The Konosso-Ancient-Philae-Sehel-Channel-Project (Ko-PhA-SeC-Project) is an underwater epigraphic survey that centers around the inscriptions on the rocks of Konosso, which are currently submerged in the small reservoir of Aswan.

These inscriptions are within the historical Nubia-Egypt frontier, an area of high importance from the beginning of ancient Egyptian history. Some of these date from the time of Thutmosis IV and Amenhotep III (XVIIIth Dynasty), the climax of the pharaonic culture. Although the existence of these inscriptions is known in Egyptology, there has been little to no documentation of them prior to the flooding of the dam. They have been until the beginning of our project forever lost.

Within the same reservoir the Ancient Island of Philae sits south of Konosso, after the monuments were salvaged (1970s) from the island it has changed, we would like to see what has been left after the UNESCO Works.

In the original Cataract, the south-east channel of the Sehel Island will also be investigated to compare the measurements from the pharaonic records to that of the actual measurements.

All of the objectives of the project are situated within the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae.

The project is a cooperation between the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities of Egypt (MoTA), led by the Director of the General Department for Underwater Antiquities (GDUA) Islam Sliem and Égypte Nilotique et Méditerraneen (ENiM) of the Paul Valery Université Montpellier 3, associated member Dr. Cristian Craciun (Project Director) and The French Institute of Oriental Archeology of Cairo (IFAO). Dr. Annie Gasse (CNRS – UMR 5140, équipe ENiM) joins as deputy Director.