The Valley of the Golden Mummies is the most dramatic recent archaeological discovery in Egypt outside of Tutankhamun's tomb. It is a vast Greco-Roman necropolis — dating from around 332 BC to 395 AD — where wealthy inhabitants of the oasis were buried with elaborate gilded cartonnage masks, decorated coffins, and funerary jewellery. The "golden" in the name refers to the gold leaf applied to the mummies' faces and chest pieces, which in many cases has survived 2,000 years in remarkable condition.
The site is located about 6 km from Bawiti; access is through the Antiquities Museum in town, where a selection of the best-preserved mummies are displayed. The excavation site itself is partially open to visitors. What makes the discovery particularly significant is the scale — this is not a single family tomb but a necropolis serving the entire oasis population during the Greco-Roman period, and the interiors suggest families of merchants, priests, and farmers buried together, with the quality of preparation reflecting their wealth. Less than 5% of the necropolis has been excavated to date.