Update on the Tuthmosis III temple excavations

Third archaeological campaign 2010: "Third archaeological campaign 2010

The third consecutive season of archaeological investigations at the funerary temple of Thutmosis III , on the west bank at Luxor, started on October 2nd, until December 17th. The season of excavations and work was made possible by the continued support of CEPSA, with further support by the Marcelino Botin Foundations enabling the season to be prolonged. This led to a marked increase in the amount of work that the joint Spanish-Egyptian team was able to achieve.

The team was further reinforced this season by the addition of several members of the Department of Fine art and Archaeology at the University of Granada, along with several graduate students in order to gain valuable field experience with specialists in Egyptology, Archaeology and Restoration.

Restoration works continued at the enclosure wall and the work on the area of the main ramp was completed. Excavations on the upper terrace, which is dedicated to Amon, and in the area dedicated to Hathor continued.

One of the most interesting discoveries this season was a tomb with a corridor, shaft, and a sealed funerary chamber. Several burial jars and plates were found inside the chamber in a good state of preservation, allowing the tomb to be dated to the Second Intermediate Period.

Geophysical investigations were also undertaken in the area of the Pylon, with the aim of locating a possible slipway and understanding the temples relationship to the waters of the Nile.

Documentation and epigraphic works continued on the thousands of decorated mural fragments belonging to the temple, with the aim of reconstructing a large portion of them.

Finally, fragments from different statues continued to be unearthed as well as other fragments belonging to several stella.

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