Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (17.2005(2007))

TUNA EL-GEBEL

EGYPT

TUNA EL-GEBEL
THE 'EGYPTIAN HOUSE' MURALS
CONSERVATION PROJECT
FIRST SEASON IN 2005
Robert Rogal

The 1Egyptian House' (el Beit el-Masry) is one of 24 tombs (no. 21) discovered by Sami Gabra
of Cairo University between 1931 and 1932 on the Greco-Roman necropolis in Tuna el-Gebel,
situated about 14 km east of the ancient city of Hermopolis (modern Ashmunein) in Middle
Egypt. The tomb lies in the southeastern part of the necropolis. It consists of four vaulted rooms
above groundthree of them deployed in a row behind the facade with the entrance in the central
one, and a fourth hall located in the back, standing above the burial chamber. The walls of the
entrance hall and the back room were decorated with murals.
The Supreme Council of Antiquities in association with the Polish Centre of Mediterranean
Archaeology of Warsaw University has initiated a conservation project to preserve the murals
decorating certain of the chambers of this tomb. The work of this mission started in 2003 with
a first season for assessing the present state of the wall paintings and implementing conservation
procedures that would end in the murals being remounted in the original location.1
1 Team members included: Dr. Ahmed S.A. Shoeib, conservator. Head of the Central Directorate of Restoration and
Conservation of Monuments, SCA; Dr. Adel I.M. Akarish, General Director of the Centre of Research and Conservation
of Antiquities, SCA; and Dr. Robert Rogal, conservator-restorer from the Institute tor the Study, Restoration and
Conservation of Cultural Heritage, Nicholas Copernicus University in Torun, Poland. The work lasted from the middle
of February to the middle of April in 2005. Conservators from the SCA: Messrs Tharwat M. Hegazy, Mahmoud
F. Abdallah, Shihab H.A. Naser, Vivian S. Zaki, Sami Z. Gerges, Atef N.A. Ahmed, Nabil I. Armanyous, Ishak J. Attia,
Amir N. Jossef, Heba H. Mikhael participated in the procedures.
The Mission enjoyed the invaluable help and friendly support of Dr. Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of the Supreme
Council of Antiquities. We also wish to thank Mr. Magdy EL-Gliandour, General Director of the Foreign Mission and
the Permanent Committee of the SCA, Dr. Samir A. Salib, General Director, Middle Egypt Antiquities Department,
and Prof. Dr. Michal Gawlikowski, Director of the Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology, for their assistance.

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