The underground city in Tuna al Jabal

The underground city in Tuna al Jabal

Tuna el Gebel or City of the Dead was once used as a site of numerous burial tunnels and underground chambers including structures resembling tombs for sacrificial animals particularly ibis and baboons representing Thoth the god of wisdom. Tuna el Gebel was one of the main cemeteries of Hermopolis from ancient Egypt to the Roman era showcasing a beautiful blend of ancient Egyptian and Greek architecture. In legend the Eye of Ra enraged at her father Ra transformed herself into a lioness and fled to Nubia. 

The Tomb of Petosiris located in Tuna el Gebel Egypt features wall art that blends the image of the baboon 

with that of ancient Egyptian and Greek Roman civilizations

Ra then sent other gods to bring her back to Egypt where she would bring fertility and mud to the Nile River. This revelation aligns with the period when Hapi the Eye of Ra is frequently depicted in Nubian temples. The underground labyrinth in Tuna al Jabal in Alminya this sacred site features limestone fences and sacred symbols. 

Baboons or Baba the devourer of souls in the underworld guard the gates of the underworld and protect the souls of the deceased from the threat of serpents and darkness as they are often depicted with their calls to greet the sunrise. Baboons and wolves are associated with the Nubian kingdom native to the southern regions of Nubia representing the god Hapi who could record the afterlife. Baboon symbols were assigned to guide the souls of the dead to the afterlife and mummified in human form. While the Eye of Ra symbolizes the power of the sun the two are deeply connected through ancient Egyptian and Nubian mythology.\