The vast and rocky deserts of the Eastern Desert of Sudan, known as the ‘Atbai,’ is the heartland of ancient nomads called the Medjay, Blemmyes, and Beja in various historical documents. The desert was also the source of much gold for Egypt and Nubia, making it of vital importance to the Egyptian and Kushite states. Despite this importance, very little archaeological exploration has been undertaken in this desert. Little is known of the nature of foreign incursions in this area nor the archaeology of the indigenous inhabitants. As part of a program aiming to uncover the local archaeology of this region, a new fieldwork survey of the region began in 2018 largely designed to record archaeological sites under threat from modern activities. This presentation will showcase the history of this desert and the discoveries of the Atbai Survey.