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Even in the best of times, archaeological excavations involve dangerously fragile artifacts and structures. KV5 is no exception, and for this reason the Theban Mapping Project employs a conservator to assess and maintain the stability of the tomb and its objects. Lotfi Khaled Hassan has been the conservator for the TMP since early 1996. Lotfi's job is to restore the wall paintings and artifacts in KV 5, by removing dirt and salt with brushes, scalpels and chemicals, thereby consolidating them to ensure their survival. Lotfi's work has allowed us to see scenes on the walls more clearly and to study the artifacts without fear of their destruction. Currently, he is assessing the condition of KV 14 in preparation for the TMP's installation of a complete system of climate control.
Lotfi grew up in Cairo and attended Cairo University, where he received his bachelor's degree from the Department of Conservation and Restoration in the Faculty of Archaeology. From 1982 to 1988 Lotfi was a conservator for the Egyptian Antiquities Organization, working on various projects including the Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo and the famous tomb of Queen Nefertari in the Valley of the Queens.
In 1989, Lotfi was the recipient of a scholarship from the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) in collaboration with the Institute of Restoration in Rome for a special course in the conservation of wall paintings. In 1995 he attended the certification course for conservation organized by ICCROM/UNESCO in Venice. Since completing his coursework, Lotfi has been a freelance professional conservator in Rome at such sites as the Forum, the Colosseum, and the Spanish Steps. He has also worked on the conservation of paintings and stone in France. In Luxor, in addition to his work for the TMP, Lotfi is working with the University of Chicago at Madinet Habu.
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