Located approximately 30 km south of Luxor, Gebelein is a historical site that has been explored by the Italian Archaeological Mission of the Egyptian Museum of Turin.

The mission has discovered some fascinating artefacts that are now preserved in museums. Gebelein has been inhabited since prehistoric times, and its long history extends until the Greco-Roman era. One of the most remarkable findings from the excavations of a predynastic tomb is a canvas painted with various representations. The linen canvas consists of four panels depicting scenes on the bank of the Nile, and can be dated between 3600 and 3350 BC. It could potentially be the oldest example of painting on canvas that has been preserved to date. Researchers from the CNR-INO have carried out a diagnostic campaign on this precious work, known as the Gebelein canvas. Ongoing investigations aim to study the support, particularly in terms of weaving and manufacturing. Researchers are also reconstructing the canvas’s topography in 3D and collecting data to reveal new information about this masterpiece from the Egyptian Museum of Turin.

The analyses were conducted as part of a MOLAB campaign by E-RIHS.it, the Italian research infrastructure on heritage sciences, led by CNR (www.e-rihs.it).