Field School Crew

Dr. JJ Shirley - Director

Dr. JJ Shirley received her PhD from The Johns Hopkins University, and has taught Egyptian Art, Archaeology and Language at the University of Michigan, University of Wales, Swansea, and as a Visiting Lecturer at Johns Hopkins University; she is currently a Visiting Researcher at the University of Pennsylvania. Since 2007 she has been the Managing Editor for the Journal of Egyptian History, published by Brill. In 2011 she became the VP of the ARCE-PA Chapter, and for the past three years has also served as the ARCE National Chapters Council President. Dr. Shirley has authored several articles, most recently a contribution on Second Intermediate Period and 18^th Dynasty administration for the book Ancient Egyptian Administration (HdO 104), and an article on the officials who served under Hatshepsut and Thutmose III for the Theban Workshop publication Creativity and Innovation in the Reign of Hatshepsut (SAOC 69). She has participated on several archaeological projects in Egypt and Syria. Her current project in Theban Tomb 110 aims to train Egyptian Inspectors of the Ministry of Antiquities in the skills of traditional and digital epigraphy, as well as research methodology, with the final goal of documenting and recording the tomb scenes and inscriptions for publication.

Mr. Will Schenck - Chief Epigrapher

Mr. Will Schenck studied Egyptology at the University of Cambridge and has made his career as an archaeological illustrator primarily in Egypt since the late 1970s. From 1980-1990 he was employed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art as illustrator in the Department of Egyptian Art. Since leaving New York he has been based in the UK and participated in many Egyptian excavations including the EES excavations at Ancient Memphis, 1990-1998, the Swiss Institute’s excavations at the Mortuary Temple of Merenptah, West Bank, 1992-1996, the MAFB excavations at the New Kingdom Necropolis at Saqqara, 1999-2013, and Johns Hopkins University’s excavations at both the Temple of Mut and Theban Tomb 92, 2004-2009. From 2000-2003 he worked as an artist with the Epigraphic Survey at Chicago House in Luxor. In 2005 he joined the archaeological field schools being run at Giza under the supervision of AERA, creating the programme’s drawing syllabus and teaching both introductory and advanced illustration until 2010. 

Mr. Schenck’s illustrations can be seen in a variety of Egyptological publications including:
The Tombs of Senenmut, P. Dorman (MMA, New York, 1991).
Portrait Mummies from Roman Egypt, L. Corcoran (U. of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1995).
Tore und Andere Wiederverwendte Bauteile Amenophis' III, S. Bickel (Steiner, Stuttgart, 1997).
The Survey of Memphis II, Kom Rabi'a: The New Kingdom and Post New Kingdom Objects, L. Giddy (EES, London, 1999).
The Tomb of the Three Foreign Wives of Tuthmosis III, C. Lilyquist (MMA, New York, 2003).
La Tombe de Maia, A. Zivie (Caracara Edition, Toulouse, 2009).
The Survey of Memphis IV, Kom Rabi’a: The New Kingdom Pottery, J. Bourriau (EES, London, 2010).
La Tombe de Thoutmes, A. Zivie (Caracara Edition, Toulouse, 2013).

Since 2014 he has been the Chief Epigrapher on the project to teach epigraphy in conjunction with Dr. JJ Shirley in Theban Tomb 110.

Mr. Hassan Ramadan Aglan – Digital Epigraphy Instructor

Mr. Hassan Ramadan Aglan received his BA in Egyptology from the Faculty of Arts, Egyptology Section, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt in 1999. He obtained his MA from South Valley University in 2012, with a thesis entitled “Artistic and Architecture Values of the Private Monuments in the Reign of Ramesses III.” Since 2014 he has been a student at Humboldt University, Berlin, under the direction of Prof. Dr. Frank Kammerzell and Prof. Dr. Julia Budka. His PhD thesis is entitled “Recently discovered 18th Dynasty Tombs at central Dra Abu el-Naga: an architectural and epigraphic study.”

