Decorated Surfaces on Ancient Egyptian Objects

International experts explore the conservation of decorated ancient Egyptian objects, focusing on complex surfaces such as polychrome wood, painted textiles, coloured basketry, and patinated metals. Covering past and present treatment approaches, the book includes technical studies, case reports, and innovative conservation solutions. It also addresses ethical and practical challenges related to preservation, storage, and display. Essential reading for conservators, curators, and researchers, it offers authoritative insights into the care of Egypt’s fragile material heritage.

From monumental tomb paintings to delicate ivories, ancient Egyptian objects are some of the most complex and fragile encountered by archaeologists, curators and conservators. Those who examine, analyse and treat them face a number of practical and ethical challenges. This volume of papers, by an international group of experts, focuses on decorated surfaces including polychrome wood, coloured basketry, patinated metal and painted textile. Aspects of technology, investigation and treatment are examined, as well as broader issues of preservation, storage and display. A comprehensive review of past and current treatments for organic objects is followed by thought provoking case studies, technical surveys and innovative solutions to conservation problems. Wide-ranging, authoritative and accessible, this book is essential reading for anyone concerned with the study and care of ancient Egyptian objects. Proceedings of a conference held in Cambridge, UK on 7-8 September 2007

Forward and acknowledgements

Observations on the preparation layers found on ancient Egyptian decorated coffins in the Michael C. Carlos Museum

Renee A. Stein and Peter Lacovara

Lead cladding on a wooden royal figure: an unusual ancient surface reconstructed

Ann Heywood

Investigation and analysis of three gilded wood samples from the tomb of Tutankhamun

Mai M. Rifai and Nesrin M.N. El Hadidi

Egyptian colours and pigments in French collections: 30 years of physicochemical analyses on 300 objects

Sandrine Pages-Camagna and Helene Guichard

Greener shades of pale: a review of advances in the characterisation of ancient Egyptian green pigments

David A. Scott

Patina and polychromy: reconstructing some technical histories for small Egyptian bronze sculpture in the British Museum

Fleur Shearman

Computed tomography and X-radiography of a coffin from Dynasty 21/22

Phil Parkes and David Watkinson

The conservation of decorated organic Egyptian surfaces: a literature review

Susanne Gansicke

Selected case studies in the treatment and preservation of Middle Kingdom polychrome wood in the collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Pamela Hatchfield and Gwynne Ryan

Ancient Egyptian basketry: investigation, conservation and colour

Barbara Wills and Marei Hacke

Treatment of a Dynasty 18 painted coffin, 37.47E a-e (Abbott Collection 405A)

Hiroko Kariya, Lisa Bruno, Jakki Godfrey and Tina March

Roman Egyptian gilded cartonnage: technical study and conservation of a mummy mask from Hawara

Sophie Rowe, Ruth Siddall and Rebecca Stacey

Deterioration and damage on encaustic mummy portraits

Lin Rosa SpaabAek

The conservation treatment of the Roman Egyptian paintings in the Hearst Museum of Anthropology, University of California, Berkeley

Jane Williams

The new life of Crispina: scientific analyses and conservation of an Egyptian painted shroud of the Roman period

Sandrine Pages-Camagna, Helene Guichard, Roberta Cortopassi, Claire Bergeaud, Elsa Vigouroux-Gaillard and Marie-France Aubert

Material investigations of the J. Paul Getty Museum's red-shroud mummy

Marie Svoboda and Marc Walton

Issues in the display of Egyptian decorated material

Veronika Vlkova Antoniou

Emergency stabilisation and removal of the termite-damaged coffins found in Tomb KV-63, Valley of the Kings, Luxor

Nadia Lokma

Poster abstracts

Appendix: Chronology,

Forward and acknowledgements

Observations on the preparation layers found on ancient Egyptian decorated coffins in the Michael C. Carlos Museum

Renee A. Stein and Peter Lacovara

Lead cladding on a wooden royal figure: an unusual ancient surface reconstructed

Ann Heywood

Investigation and analysis of three gilded wood samples from the tomb of Tutankhamun

Mai M. Rifai and Nesrin M.N. El Hadidi

Egyptian colours and pigments in French collections: 30 years of physicochemical analyses on 300 objects

Sandrine Pages-Camagna and Helene Guichard

Greener shades of pale: a review of advances in the characterisation of ancient Egyptian green pigments

David A. Scott

Patina and polychromy: reconstructing some technical histories for small Egyptian bronze sculpture in the British Museum

Fleur Shearman

Computed tomography and X-radiography of a coffin from Dynasty 21/22

Phil Parkes and David Watkinson

The conservation of decorated organic Egyptian surfaces: a literature review

Susanne Gansicke

Selected case studies in the treatment and preservation of Middle Kingdom polychrome wood in the collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Pamela Hatchfield and Gwynne Ryan

Ancient Egyptian basketry: investigation, conservation and colour

Barbara Wills and Marei Hacke

Treatment of a Dynasty 18 painted coffin, 37.47E a-e (Abbott Collection 405A)

Hiroko Kariya, Lisa Bruno, Jakki Godfrey and Tina March

Roman Egyptian gilded cartonnage: technical study and conservation of a mummy mask from Hawara

Sophie Rowe, Ruth Siddall and Rebecca Stacey

Deterioration and damage on encaustic mummy portraits

Lin Rosa Spaabæk

The conservation treatment of the Roman Egyptian paintings in the Hearst Museum of Anthropology, University of California, Berkeley

Jane Williams

The new life of Crispina: scientific analyses and conservation of an Egyptian painted shroud of the Roman period

Sandrine Pages-Camagna, Helene Guichard, Roberta Cortopassi, Claire Bergeaud, Elsa Vigouroux-Gaillard and Marie-France Aubert

Material investigations of the J. Paul Getty Museum's red-shroud mummy

Marie Svoboda and Marc Walton

Issues in the display of Egyptian decorated material

Veronika Vlkova Antoniou

Emergency stabilisation and removal of the termite-damaged coffins found in Tomb KV-63, Valley of the Kings, Luxor

Nadia Lokma

Poster abstracts

Appendix: Chronology

• Edited by J. Dawson
• Edited by Christina Rozeik
• Edited by M.M. Wright