Maria Nilsson

Maria Nilsson lives and breathes archaeology and research and is truly passionate about her work. In 2012, after completing her Ph.D. and during revolutionary times in Egypt, she started the Gebel el-Silsila Project. It is the only Swedish-led archaeological mission in Egypt, spanning over 30 square kilometers and 10,000 years of human activity and involving more than 100 people. Nilsson is responsible for seeking funding for the fieldwork and reports to the Ministry of Antiquities. She lived in Egypt for over a decade and is now based in Sweden but travels to the site for several months a year with her husband/research partner and children. Nilsson works to promote and preserve the site; trains local workmen and ministerial inspectors; and makes appearances on international TV, radio, social media, and in print. She has written two books, ten peer-reviewed book chapters, 12 peer-reviewed articles, five scientific reports, and 16 popular scientific articles. She has also presented results at over 25 international conferences or symposia. Within an extensive international network spanning several fields, Nilsson has established herself in the research of Egyptian queens, the iconography of crowns, quarry marks and ancient graffiti, Egyptian quarries, and the overall site of Gebel el-Silsila.