Along the Nile Valley, man’s activity is modifying natural environments and archaeological sites are increasingly threatened by the spread of new cultivations on previously unexploited areas. The resulting weeds proliferation and rising groundwater levels represent major challenges to the development of new conservation protocols adapted to earthen architecture of Egypt and Sudan, at the very moment when they begin to receive all the recognition they deserve.

Since the birth of Egyptology in the 19th century and then Sudanology, the interest of scholars working on ancient Nile valley societies has been mainly focused on stone architecture while earthen constructions have only been studied in few of their monumental (e.g. enclosure walls) or complex (vaults and domes) manifestations. Nevertheless mud brick in Egypt, cob and mud brick in Sudan have been the main construction techniques from the earliest times to recent days: this implies the presence of earthen buildings on practically every archaeological site, whether in urban, religious or funerary contexts. In the last years Egyptologists and archaeologists have shown an increasing interest in earth which has resulted in a growth of the number of studies and publications devoted to this topic and often based on case studies from a particular site. At the same time, Egyptian and Sudanese authorities have started to increasingly require specific actions to preserve and present this important facet of their cultural heritage to the public.

In this respect, the Nile's Earth project aims to develop, in addition to long-term conservation procedures, short- and medium-term actions to ensure the protection of the remains during excavation and between two campaigns.

In this perspective and with a multidisciplinary approach, research on materials and construction techniques used along the Nile Valley during Pharaonic times will be based as much on laboratory analyses carried out on mud brick and soil samples as on documentary research, field missions and in-situ experiments.

During a first mission at Luxor (Egypt) in January 2020 several meetings took place with French and foreign archaeological missions and it has been possible to examine conservation and restoration works currently underway in the region. While the results are not always satisfactory, whether from the point of view of authenticity, durability or partial reconstruction work, the restorations carried out on the enclosure of Shunet el-Zebib in Abydos by the North Abydos Expedition are a good illustration, on the other hand, of the extent of the issues and choices that need to be made on such a large-scale site and constitute a fine example of effective solutions and good practices.

Partners

ENSAG, IFAO, UMR 8167 Orient & Méditerranée, UMR 5189 Histoire et Sources des Mondes Antiques, CRAterre, CFEETK, SFDAS.