Cushites in Thebes

A joint mission of the Insitute of Egyptology of the University of Vienna, the Austrian Archaeological Institute and the Humboldt University's Department of Northeast African Archaeology and Cultural Studies resumed work in the Austrian concession in the Asasif (Luxor, Egypt) in fall 2007. This part of the Theban necropolis is situated in front of the valley of Deir el-Bahari. It saw its heydays during the Late Period (8th-4th century BC), a period, which is still poorly understood and randomly studied with respect to Western Thebes. Within the Asasif, both monumental funerary palaces of the highest officials and smaller structures were erected during the 25th and 26th Dynasty. The area is best known for the freestanding superstructures built in mud brick of the monumental tombs. The first campaign of the joint mission was conducted from September 29th to November 24th 2007. Work focused on the study of finds comig from the monumental tomb TT 414 and smaller tombs in its vicinity.