Mr. Aglan received training in illustration from 2008-2010 from the AERA field school programs, and is an experienced draftsman, epigrapher, and illustrator. He has worked in this capacity for many projects, including as an epigrapher for the Johns Hopkins University Theban Tomb 92 project under Dr. Betsy Bryan, a draftsman for the Australian Archaeological Institute Mission in the Assasif directed by Prof. Dr. Manfred Bietak. From 2011-2013 he returned to AERA as the digital illustration instructor, and was involved in preparing drawings and schematic reconstruction for publication. From 2012-2013 he was the digital epigrapher for the New York University Ramses II Temple Digital Epigraphy Project, under Dr. Sameh Iskander, preparing the epigraphy for publication. Mr. Aglan has participated in several workshops and conferences on digital epigraphy and 3D modeling, and recently published an article entitled “3D tomb modeling by simple tools” in Altertumswissenschaften in a Digital Age: Egyptology, Papyrology and Beyond. Proceedings of a Conference and Workshop in Leipzig, Nov. 4-6, 2015. (2016).

He joined the TT 110 field school project in 2017 as the Digital Epigraphy Instructor for the Advanced Epigraphy Field School.

Mr. Yaser Hussein – Drawing Instructor

Mr. Yaser Mahmoud Hussien received his BA in Egyptology from the Faculty of Arts, South Valley University, Sohag Egypt in 2000. He obtained his MA from Alexandria University in 2013, with a thesis is entitled "Private stelae from Abydos from the thirteen dynasty till the end of the Second intermediate period, analytical study for scenes and texts." He is currently working towards his PhD on "The Local Cemeteries of Upper Egypt in the Early Dynastic Period: The New Cemetery at South Abydos within its Regional Context."

Mr. Hussein began as an Antiquities Inspector with the SCA, based at Abydos, in 2000. In 2004 he became an Antiquities Inspector within the Head Section of the Information Center, SCA, Zamalek, Cairo. His work experience as an archaeologist is extensive. Mr. Hussein recently received an EES Centenary Award to continue his excavations in the Early Dynastic Cemetery at South Abydos, for which he has been the Field Director since 2008. Since 2016 he has been the Director of the newly created Ministry Department “Scientific Centre for Archaeological Training and Continuing Research” (SCATCR) in Upper Egypt, the goal of which is to provide and facilitate training in all areas of archaeological work for Egyptian Inspectors.

In 2016 Mr. Hussein joined the TT 110 field school project as the Pottery and Object Drawing Instructor for the Advanced Epigraphy Field School.

Work Experience

- Artist. The Asyut Project. Dr. Jochem Kahl, Dr. Mahmoud el-Khadragy, Dr. Ursula Verhoeven. 2004-2010.

- Giza Field School, Illustration Course. Dr. Mark Lehner, SCA, ARCE, GPMP. 2006.

- Asst. Director under Mr. Fandy Ahmed Mahmoud. Early Dynastic Cemetery, South Abydos. 2007.  

- Field Director. Early Dynastic Cemetery, South Abydos. 2008-present.  

-  Illustration Supervisor. SAFS Field School, Luxor. Dr. Mark Lehner, SCA, ARCE, and GPMP. 2008.

- Illustration Supervisor. Giza advanced field school. Dr. Mark Lehner, SCA, ARCE, and GPMP 2009. 

- Illustration Teacher. Luxor Salvage Archaeological Field School. Dr. Mark Lehner, SCA, ARCE, and AERA. 2010.

- Illustration Supervisor. Giza Analysis and Publication Field School. Dr. Mark Lehner, SCA, ARCE, and AERA. 2010.

- Fellowship at Harvard University under the sponsorship of Prof. Peter der Manuelian, for the period 07/17/2011 through 09/6/2011.

- Illustration Teacher and Teamwork Leader. Luxor Study Season and Field School. 2011.

- Illustration Teacher and Project Photographer. Memphis Field School. Dr. Mark Lehner, SCA, ARCE, and AERA, 2011.

- Project Photographer and Illustrator. Field School for the Pyramids area inspectors. Dr. Mark Lehner, AERA. 2012.

- ARCE Archaelogist and ARCE Preparatory Archaeology Field School Coordinator. John Shearman and Dr. Andrew Bednarski. 2012-2013. 

- Pottery and Object Drawing Instructor. TT110 Epigraphy and Research Field School (ERFS). Dr. JJ Shirley, Director and Mr. Will Schenck, Chief Epigrapher. 2016, 2018.

- Director, Scientific Centre for Archaeological Training and Continuing Research (SCATCR) for Upper Egypt. Luxor.

