José Manuel Alba Gómez - Back to Qaw el-Kebir: A Century Later at the Middle Kingdom Necropolis

This lecture will be hosted on Thursday, 29 May 2025 at 6:00 pm.

This talk outlines the preliminary results of the first field season of the Qaw el-Kebir Expedition, conducted in 2024 by a multidisciplinary team from the University of Alcalá. Despite its archaeological significance, the Middle Kingdom necropolis at Qaw el-Kebir had not been systematically investigated for over a century, following the early 20th-century work of Ernesto Schiaparelli (1905–1906), Hans Steckeweh (1913), and W.M. Flinders Petrie under the auspices of the British School of Archaeology (1923–1924).

The 2024 campaign sought to re-assess the site’s potential through a comprehensive approach combining archaeogeography, planimetric mapping, and topographic survey of the hill. The team produced a new general plan of the necropolis, detailed floor plans of the most prominent rock-cut tombs, and recorded additional structures still visible on the surface.

The campaign also initiated studies of tomb iconography, pictorial decoration, and epigraphy, laying the groundwork for future research and conservation efforts at this long-neglected site. Besides, the project aims to develop a comprehensive site management plan that prioritizes conservation, ensures responsible visitor access, and fosters collaboration with local authorities, with the ultimate goal of securing the sustainable preservation and public presentation of the necropolis for future research and engagement.

About the Speaker

Dr. José Manuel Alba Gómez is a Spanish archaeologist/Egyptologist affiliated with the University of Jaén, where he serves as a researcher in the Department of Anthropology, Geography, and History. He holds a BA in Humanities from the University of Jaén and earned his PhD in Ancient History with a dissertation on olive tree cultivation and oil production in ancient Egypt. Since 2009 he has worked as an archaeologist with the Proyecto Qubbet el-Hawa and since 2016 as the project's co-director. He has participated in several archaeological projects in Egypt, including the Japanese-Egyptian mission in North Saqqara, the Middle Kingdom Theban Project at Deir el-Bahari, and the Qubbet el-Hawa North project led by the Egyptian Museum of Berlin. Since 2024, he is director of the Qaw el-Kebir Expedition joint mission under the auspices of the University of Alcalá and the MoTA.

Attention!

The lecture starts at 6 pm. The number of seats is limited and we work on a first-come, first-served basis. We open our doors at 5:30 and close them at 6:15 or earlier in case the lecture room reaches its full capacity.

To join on Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87815453698
Meeting ID: 878 1545 3698
Passcode: 155290