Scientific investigation by technical photography, OM, ESEM, XRF, XRD and FTIR of an ancient Egyptian polychrome wooden coffin

The focus of this study is to use a multi-analytical approach to map and identify the pigments used on a polychrome wooden coffin (Late Period), as well as to provide a deeper understanding of the painting techniques and the condition of the object. Moreover, the authors are significantly interested...

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Main Authors: Ahmed Abdrabou, Medhat Abdallah, Hussein M. Kamal
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Associação Profissional de Conservadores - Restauradores de Portugal 2017-01-01
Series:Conservar Património
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.14568/cp2017008
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spelling doaj-6e732b41d64449c79255463eea7712862020-11-24T23:28:48ZengAssociação Profissional de Conservadores - Restauradores de PortugalConservar Património1646-043X2182-99422017-01-0126516310.14568/cp20170082017008Scientific investigation by technical photography, OM, ESEM, XRF, XRD and FTIR of an ancient Egyptian polychrome wooden coffinAhmed Abdrabou0Medhat Abdallah1Hussein M. Kamal2Wood laboratory, Grand Egyptian Museum - Conservation Centre, Ministry of Antiquities, Giza, EgyptWood laboratory, Grand Egyptian Museum - Conservation Centre, Ministry of Antiquities, Giza, EgyptWood laboratory, Grand Egyptian Museum - Conservation Centre, Ministry of Antiquities, Giza, EgyptThe focus of this study is to use a multi-analytical approach to map and identify the pigments used on a polychrome wooden coffin (Late Period), as well as to provide a deeper understanding of the painting techniques and the condition of the object. Moreover, the authors are significantly interested in the identification of the wood species. These were identified by observing the thin sections of samples under an optical transmission light microscope; the painted materials layered on the wood surface were analyzed by several scientific and analytical methods. Furthermore, the previous consolidation material and salts were also identified. The application of technical photography provided useful information about the spatial distribution of the surviving original pigments and the materials used in previous restoration interventions, in particular visible-induced luminescence, which played an important role to recognize spatial distribution of areas containing Egyptian blue, even if it is in traces or mixed with other pigments. However complete characterization of the pigments was only possible with the use of other techniques.https://doi.org/10.14568/cp2017008Polychrome wooden coffinWood speciesTechnical photographyEgyptian blue
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Ahmed Abdrabou
Medhat Abdallah
Hussein M. Kamal
spellingShingle Ahmed Abdrabou
Medhat Abdallah
Hussein M. Kamal
Scientific investigation by technical photography, OM, ESEM, XRF, XRD and FTIR of an ancient Egyptian polychrome wooden coffin
Conservar Património
Polychrome wooden coffin
Wood species
Technical photography
Egyptian blue
author_facet Ahmed Abdrabou
Medhat Abdallah
Hussein M. Kamal
author_sort Ahmed Abdrabou
title Scientific investigation by technical photography, OM, ESEM, XRF, XRD and FTIR of an ancient Egyptian polychrome wooden coffin
title_short Scientific investigation by technical photography, OM, ESEM, XRF, XRD and FTIR of an ancient Egyptian polychrome wooden coffin
title_full Scientific investigation by technical photography, OM, ESEM, XRF, XRD and FTIR of an ancient Egyptian polychrome wooden coffin
title_fullStr Scientific investigation by technical photography, OM, ESEM, XRF, XRD and FTIR of an ancient Egyptian polychrome wooden coffin
title_full_unstemmed Scientific investigation by technical photography, OM, ESEM, XRF, XRD and FTIR of an ancient Egyptian polychrome wooden coffin
title_sort scientific investigation by technical photography, om, esem, xrf, xrd and ftir of an ancient egyptian polychrome wooden coffin
publisher Associação Profissional de Conservadores - Restauradores de Portugal
series Conservar Património
issn 1646-043X
2182-9942
publishDate 2017-01-01
description The focus of this study is to use a multi-analytical approach to map and identify the pigments used on a polychrome wooden coffin (Late Period), as well as to provide a deeper understanding of the painting techniques and the condition of the object. Moreover, the authors are significantly interested in the identification of the wood species. These were identified by observing the thin sections of samples under an optical transmission light microscope; the painted materials layered on the wood surface were analyzed by several scientific and analytical methods. Furthermore, the previous consolidation material and salts were also identified. The application of technical photography provided useful information about the spatial distribution of the surviving original pigments and the materials used in previous restoration interventions, in particular visible-induced luminescence, which played an important role to recognize spatial distribution of areas containing Egyptian blue, even if it is in traces or mixed with other pigments. However complete characterization of the pigments was only possible with the use of other techniques.
topic Polychrome wooden coffin
Wood species
Technical photography
Egyptian blue
url https://doi.org/10.14568/cp2017008
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AT husseinmkamal scientificinvestigationbytechnicalphotographyomesemxrfxrdandftirofanancientegyptianpolychromewoodencoffin
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