An ancient Egyptian tomb hidden away from public eyes for more than 80 years has opened near Giza, the home of the ancient pyramids. Archeologists believe that the 4,000-year-old Tomb of Mehu belonged to a high-ranking official. The team states that the colorful wall decorations shed light on how Egyptians lived more than a thousand years before the pyramids were constructed.

The tomb is one of the most beautiful in the Saqqara necropolis, an ancient burial ground south of Cairo, and in fact it was originally discovered back in 1940 by Egyptologist Zaki Saad, but was closed to the public until the recent completion of restoration work.

The tomb is the final resting place of Mehu, an offical who lived during the time of King Titi in the Sixth dynasty. The chambers also house Mery Re Ankh, Mehu’s son, and his grandson Hetep Kha II. Mehu’s tomb is notable for its colorful walls, adorned with vibrant drawings and inscriptions chronicling ancient Egyptian life. The Ministry of Antiquities notes the scenes include hunting, fishing, cooking and dancing. The tomb consists of long narrow corridor with six chambers.

The tomb is one of many ancient attractions in the Saqqara burial ground. The area has numerous other tombs and small pyramids, which Egyptian authorities are continuing to open up.

While Egypt’s tourism has suffered greatly over the last few years from the aftermath of the political upheaval and terrorism incidences, the latest UN’s Tourism Report in August 2018 highlighted Egypt as the fastest growing tourist destination in 2017, with a 55.1% growth in 2017 international arrivals.