To the east of Tell El-Amarna , lies the village of Hatnub which is an archeological site rich with the best Alabaster quarries . It locates about 70 km away from the capital of El
Minia
Governorate . The oldest date for using the alabaster quarries in this village was in the Fourth Dynasty , and also in the Fifth and Sixth Dynasties . Since the time of the New Kingdom , the quarries were used extensively . For instance , it was used in the chapel of
Amenhotep I
(now on display in the
Open Air Museum
at Karnak) and in some constructions of the
Temple of Queen Hatshepsut
at Deir El-Bahari .
