the southern city of Luxor , dates back to the New Kingdom of the 18th Dynasty ( 1543-1292 BC ) — the most famous of ancient Egypt dynasties . The tombs were found earlier this month near the Sheikh Abd el-Qurna dig site , situated at the feet of the Theban mountains , between the famed valleys of the Kings and Queens over the town of al-Qurna . Scroll down for video . A team working near the historic city of Luxor has found not one , but two ancient tombs . Both tombs feature astonishing murals which are believed to date back to the 18th Dynasty of the Egyptian New Kingdom . This means the tombs were likely created sometime between 1543-1292BC . The tombs were found earlier this month near the Sheikh Abd el-Qurna dig site , situated at the feet of the Theban mountains . Incredible photographs distributed by the ministry show a tomb with bright green and brown paintings with hieroglyphics with murals that depict both celebrations and everyday activity , and despite their age are still remarkably vibrant and colorful . Antiquities Minister Mamdouh al-Damaty said in a statement that the tombs do sadly appear to have been looted at some point and the sarcophogi containing the bejeweled mummies were missing . 'The tomb contains many stunning scenes with bright colours painted on plaster , ' Antiquities Minister Mamdouh Eldamaty said in a statement . 'Many of scenes represent the tomb owner and his wife in front of an offering table and a view of a goddess nursing a royal child as well as scenes of the daily life , ' he added . The tomb was discovered by a team of American archaeologists alongside an Egyptian inspectors ' team in the city of Luxor , 700 kilometres ( 435 miles ) south of Cairo . However , the temple guard 's final resting place had been vandalised for unknown reasons . The T-shaped tomb 'was deliberately damaged in ancient times , ' said Sultan Eid , the ministry 's general director for the Upper Egypt region . 'The name and titles of the tomb owner , some hieroglyphic texts and scenes in addition to the names of the god Amun were deliberately erased , ' Eid added . The first tomb was discovered on March 2 , and the second was discovered on March 10 . The second tomb is believed to be that of Sa-mut and his wife , Ta-Khaeet . The first tomb meanwhile is believed to be that of Sa-Mut 's father , Amenhotep . Luxor , a city of some 500,000 people on the banks of the Nile in southern Egypt , is an open-air museum of intricate temples and pharaonic tombs . Eldamaty said in a separate statement that a royal rest house belonging to King Thutmosis II , also from the 18th Dynasty of the New Kingdom period , had been discovered in the Suez Canal province of Ismailia . The murals depict both celebrations and everyday activity , and despite their age are still remarkably vibrant and colorful . Antiquities Minister Mamdouh al-Damaty said in a statement that the tombs do sadly appear to have been looted at some point . Luxor , a city of some 500,000 people on the banks of the Nile in southern Egypt , is an open-air museum of intricate temples and pharaonic tombs .
A team working near the historic city of Luxor has found not one , but some 500,000 ancient tombs . Both tombs feature astonishing murals which are believed to date back to the 18th Dynasty of the Egyptian New Kingdom . This means the tombs were likely created sometime between 1543-1292BC .