Beni Hasan
Beni
Hasan is a small village and an important archaeological locality
in Middle Egypt, some 20 km south of the city of Minya. Located
on the eastern bank of the river Nile, the small but interesting
site consists of cliff-hewn tombs overlooking the river valley with
truly magnificent views in both directions. During the Middle Kingdom,
it was the centre of the cult of Pakhet.
There are 39 ancient tombs here of Middle Kingdom nomarchs of the Oryx nome, who governed from Hebenu. Due to the quality of, and distance to the cliffs in the west, these tombs were constructed on the east bank, but are otherwise similar to other Middle Kingdom tombs.
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Most of the tombs have a similar layout, with a carved entrance, and then a large (usually pillared) room containing the painted decoration and burial shafts.
Very close nearby and also worth a visit is the small rock-cut temple known as Speos Artemidos, constructed by Hatshepsut and Thutmose III, the Cave of Artemis, so-named because the Greeks identified Pakhet with Artemis, and the temple is subterranean.
ARRIVAL: The most practical way to get to Beni Hasan currently is by private taxi from either Minya or Mallawi - expect the usual escort of tourist police. The taxi fare should be somewhere in the range of LEŁ50 - LEŁ100, depending on the number of people travelling, how long you stay at the site and your bargaining skills.
