The Fate of Expatriate Temples: Ellesiya, Taffa, Dendur and Debod

Abstract

The Nubia Salvage Campaign involved the movement and relocation of temples and other archaeological remains on an unprecedented scale. Criteria and recommendations were established to ensure the integrity of the temples and their preservation, and to maintain as far as possible some link with the environment to which they belonged. Four temples were also selected for transfer to other countries. For the latter, conservation in museums was emphasised. This article examines how these criteria evolved and how the various countries that received Nubian temples responded to these criteria and recommendations and proceeded to reconstruct the monuments.