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Full lecture title:Recent Results and Future Prospects of the Dutch Archaeological Expedition at the Theban Necropolis
Since 2018, a fieldwork and research project takes place in and around TT45 in the Theban Necropolis, directed by Carina van den Hoven. This lecture presents recent results of the project, outlining how the project has evolved since 2018. A particularly interesting aspect of TT45 is its painted wall decoration, which dates to the time of Amenhotep II (ca. 1425–1400 BCE), and which was partially modified in the Ramesside period by the second tomb owner. New paintings were added to wall sections that had been left undecorated by the first tomb owner, and the existing 18th Dynasty paintings were partially retouched and repainted, thus updating them to contemporary Ramesside style and personal preference.
This lecture will outline the ‘proof of concept’ that was developed for the digital documentation and material analysis of the various paint layers in TT45, showing how non-destructive techniques such as infrared photography, XRF (X-ray fluorescence), photogrammetry, 3D modelling, digital epigraphy, and digital reconstruction are used in the documentation and analysis of the ancient wall paintings.
Furthermore, the team has been working on the development of preventive conservation measures and a risk management program aimed at protecting TT45 and neighbouring monuments against flash flooding. At the same time, these activities allowed to carry out a detailed archaeological investigation of the tomb and its extensions and associated structures, providing new insights on the tomb structure and use history of TT45.
In 2025 a large extension of the concession in Lower Sheikh ʿAbd el-Qurna was granted, which now comprises TT45, TT133, TT136, and TT137, as well as -290-, -528-, -529-, -530-, and -531-. The main aims and objectives of the research in this area, about which very little is currently known and which is in urgent need of protection, will be outlined and the first results of the fieldwork carried out here in December 2025 will be presented.
Carina van den Hoven (The Netherlands Institute for the Near East, Leiden University) is the Director of the Leiden University Mission to the Theban Necropolis, which undertakes a research and fieldwork project in the area of Lower Sheikh ʿAbd el-Qurna on the West Bank of Luxor. Previously, she carried out fieldwork and research at Saqqara, Dakhla Oasis, Kalabsha, and Edfu. She obtained her PhD degree in Egyptology in 2017 from Leiden University and the École Pratique des Hautes Études / Université Paris Sciences et Lettres.
This lecture will also be available on Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86478757866
Meeting ID: 864 7875 7866
Passcode: 888329
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The lecture starts at 6 pm. We work on a first-come, first-served basis as the number of seats is limited. We open our doors at 5:30 and close them at 6:15 or earlier when the lecture room reaches its full capacity.
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