Saadian Tombs

For 200 years, the Saadian Tombs, the final resting place for members of the Saadi Dynasty, as well as some of their most trusted advisors and servants, lay in wait. Walled-up and buried in sand by a jealous, superstitious leader, the Tombs were abandoned until 1917, when an enterprising aerial photographer spotted the tombs from above. The restoration process began, exposing separate tombs for male leaders, their wives and outdoor burial sites for connected acquaintances. It should come as no surprise that the male leaders had the more exceptional tombs, filled with gold, 12 Carrara marble pillars and intricate mosaic-work. (The tombs for the wives are still quite impressive, but…)