Preserving Heritage Amid War: A Protocol for Recording and Disseminating the Tomb of Djehutyhotep at the Sudan National Museum

Abstract Archaeological sites in southern Egypt and northern Sudan faced a significant threat of destruction caused by the construction of the Aswan High Dam. The UNESCO Nubian campaign sponsored extensive surveys and excavations to salvage as much as possible, yielding large datasets. Temples and tombs were disassembled and relocated, including to various museums, in preservation efforts. Despite these endeavors, much information was lost. The wall paintings and inscribed features of the tomb of Djehutyhotep were among the monuments reassembled in the courtyard of the Sudan National Museum. However, the preserved tomb features are once again at risk of destruction due to war in Sudan. The first field season of a project to document, study, and disseminate information about the tomb of Djehutyhotep in April 2023 was disrupted by war, compromising the quality of collected data. Inaccessibility to the material and the threat of destruction or permanent damage pose major challenges. This paper addresses the challenges posed by incomplete datasets, inaccessibility, and the risk of destruction, proposing a protocol for documenting and digitally disseminating heritage at risk, which is potentially applicable to other conflict zones to enable remote research and outreach.