Jules Barthoux (also known as Jules Couyat) was working as a geologist for the Universal Suez Canal Company when he became fascinated with ancient Egypt. In 1911, accompanied by Pierre Montent, the men traveled to the Wâdi Hammâmât river-area to photograph the sprawling Hieroglyphics chiseled onto the rocks of the surrounding valley. The text recounted the mining work that had been completed in the area. It was the first time that these walls were photographed and the pair’s images were used to help translate the inscriptions. The photos were published a year later in the ground-breaking book, "The Hieratic and Hieroglyphic Inscriptions of Wadi Hammamat" (Les inscriptions hiéroglyphiques et hiératiques du Wâdi Hammâmât).