Al-Bahnasa Tombs
๐ Location: Al-Bahnasa village, Minya Governorate ย ยท ย ๐บ Period: Early Islamic (7th century onwards) ย ยท ย ๐๏ธ Tickets: see on-site
The Middle Egyptian village of Al-Bahnasa sits on the site of ancient Oxyrhynchus โ the Greco-Roman town world-famous to papyrologists for the Oxyrhynchus Papyri. But Al-Bahnasa has a second, quite separate historical layer: it was one of the cities that resisted the Muslim conquest of Egypt in the 640s AD, and a large number of sahaba (Companions of the Prophet) and tabi'un (early followers) are said to have been killed and buried here.
That has made the village a major Islamic pilgrimage site. Scattered across the modern cemetery are dozens of domed shrines (qubbas) marking the supposed graves of these early martyrs โ including the Dome of the Seven Maidens, the Dome of Ubadah ibn al-Samit, and the Dome of Muhammad ibn Abi Dhar. Many are still visited by Sufi and Shia pilgrims today.
The site is unusual for an Egyptian archaeological zone because the religious life is still active โ visitors should be respectful, especially during festivals around the saints' birthdays.
Highlights
- Dome of the Seven Maidens
- Dome of Ubadah ibn al-Samit
- Dome of Muhammad ibn Abi Dhar
- Adjacent ruins of Greco-Roman Oxyrhynchus (the papyri findspot)
Visiting
- Opening hours: daylight; shrines open at most hours
- Tickets: small fee; donations welcome at the shrines
- Dress: modest; women may want a head-cover
- Nearby: Beni Hasan, Tuna el-Gebel, Mallawi