Mr. Hazem H. Shared - Project Manager, Director's Assistant

Mr. Hazem H. Shared is an archaeologist from Cairo, now living in Luxor. He graduated from Ain Shams University in Cairo, Egypt, with a BA in Egyptology and Archaeology (Very Good) from the Department of Art, Egyptology Section in July 2015. Mr. Shared has expertise in ceramic repairs and drawing, experience in epigraphy, small finds registration and excavation, and logistical organization for archaeological projects. In addition, he has provided translations for official reports of foreign archaeological missions.

Since 2014 Mr. Shared has been the Project Manager and Director's Assistant for the TT 110 Epigraphy and Research Field School.

Work Experience

- Epigrapher, Karnak Hypostyle Hall Project. Dr. Peter Brand, Director. 2013-2016.

-  Material Documentation, EES Theban Harbours and Waterscapes Survey (THAWS). Dr. Angus Graham, Director. 2014, 2016.
- Director's Assistant, Tomb of Amenmesse/KV63 Project. Dr. Salima Ikram, Director. 2014, 2017.
- Ceramic Assistant, TT 11 and TT 12, The Spanish Mission in Dra Abu El-Naga , Luxor. Dr. Jose Galan, Director. 2014-2017.
- Project Manager and Director's Assistant, TT110 Epigraphy and Research Field School (ERFS). Dr. JJ Shirley, Director and Mr. Will Schenck, Chief Epigrapher. 2014-present.

- Ceramic Assistant, Sa El-Hagar in the Delta, EES Project/Durham University. Dr. Penny Wilson, Director. 2015.
- Epigrapher. Middle Kingdom Thebes Tomb Project at Deir el-Bahari, Luxor. Dr. Antonio Morales, Director. 2015-2017.    
- Project Manager and Director's Assistant, Kom el-Hisn Project (KHPP). Dr. Leslie Ann Warden, Director. 2016. 

Mr. Sayed Mamdouh - Epigraphy Assistant

Mr. Sayed Mamdouh received his BA in Egyptology from the Department of Egyptology, Sohag University, in 2008. In 2017 he received his Masters from Sohag University, with a thesis on the hieratic ostraca from the Valley of the Kings. Mr. Mamdouh became an Antiquities Inspector working at The Ministry of State for Antiquities Affairs in 2009. From 2013-2017 he was employed by the American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE) as a Project Archaeologist.

In June 2012 Mr. Mamdouh presented a lecture at the Annual Symposium for Archaeologists, entitled "Qurnet Murei Excavations and the Search for the Lost Tombs," which is based on his current field project in TT382. Mr. Mamdouh received a scholarship to spend one month at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, in 2017 to facilitate the completion of his Masters Thesis. In 2018 he was granted an EES Centenary Award, which he will use to begin work on TT382.

Mr. Mamdouh joined the TT 110 field school project in 2014 as the Epigraphy Assistant to Mr. Will Schenck.

Select Work Experience

- Assistant Archaeologist. SCA Project in the Valley of the Kings. 2009.

- Student, AERA Salvage Archaeological Field School for the Luxor Mound. 2010.

- Supervisor. SCA mission to Qurnet Murei. 2010.

- AERA Field School Graduate. Graphics course for the Luxor Town Mound study season/field school. 2011.

- Project Archaeologist. ARCE. 2013-2017.

- Field Director. Excavation and Documentation Project in TT 382. 2013-present.

- Illustration Instructor. ARCE Field School in TT110. John Shearman and Dr. Andrew Bednarski. 2013.

- Assistant Epigrapher. TT110 Epigraphy and Research Field School (ERFS). Dr. JJ Shirley, Director and Mr. Will Schenck, Chief Epigrapher. 2014-present.

Mr. Marco Repole - Photogrammetry & 3D Creator

Mr. Marco Repole graduated in restoration and conservation from the Department of Architecture, University of Florence. He has been working for many years with the professors of the Survey and Restoration Laboratory at the University of Florence, assisting their research activities in Italy and abroad in the fields of restoration, 3D modeling, and digital survey. Mr. Repole has often worked as a freelance designer and photographer for companies that monitor and conserve artistic and architectural heritage.

Ms. Hilary McDonald - Photographer

Mr. Owen Murray - Photographer

Mr. Owen Murray is a Canadian photographer fascinated by anthropology, influenced by photojournalism and specializing in Cultural Heritage, Architecture, and Commercial Photography. Over the past 10 years Mr. Murray has had the opportunity to live and work in Egypt on various projects, aiding in the training, documentation, and research of Egypt’s vast cultural patrimony.