'Faces will melt': Not everyone up for visiting newly-opened 4,000 yo Egyptian tomb

Egyptian officials said opening the tomb of mysterious but powerful vizier Mehu for the first time since it was discovered in 1940 would prove Egypt is "safe for tourists" - but the internet thinks otherwise.

Containing six burial chambers, the tomb is one of the best preserved in the entire vast Saqqara Necropolis outside Egypt's ancient capital Memphis. Its main resident was Mehu, a man so powerful an estimated 4,300 years ago that the walls bear 48 of his titles. Colorful scenes depict Mehu living a glorious life of ruling, feasting and hunting, and more esoteric or symbolic images, such as two crocodiles marrying.

A detail of the wall carvings. © Reuters

While Egypt hopes that the prospect of studying them first-hand will help the country's tourist industry recover from its post-revolution decline, many online are saying the tomb is but a cursed bait.

Many wondered why it took so long to open the tomb.

Though not every Twitter user was so concerned about historical conspiracies, or the ethics of turning graves into tourist monuments.