Environmental Conditions in TT 209, Luxor. The Case of a Theban Tomb Subject to Periodic Flooding

Abstract

TT 209 was built in a wadi, a location that means it has been affected by flash floods since ancient times. The team in charge of its study and conservation has initiated a systematic programme of environmental data collection (temperature and relative humidity) in order to understand the natural conditions of the tomb and any transformations caused by archaeological work in its underground chambers, as well as to inform future conservation. These statistics can also be useful for excavation and conservation programmes in nearby tombs whose architectonic structure is similar and have also suffered from exposure to water damage.