| Egyptian Journal of Archeological and Restoration Studies

Authors:
Tarek. A. ¹ , ² , Abdel-Kareem, O. ³ , Youssef, A. ⁴ & Abdel-Maksoud, G. ⁵ , ³ (*)

¹ Objects Conservation dept., Brooklyn Museum, USA.
² Human Remains Lab. & Organic Materials, Conservation Center, Grand Egyptian Museum, Giza, Egypt.
³ Organic Materials Conservation dept., Faculty of Archaeology, Cairo Univ., Giza, Egypt.
⁴ Packaging Materials dept., National Research Centre, Dokki, Giza, Egypt.
⁵ Heritage Science Programs, School of Humanities, Faculty of International Business & Humanities, Egypt-Japan Univ. of Science & Technology (E-JUST), New Borg El-Arab City, Alexandria, Egypt.

Abstract:
Sometimes, the various unsuitable environmental conditions in which papyrus is found in museums play an important role in its deterioration. This study aims to estimate the state of preservation of the Book of the Dead (No: JE: 95859) dating back to the Ptolemaic period, and it was held in various places before arriving at its current location in the Grand Egyptian Museum, Egypt. Specific conservation treatments were necessary to improve the properties of the papyrus. The analytical techniques used were digital Imaging, transmission Light, reflectance transformation imaging (RTI), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, hand-held X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (HH-XRF), and Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR). The conservation techniques used were cleaning, fixing the ink and pigments, facing, removing the old mounting, reassembling and lining, and drying/flattening. Detailed investigations revealed specific manufacturing characteristics including strip width variations of 1.5-2 cm, high-quality surface treatments, and evidence of the traditional right-over-left joining method. The study identified both structural advantages in the papyrus construction and deterioration patterns affecting fiber integrity. Analysis using EDX and XRF revealed the components of the ink (carbon ink), the red pigment (hematite), and the ground layer (calcium carbonate). Quantitative analysis showed carbon content of 19.15%, oxygen 62.06%, with trace elements including sodium (2.48%), magnesium (0.64%), aluminum (1.37%), and silicon (3.63%). SEM investigation showed some aspects of deterioration such as cracks and fiber shrinkage. The corrected FTIR analysis revealed that the peak at 1627 cm-1 represents surface water absorption in cellulose rather than carbonyl groups, indicating the papyrus retains significant moisture content. All the treatment methods mentioned above showed significant aesthetic improvement, and the placement of all the pieces of the studied papyrus in a sequential manner increased their attachment and strength.

Keywords:
Book of the Dead Ancient Egyptian funerary texts Hellenistic era Degradation Scientific analysis methods Preservation methods

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