Lepsius Tombs in the Giza Necropolis Rediscovered: Preliminary Report on the Russian Archaeological Mission at Giza Excavations 2006–2008 *

Preliminary results are presented of the excavations of the Russian Archaeological Mission at Giza in 2006–2008. The objective of the mission's work was the Fifth Dynasty rock-cut tombs on the eastern edge of the Eastern Necropolis. Several tombs were noted by Lepsius and Mariette, but they have never been the subject of a full report. The iconographic, epigraphic, and pottery materials from Tombs 12 (=LG 77) and 15 (=LG 76), as well as one further tomb newly discovered in this area (Tomb 11), are presented and analysed. The preliminary dating of the tombs in this area is to the end of the Fifth Dynasty.