The Gurob Harem Palace Project

A collaborative international team of archaeologists led by the University of Liverpool , University of Copenhagen and University College London, studying the urban and funerary remains at the 'harem town' of Mer-wer at the site of Gurob (or Medinet el-Ghurob) in the southern Faiyum region of Egypt

What kind of site is Gurob, and how old is it?

The main area of settlement remains at the site can be clearly identified as the remains of an independent establishment relating to royal women (a 'harem-palace'), founded in the reign of Thutmose III (1479-1425 BC) and occupied throughout the rest of the 18th Dynasty and presumably also for at least part of the Ramesside period. The inscriptions on stelae, papyri and various other inscribed artefacts from the main buildings at the site repeatedly include the titles of officials connected with the royal harem of Mer-wer. There was evidently a similar establishment at Memphis, but that site has not survived.

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What are the main aims of the Gurob Harem Palace Project?

Hannah Pethen and Sarah Doherty surveying with a total station




Auger boring within the Palace excavation 2010

How long have we been working at Gurob?

Since 2005 we have undertaken annual seasons of archaeological work at Gurob.

See fieldwork reports for each of our annual seasons at Gurob.










How can you help?

Jan Picton drawing and registering small findsBy becoming a member of the Gurob Harem Palace Project.