Kathrin Gabler, TT 217 - The Tomb of the Sculptor Ipuy in Context

TT 217, the tomb of the sculptor Ipuy, is one of the polychrome tombs in the Western Necropolis of Deir el-Medina. The rock-cut tomb consists of a court and ten chambers, according to Davies 1927. Built in the first half of the reign of Ramesses II, only the first room shows wall paintings with exceptional scenes depicting various professions. My research on the tomb will focus on a survey and the documentation of the preserved paintings and fragments (high-resolution photos and 3D scans for photogrammetric models), on an epigraphic and iconographic analysis (painters’ hands), and new architectural plans (if all elements are accessible). The project in cooperation with the Ifao Cairo, Mission d'étude et de conservation Deir el-Médina aims for a virtual reconstruction of the decoration (preserving the current condition, relocating fragments digitally, benefitting from historical documents). It seeks to identify further (funerary) objects and to contextualize the microcosmos of the tomb and Ipuy’s family. If possible, scientific analyses of pigments and restoration work may be envisaged.

For administrative, logisticial and financial support, the team directed by Kathrin Gabler would like to thank:

L. Coulon, C. Larcher, S. Bickel, R. Zillhardt, M. Kacicnik, A. Diehab, M. Moussa, L. Richner, R. Glanzmann, Ch. Hunkeler, M. Ibrahim, S. Vuilleumier, A. Austin, B. Leonhardt, H. Jenni, A. Dorn, R.J. Demarée, C. Greco, T. Montonati, A. Fancuilli, N. Allon, A. Semat, F. Bosch-Puche, Th. Gertzen, M. Lehmann, D. Tanase, the Museo Egizio Turin, Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, The Griffith Institute Archive Oxford, ResearchSpace and the entire team of the DeM Mission 2021 and 2022