The Brown University/University of Toronto U2 Aerial Photography of Egypt Project is digitizing a series of recently declassified reconnaissance photographs that documented parts of the Nile Delta and Nile Valley in 1959. Shot by U2 spy planes during the Cold War, this imagery provides higher resolution images than any currently available (for instance the CORONA satellite imagery) for much of the area covered, and shows the landscape prior to the construction of the Aswan High Dam. These images provide an invaluable view of a landscape prior to the extensive expansion of agriculture and urban development in Egypt that has significantly altered the ability to see earlier material remains. For archaeologists interested in landscape studies or tracing settlement patterns, these aerial photos have significant potential to offer valuable insights. For researchers seeking to identify damaged or threatened cultural heritage sites the U2 imagery will be a valuable tool to support a variety of research efforts across and beyond the Egyptological community. We make these images publicly available in high resolution via a website and a digital repository that practices the highest standards of digital maintenance, in hopes that this resource will be useful for the long term. The U2 imagery is free to use, including to download and publish with citation, for all who are interested.

The project is ongoing. Currently about 40 images are available in the Brown Digital Repository. As more are digitized and as georeferencing proceeds, the map interface of this website will allow users to find which areas of Egypt are available to see in the high resolution images.