Since very early in the morning, our two photographers Ana and Patri wander around to capture (digitally) each of the most picturesque or scientific episodes that the project might offer at that point. From the balloons packed with tourists that float around with the first morning rays to the initial shovelful of the moostareen (“he of the trowel”), each of the gestures observed in the site helps to portray the progress, efforts, and dynamics of the team members. Our Digging Diary is a clear proof of the superlative work they perform and their continuous (and funny, in occassions!) struggle to catch the best moments, scenes, and happenings.
As temperatures have started to rise, the morning has been very hot. In the complex of Djari, José Alba and Laura have continued with the cleaning of the southern sector in the N passage of the transversal hall. In front of one of the two niches that once decorated the two sides of the tomb façade –and housed two stelae of Djari–, we have found a concentration of mudbricks and a medium-size block of sandstone; we believe that this block was used to seal a burial cut in the rock where one of the two niches were, probably in the New Kingdom. After fatur (i.e., breakfast), the visit of the General Manager of the Central Sector, Mr. Ezz Er-Nooby, allowed us to request permission to continue with the opening of the sealed subsidiary structure in the courtyard of Djari.
In the tomb of Dagi, we continued cleaning the transversal hall where a shaft has been identified, and collecting painted wall fragments and Coptic remains from the later monastery. Any work in the located shaft requires to consolidate and protect the paintings around the structure before taking any step forward.
As for the conservation team, today they finalized a recipe for the repair mortar they plan to use for emergency stabilization on the wall paintings in both Djari and Dagi. They have also established recipes for two other mortars with different properties which they will be able to use in other areas of the wall paintings – one to strengthen the stone substrate, and the other for aesthetic fills. During their testing they have learned the best way to source and process the local materials they are using with the help of the inspectors, which means they can now prepare larger quantities of these materials in preparation for future treatments.
Regarding the conservation work at Dagi’s tomb, as cleaning progresses in Dagi and more wall painting fragments are uncovered, the conservation team has been on hand to perform emergency stabilization and block lifting of these fragile objects. They are working with the archaeological and photography teams to make sure that every fragment is recorded, cleaned, and photographed before further treatment will take place.
In the afternoon, we have organized a mid-season meeting to clarify objectives, reconsider strategies, and modify some plans to reach the original (and new) goals. In this meeting the members of the project have discussed the various difficulties and confident steps they have found in these two weeks and have presented some adjustments to the previous plans to secure the achievement of the goals.
