Research
The archaeological mission at Qau el-Kebir
info@museitorino.it
011 44 06 903
From Monday to Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Qau el-Kebir
The archaeological site of Qau el-Kebir is located in Upper Egypt, on the eastern bank of the Nile, approximately 40 km south of Asyut, opposite the modern town of Tema.
Situated along the mountain ridge that extends toward the fertile plain fed by the Nile, the site is characterized as a rock-cut necropolis dating primarily to the Middle Kingdom, with a substantial secondary occupation phase in the Graeco-Roman period. Among its most notable features are four monumental private tombs – among the largest in the entirety of Egyptian history – belonging to four provincial governors of the Twelfth Dynasty: Wahka I, Ibu, Wahka II, and Sobekhotep.
Today, the site is known for the remains of these tombs and their subsequent reuse in later periods, offering valuable insight into provincial funerary life and culture during both the Middle Kingdom and the Graeco-Roman era.
The Mission
The research at the site is conducted by the joint Spanish-Egyptian archaeological mission, co-directed by the University of Alcalá and the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MoTA), under the direction of Dr. J. M. Alba Gómez (University of Jaén) and Dr. Sami El-Darderi (MoTA), in collaboration with the University of Jaén and the Museo Egizio in Turin. The mission receives generous financial and institutional support from the Palarq Foundation (Fundación Palarq) and the Spanish Association of Egyptology (Asociación Española de Egiptología).
The aim of the mission is to reassess the entire rock-cut necropolis through modern investigation of both previously known and hitherto unrecorded tombs, together with a comprehensive survey and analysis of the area, one hundred years after the last archaeological mission, which took place in 1924. In addition to providing an opportunity to study these fragile structures through the application of new technologies, this fieldwork represents a unique opportunity for the Museo Egizio to recontextualize numerous objects in its collection – derived from excavations conducted at the site in 1905–1906 – thereby shedding new light on them.
Project Details
During the 2026 season, a scientific staff member of the Museo Egizio joined the Spanish-Egyptian archaeological mission at Qau el-Kebir. The 2026 season pursued several objectives, each assigned to individual members of the mission.
The primary aim for the Museo Egizio was to begin documenting the archaeological material still present within the three largest tombs while simultaneously undertaking the cleaning of their interior spaces, as well as identifying potential evidence useful for the recontextualization of the extensive material held in Turin originating from these tombs. Documentation and cleaning activities, particularly concerning the material and spaces within the tomb of Ibu, will constitute an objective of future campaigns.
In the photo: View of the necropolis of Qau el-Kebir. Photo credit: Patricia Mora.
The archaeological site of Qau el-Kebir is located in Upper Egypt, on the eastern bank of the Nile, approximately 40 km south of Asyut, opposite the modern town of Tema.
Situated along the mountain ridge that extends toward the fertile plain fed by the Nile, the site is characterized as a rock-cut necropolis dating primarily to the Middle Kingdom, with a substantial secondary occupation phase in the Graeco-Roman period. Among its most notable features are four monumental private tombs – among the largest in the entirety of Egyptian history – belonging to four provincial governors of the Twelfth Dynasty: Wahka I, Ibu, Wahka II, and Sobekhotep.
Today, the site is known for the remains of these tombs and their subsequent reuse in later periods, offering valuable insight into provincial funerary life and culture during both the Middle Kingdom and the Graeco-Roman era.
The Mission
The research at the site is conducted by the joint Spanish-Egyptian archaeological mission, co-directed by the University of Alcalá and the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MoTA), under the direction of Dr. J. M. Alba Gómez (University of Jaén) and Dr. Sami El-Darderi (MoTA), in collaboration with the University of Jaén and the Museo Egizio in Turin. The mission receives generous financial and institutional support from the Palarq Foundation (Fundación Palarq) and the Spanish Association of Egyptology (Asociación Española de Egiptología).
The aim of the mission is to reassess the entire rock-cut necropolis through modern investigation of both previously known and hitherto unrecorded tombs, together with a comprehensive survey and analysis of the area, one hundred years after the last archaeological mission, which took place in 1924. In addition to providing an opportunity to study these fragile structures through the application of new technologies, this fieldwork represents a unique opportunity for the Museo Egizio to recontextualize numerous objects in its collection – derived from excavations conducted at the site in 1905–1906 – thereby shedding new light on them.
Project Details
During the 2026 season, a scientific staff member of the Museo Egizio joined the Spanish-Egyptian archaeological mission at Qau el-Kebir. The 2026 season pursued several objectives, each assigned to individual members of the mission.
The primary aim for the Museo Egizio was to begin documenting the archaeological material still present within the three largest tombs while simultaneously undertaking the cleaning of their interior spaces, as well as identifying potential evidence useful for the recontextualization of the extensive material held in Turin originating from these tombs. Documentation and cleaning activities, particularly concerning the material and spaces within the tomb of Ibu, will constitute an objective of future campaigns.
In the photo: View of the necropolis of Qau el-Kebir. Photo credit: Patricia Mora.
info@museitorino.it
011 44 06 903
From Monday to Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
