Japanese archaeologists have unearthed a near-pristine tomb of a high-ranking Egyptian official who served as a temple's chief brewer 3,000 years ago.

The site, on the west bank of the Nile near Luxor, dates from the 12th century B.C. and has beautifully preserved murals in vivid colors.

Jiro Kondo, who led the dig on behalf of Waseda University’s Institute of Egyptology in Tokyo, said, "In recent years, it has become extremely rare to discover a tomb with paintings on the walls and ceiling that remain in such a good condition."

The site is part of a necropolis that contains 1,000 or so grotto tombs that were first excavated nearly 200 years ago. Only a few dozen of the tombs have such well-preserved murals....