Egyptological donations programme
TVAES runs an awards donation programme for Egyptological research projects. The fund is administered by an awards committee and is open to bona-fide researchers from the international community. The Donation Fund was established in 2010.
In its initial set of grants TVAES has awarded a total of £2000 to ten archaeological missions to Egypt and Sudan. Although some missions to Egypt were forced to interrupt work in Egypt during the revolution, many projects continued without interruption, and a full season of work is anticipated during 2011-12. In announcing these grants TVAES is supporting excavation, epigraphic, recording, conservation and survey work across eleven ancient Egyptian sites. In recognition of the global nature of Egyptology, the grants have been made not just to UK based institutions but also to those based in Russia, Holland and the US with many of these missions working alongside Egyptian or Sudanese colleagues.
Initial applications were sought globally for grants and the fund was many times oversubscribed. “We were faced with some very difficult choices” commented TVAES Chairman John Billman, “we had to prioritize those doing the most urgent work and in most need of the funds this year.” Many of the participants in archaeological missions volunteer their time, but still face expenses in terms of local salaries, travel, accommodation and specialist equipment, and these made up most of the grants. Some equipment can be used across multiple projects “We were absolutely delighted to receive funding from TVAES, the purchase of a specialist camera supports not only our work in the Egyptian western desert at Amheida but our new project at Meroe in conjunction with our Sudanese colleagues” comments Dr Anna Boozer of the University of Reading.
Most of the work as a result of these awards will take place over the 2011-12 winter season with publication to follow.
After a competitive bidding process and extensive discussion in the Donation sub-committee, the inaugural set of grants have been awarded as follows:
| Project | Applicant | Purpose of Funds | Sum Awarded | |
| Amheida Project, Egypt and Meroe Archival Project, Sudan | Dr Anna Boozer | Purchase of high resolution digital camera for recording and documentation | £230 | |
| Leuven Projects at Dayr el-Bersha and Shandur | Prof. Harco Willems | Rental of specialist equipment to scan the Amarna Period Quarries at Dayr Abū Hinnis | £230 | |
| Russian Archaeological Mission at Giza | Dr Eleonora Kormysheva | Employment of local workmen to complete alongside specialist team members the excavation and conservation of the two tombs revealed in 2010 | £330 | |
| Harem Palace Project | Dr Ian Shaw | Construction of a combined workroom, store-room and veranda area for pot-sorting | £180 | |
| Hierakonpolis Expedition | Dr Renee Friedman | Employ local workmen to continue the conservation of the Khasekhemwy enclosure. | £230 | |
| TT16 Saqqara Geophysical Survey Project | Dr Campbell Price | Accommodation and local employee costs for a spring 2012 season to extend existing survey area southwards | £230 | |
| Liverpool Mission to the Tomb Complex of Ankhtifi near Mo'alla | Dr Glen Godenho | Travel costs for study season to analyse material evidence | £180 | |
| Dog Catacombs at Saqqara | Dr Paul Nicolson | Fund radiocarbon dating of faunal remains | £180 | |
| Memphis mission to | Dr Suzanne Onstine | Housing costs for team members completing epigraphic work in TT16, | £130 | |
| Amarna Project | Prof. Barry Kemp | Purchase of specialist scanner with feeder | £80 | |
| Total Awarded | £2000 |