Rock-cut tomb

The Midas Monument, a Phrygian rock-cut tomb deba (700 BCE)

Rock-cut Lycian tombs, 4th century BCE

Lycian rock-cut tomb with ogival barrel-vaulted roof, 4th century BCE

A rock-cut tomb is a burial chamber that is cut into an existing, naturally occurring rock formation, so a type of rock-cut architecture. They are usually cut into a cliff or sloping rock face, but may go downward in fairly flat ground. It was a common form of burial for the wealthy in ancient times in several parts of the world.

Important examples are found in Egypt, most notably in the town of Deir el-Medina (Seet Maat), located between the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens.^[1] Other notable clusters include numerous Rock-cut tombs in ancient Israel (modern Israel and the Palestinian territories), at Naghsh-e Rostam necropolis in Iran, at Myra in Lycia (today in Turkey), Nabataean tombs in Petra (modern Jordan) and Mada'in Saleh (Saudi Arabia), Sicily (Pantalica) and Larnaca.^[2] Indian rock-cut architecture is very extensive, but does not feature tombs.