site.btaBulgarian Archaeological Team in Egypt Starts Tenth Research Season

The Bulgarian archaeological team doing research in Egypt has started its tenth season of work there, head of the team Teodor Levkov told BTA. The archaeologists are working in Luxor, where they have had a base since 2012, Lekov, who heads the Bulgarian Institute of Egyptian Studies with the New Bulgarian University, said.

The Bulgarian scholars are studying the tomb of priest Piay, from the 13th century BC, the time of Ramses II. The tomb is located in Sheikh Abd el-Gurna on the west bank of the Nile in the city of Luxor. The necropolis is the burial place of wealthy Egyptians who lived in the ancient city of Thebes.

After long years of excavations and examination of the underground space and chambers, the Bulgarians have been doing restoration work for a second season now. Lekov said that in the last season just before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, the scholars had started on the restoration of the facade of the tomb. In the current season they will work on restoration and conservation of the interior, and with many other works, as in Lekov's words, the study of such a site is a complex process with many various tasks. 

Lekov said that one of the memorable moments of the team is when they entered an adjacent unknown tomb via an opening in the underground rooms. "We found ourselves several thousands years back, after which we found out that Egyptian scholars had reached the same tomb but via another entry point which they had blocked. Lekov compared the work to a jig-saw puzzle so that when one manages to fit some puzzle pieces, the satisfaction is great. 

The scholar noted that Bulgaria's team working in Luxor presents the country to Egyptology scientists from around the world.

"Regretfully, Egyptology research in Bulgaria emerged later than in other countries with whom we would like to compare and catch up. But still, this tradition has existed in the past 35 years with strong roots, and the necessary university programmes," Lekov said.