Preliminary report on the results of the works done by the Polish Cliff Mission at Deir el-Bahari in the season: February–March 2015

The Polish Cliff Mission has begun the works only on the 18th of February (although these were previously planned from the early January 2015), and has continued the activities until the 11th of March 2015.

The staff of the Mission consisted of: Egyptologists: Andrzej Niwinski (the director), Kamil Zachert (the deputy director), Grzegorz Kurka and Halina Przychodzen, as well as the engineer Waldemar Kubiczek. The SCA Inspectors were: Sayed Ali Sayed Gomaa and Mahmoud Abd el-Rahim Salman.

The short season of three (instead of eight) weeks only has caused much change in the program previewed before, which was sketched in the application letter of the December 12th, 2014.

As planned, the upper part of the installation used by us for the safe removal of stones and debris was placed in the new position, above the southern part of the temple of Thutmosis III [Fig. 1]. This enables the removal of the old redim still accumulated high on the cliff ledge, which may create a threat to the area of the temple of Mentuhotep Nebhepetre [Fig. 2]. The operation itself of the removal of this redim could not, however, be realized in this season, and has to be postponed to the next season, probably in October-December 2015.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
The activity of the Mission, beside of the changing place of the installation, was concentrated on the cleaning of the slopes overhanging the temple of Thutmosis III off some dangerous accumulation of the stone debris, constituting the steady threat to the ruins of the temple and people working there [Fig. 3]. In this season the northern and north-western slopes above the temple have been cleaned.

Fig. 3
During this operation a semi-circular cutting in the rock was uncovered, which was probably used as a latrine in Pharaonic times [Fig. 4], intended for workmen working in vicinity. A few loose small objects: pottery sherds, fragments of mummy-linen and faiance beads were found there [Fig. 5], together with the remains of human excrements.

Fig. 4
Fig. 5 (all photos by Kamil Zachert)
The operation of the cleaning of the southern part of the slopes above the temple of Thutmosis III should be continued, and hopefully accomplished in the next season.

Luxor, 11th March, 2015

Prof. Dr. Andrzej Niwinski
Director of the Cliff Mission

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