The 26th Dynasty (Saite period) tombs of Bawiti represent some of the best-preserved pharaonic funerary art in any oasis. Two tombs in particular are open to visitors: the tomb of Zed-Amun-Ef-Ankh (a governor of Bahariya) and that of his son Bannentiu, both located at the edge of Bawiti town and managed by the Antiquities Authority.
The paintings inside are remarkable for their preservation — the dry desert conditions have protected pigments and plaster that have long since deteriorated in the humid Nile Valley. Scenes from the Book of the Dead, offering bearers, and the deceased facing the gods of the afterlife cover the walls in confident, detailed brushwork. The tombs receive few visitors compared to Luxor — on a typical weekday you may have them entirely to yourself, with only the guardian to open the padlocked door. Entry is ticketed separately from the mummy museum and the site is worth allocating a full morning.