In the latter part of the 1950s, the Egyptian government, led by Gamal Abdel Nasser, in collaboration with the Soviet Union, initiated preparations for the construction of one of the most daring infrastructure projects of its time, the Aswan High Dam. This project, vital for Egypt’s ongoing economic development, also carried a spectrum of adverse effects. The impoundment of the Nile led to the creation of Nasser’s Lake, then the largest artificial reservoir, on the southern side of the dam. The swelling waters posed a threat not only to numerous Nubian settlements but also to the invaluable archaeological sites of ancient Nubia. UNESCO’s alertness to this impending cultural loss led to the decision, in December 1959, to launch an internationally coordinated effort to safeguard these historic treasures.

This UNESCO-led initiative propelled a rapid organizational response to counteract the rising Nile waters, slated to inundate numerous archaeological sites within three years of the dam’s construction. Yugoslavia swiftly joined this global endeavor, among the first to pledge support. Its involvement, alongside that of 49 other nations, spanned various roles, including technical assistance and professional contributions at the UNESCO Documentation Center in Cairo. Notably, Yugoslavia played an important role in recording, conserving, and restoring Christian paintings between 1963 and 1964 at the sites of Wadi es-Sebui (Egypt), Abu Hodah (Egypt), Abdullah Nirgi (Egypt), and Sheikh Abd el-Ghadir (Sudan).

Yugoslavia’s participation in the UNESCO rescue campaign coincided with the zenith of Yugoslav-Egyptian relations, marked by collaboration in global politics and the hosting of the inaugural Non-Aligned Movement conference in Belgrade in 1961. Despite its active involvement in the UNESCO initiative, Yugoslavia’s focus solely on rescuing the Coptic wall-paintings in the campaign seems somewhat unexpected, particularly considering its close and amicable ties with Egypt. The following analysis draws upon archival materials related to the Yugoslav expedition to Nubia from 1963 to 1964, with a specific focus on the organizational aspects of this significant undertaking.