BH3 is situated on the eastern cliffs of the Beni Hasan necropolis, overlooking the Nile valley. The tomb’s owner, Khnumhotep II, inherited his position from a lineage of nomarchs who controlled the Oryx nome, a region corresponding to central Middle Egypt. This tomb exemplifies how provincial elites projected their authority and status through monumental architecture and elaborate decorative programs.

The tomb served not only as a burial site but also as a locus of political representation, ritual practice, and historical record. It contains vivid depictions of Khnumhotep II’s life, family, and official duties, including his interactions with the Pharaoh Amenemhat II, suggesting a close relationship between provincial administration and the royal court. BH3 is renowned for its well-preserved wall paintings, offering rare glimpses into Middle Kingdom daily life, military activities, hunting scenes, and funerary rituals.

The tomb’s prominence is also linked to its artistic innovation, including highly detailed figural scenes, refined color palettes, and early examples of narrative composition that would influence subsequent Middle Kingdom tomb decoration.

The tomb is carved into the limestone cliffs of Beni Hasan and is approached via a psuedo-causeway flanked by boulders. The structure includes an outer courtyard, a columned portico, and a main chapel. The tomb's walls are adorned with vibrant paintings and inscriptions that depict scenes from Khnumhotep II's life, his family, and his interactions with the royal court. Notably, the tomb features a depiction of a foreign delegation, identified as the "Aamu", bringing offerings to the deceased, highlighting the tomb's role in illustrating Egypt's interactions with neighboring peoples.

circa 2000 BCE

Structure
Tomb BH3 follows the typical Middle Kingdom tomb design, comprising an outer courtyard leading to a columned portico, which in turn leads to the main chapel. The chapel is characterized by its four square columns supporting a flat ceiling, and the floor is sunken below the level of the outer court. The walls of the chapel are carved and painted with scenes depicting various aspects of Khnumhotep II's life and afterlife.

The tomb is fronted by a columned portico and a small courtyard; the courtyard would have been surrounded by mud-brick walls. The small columned portico is on the west side of the courtyard, directly in front of the tomb entrance. The ceiling of the portico is curved similar to the shape of a segmented barrel. The rock around the doorway leading inside the tomb to the chapel was smoothed and flattened, on which a fourteen line inscription is giving the list of the festal days for the services of funeral offerings, called percheru, along with the name and titles of Khnumhotep II.

Art / Hieroglyphs / Writings
The walls of Tomb BH3 are richly decorated with scenes and inscriptions. The west wall features depictions of Khnumhotep II in various activities, including hunting and fishing, emphasizing his prowess and status. The south wall portrays a banquet scene, highlighting the deceased's participation in the afterlife. The north wall is famous for the depiction of the Aamu delegation, showcasing Egypt's interactions with foreigners. The tomb's inscriptions include a biographical text detailing Khnumhotep II's lineage, titles, and achievements, providing valuable insights into the administrative and social structures of the time.

Depiction of Aamu (Asiatic) People
What makes this tomb stand out among the 39 large rock-cut tombs at Beni Hasan is the well known scene of the Āāmu group, Asiatic nomadic traders who are sometimes considered Hyksos or at least their forerunners; the group, led by a man called Absha (or Abisha, Abishai), was bringing offerings to the deceased.