Deir el-Ballas 2026, Week 1: 1/3-1/8

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 our colleagues from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, we were able to open the site and begin work in earnest.

A major priority this week has been initiating the long process of establishing survey nails across the site, under the supervision of site director Nicholas Brown. These fixed points are essential for creating an accurate archaeological grid and will support detailed mapping and survey with a total station throughout the season and in future years.

Excavation and conservation-related work also began in several key areas. We started re-excavating the North Palace Enclosure Wall ahead of planned restoration and conservation, under the supervision of Sarah Sowerby and Fiona Burdette. At the same time, work commenced on cleaning, documenting, and excavating a previously unexcavated section of the North Palace Enclosure Wall interior. This area is under immediate threat from a recently established road cutting across the site, making rapid documentation a priority this season–led by Amalee Bowen and Waleed Hawatky.

Botanical analysis is now underway in the on-site magazine, where Claire Malleson and Jayme Reichart are examining plant remains, especially samples recovered from earlier work at the South Palace. This work will form a chapter in our forthcoming preliminary report on the monument due to be published in 2026. Gillian Pyke also joined the team this week and began studying pottery and other material culture collected during previous seasons dating to the Late Antique Period, bringing a longue-durée perspective to the history of Deir el-Ballas.

Finally, conservation efforts have resumed across the site. Ahmed Abdelgawad began mudbrick restoration and conservation work at House F and continued ongoing restoration at the North Palace. Ahead of this work, archaeologist Ben Johnson started documenting newly identified walls and architectural features at House F that were previously unknown, ensuring they are recorded before conservation proceeds.

With the site now open and multiple strands of work underway, Week 1 has set a strong foundation for the season ahead.