Our final week of the 2026 field season at Deir el-Ballas was busy, energetic, and deeply satisfying. With excavation largely complete, the team focused on finishing documentation, expanding our site-wide survey network, protecting exposed archaeology, and preparing the site for our departure until next season. Sarah Sowerby and Georgia LaMacchia use...
Week four at Deir el-Ballas brought a mix of behind-the-scenes work, continued site protection, and a few chances to step back and appreciate the broader archaeological landscape around us. As the season moves toward its final stretch, much of our focus has shifted toward documentation, conservation, and preparing the site...
Week 3 of the Deir el-Ballas Expedition brought together active fieldwork, photography, and a major push on documentation and collections. The week began with Wael el-Kady joining the team on site to photograph and film excavation, conservation, and survey work across the monuments. Wael spent time capturing high-quality video footage...
Week 2 of the Deir el-Ballas Expedition saw the project move fully into the rhythm of fieldwork, with teams spread across the site advancing excavation, documentation, conservation, and survey. A major focus this week was the continued establishment of our site grid and permanent fix points, led by Sarah Sowerby...
The 2026 field season at Deir el-Ballas is officially underway! Our first week has been a busy one, focused on reopening the site, coordinating with our Egyptian colleagues, and setting the groundwork—both administrative and archaeological—for the weeks ahead. After completing and signing the necessary paperwork in Cairo and Qena with...
This week was the team’s last week on site and in Luxor. Salima Ikram and Nicholas Brown completed the preliminary study of the animal meat offerings. Additionally, Shymaa Mandour, working from home, began the process of epigraphically recording the workmen’s marks from the tomb. Using photos taken by Nicholas in...
This week the team in the tomb of Thutmose IV (KV43) began their long-anticipated work of sorting through the various mummified meat offerings (“victual mummies”). We were joined by Dr. Salima Ikram of the American University in Cairo, who is a specialist in faunal remains. The team spent time carefully...
Tomb of Thutmose IV (KV43) Project The Ancient Egyptian Heritage and Archaeology Fund is pleased to be partnered with and support the Tomb of Thutmose IV (KV43) Research Project, who started work this week in Egypt. The team’s director, Nicholas Brown, met with colleagues from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities...
The Deir el-Ballas Expedition completed its work on site this past week. At the start of Week 5, we had minimal cleaning and excavation work that took place at the South Palace, under the supervision of Nicholas Brown and Piet Collet. Most work consisted of final on-site documentation and backfilling...
This week on site was our last week of archaeological investigations for the 2025 Season. Up in the north, Ahmed Abdelgawad continued his investigation of the North Palace and mud brick conservation efforts. Highlights of his work this week included discovering a possible rubble-filled doorway between some of the casemates as...
