Scientific Expedition // 2019
Studying the Desert Wadis of El Kab
In early 2019, I accompanied two Egyptologists and their team on an expedition to the El Kab region of Upper Egypt. There, I documented the team’s study of ancient rock engravings in the desert wadis (valleys) that lead from the Nile to the Red Sea.
Introduction
Dr. John Darnell is Professor of Egyptology at Yale University. Accompanied by his wife and fellow Egyptologist, Colleen Darnell and a small team, they traveled to Upper Egypt to study ancient rock engravings that predate the kingdoms of Egyptian pharaohs and most everything we know about ancient Egypt. I was tasked with documenting the expedition and creating portraits of the team on-site.
The Region
The El Kab desert is a stunning region that feels untouched by time. And yet, humans have had some sort of presence in the area since prehistory. Monoliths rise from the desert floor, nestling into the distant hills. It is these massive formations and the inscriptions they held what the team ventured to study and understand. These markings hold stories of the ancient practices of the region that predated our existing knowledge of ancient Egypt.
A collective effort
Harsh sun, rugged terrain and long hours are no match for John, Colleen, and their team. In an intense environment such as this they work tirelessly to capture, document, and catalogue these ancient inscriptions. Whether it’s conducting field work in the early
morning to avoid the heat or working well into the night to research their findings, the group is a well-oiled machine. With technical support from their Egyptian colleagues, John and Colleen are fierce collaborators, relying on local knowledge to
conduct their meticulous study. This showed even when having their photos taken. John and his crew regularly assisted in the hauling and setting up equipment. It was truly a photographer’s delight to work with this tight-knit group.
John uses his scarf to shielding the iPad from the harsh sun.
John on-site examining ancient rock inscriptions.
John and Colleen Darnell in the field
A close-up inspection of some particularly well preserved rock inscriptions.
John and Colleen working with their Egyptian colleagues.
The team uses an iPad to mark up scans and drawings of the inscriptions.
John and Colleen working into the evening at the Dig House.
John helping haul equipment to the site.
At the heart of this expedition (like all expeditions) are the people who drive the work forward. Archaeologists, Egyptologists, local experts, and all those involved uncover the secrets imbued in the inscriptions themselves.
I wanted to capture the team in the context of their work: in the looming shadow of a boulder, in the late hours at the dig house, or atop a 4x4. In this way our subjects become a part of the history or this place, and impart their own significance back to the timelessly beautiful landscape.
