He is best known for being part of Howard Carter's team at the excavation of Tutankhamun's tomb, analysing and conserving many of the finds, but he was also a pioneer in the wider fields of artifact preservation and forensic science.

[1] When in November 1922 the archaeologist Howard Carter discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun with its contents largely intact, the Egyptian authorities agreed to loan Lucas to the excavation.

[1] To enable him to undertake this work, a makeshift laboratory was set up in the nearby empty tomb of Seti II,[10] with Lucas, assisted by Arthur Mace, assessing, cleaning and – if necessary – repairing each object to ensure safe transport to the Cairo Museum.

[12]Given the heat of the tomb, work was undertaken over the winter, with Lucas spending much of the remainder of his time in Cairo performing chemical analysis and preparing objects for exhibition.

[5] During the Second World War, he helped in the work to safeguard the objects in the Cairo Museum,[1] and gave lectures and published information booklets for British forces in Egypt.

[5] Lucas published numerous books, papers and articles on his research findings, including subjects relating to the Egypt of his time and the preservation of ancient Egyptian materials, drawing on his work in Tutankhamen's tomb.

His books on both artifact conservation and forensic chemistry proved influential and helped develop these fields as professions, some remaining in print many years after his death.