Scientific mission
Revealing the art of ancient Egyptian painters using non-invasive methods
Using a mobile laboratory and non-invasive methods, researchers from the European Centre for Archaeometry (CEA) carried out cutting-edge surveys and analyses in Luxor at three exceptional sites: the tombs of Tutankhamun, Thutmose IV and Nefertari. This two-week campaign is part of the international Paint like an Egyptian project, which aims to deepen our understanding of ancient Egyptian painting techniques through systematic and non-invasive analysis of the wall paintings in the Valley of the Kings.
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t was in Luxor, and more specifically in the Valley of the Kings and Queens, that the team from the European Centre for Archaeometry (ULiège) used its non-invasive mobile laboratory to examine, without altering them, the wall paintings of three major tombs: the tomb of Nefertari, then those of Thutmose IV and Tutankhamun. Conducted as part of the 'Paint like an Egyptian' project, this mission combines photogrammetry, multispectral and hyperspectral imaging, and advanced physico-chemical analyses to better characterise the materials and painting techniques used by ancient Egyptian artists, while strengthening conservation strategies.
Tutankhamun, Thutmose IV and Nefertari
Located in the Valley of the Kings, the tombs of Thutmose IV and Tutankhamun present a dual challenge: to cross-reference observations from one site to another and to compare painting practices in different royal contexts. "Working in Tutankhamun's tomb represents, in particular, an exceptional scientific opportunity to deepen our understanding of the materials and techniques used at the end of the 18th dynasty," explains Prof. David Strivay, physicist at ULiège. Each piece of data acquired, such as pigment mapping, spectral signatures and micro-reliefs, contributes to an investigation that links the ancient workshop, the conditions under which the work was produced and the contemporary challenges of preservation. This is where the European Centre for Archaeometry's (CEA) non-invasive mobile laboratory makes all the difference, allowing highly detailed scientific data to be collected without taking samples, in strict compliance with the wall paintings.
The researchers also had access to the tomb of Nefertari. "It's a rare privilege," explains Catherine Defeyt, a researcher at ULiège. "This tomb is a landmark monument of Egyptian funerary art, which imposes absolute requirements. Our approach, as in previous projects we have carried out here in Egypt, is to document, analyse and interpret, while preserving the integrity of the decorations."
The surveys carried out offer an unprecedentedly accurate reading of the chromatic richness and technical complexity of these masterpieces. Beyond the wonder they inspire, they open up new avenues for understanding the choice of pigments, overlays, retouching, alterations and possible links between artistic processes and conservation constraints.
Cutting-edge methods to see the invisible
Throughout the mission, the team was able to use a wide range of complementary tools: photogrammetry, multispectral and hyperspectral imaging, SWIR spectroscopy, digital microscopy, MA-XRF analyses, and more. "These techniques reveal what the eye cannot see," explains Catherine Defeyt, "such as compositions, variations in paint layers, traces of execution, the heterogeneity of materials and even the processes of degradation."
All of the high-resolution measurements now form a unique corpus, which will be analysed in the coming months. The expected results will help to refine our knowledge of ancient Egyptian painting techniques and shed light on the conservation issues facing these major UNESCO World Heritage sites.
This new campaign is part of "Paint like an Egyptian", an international scientific collaboration between CEDAE (Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities) and the Laboratory of Molecular and Structural Archaeology (CNRS–Sorbonne University). It is supported by the King Baudouin Foundation (Comhaire Foundation) and ULiège, via a Strategic Opportunity Grant, notably for a 3D microscope used in the project. This new campaign highlights the strength of interdisciplinary collaboration between Egyptologists, heritage science specialists, chemists, physicists and conservation experts.
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Published on 1/23/26
