Mummy

Nickan Eriks <missvhe [at] excite__com> writes

>In our museum we are about to transport an Egyptian mummy for to be
>x-rayed. The linen bundles around the mummy are in a poor state,
>hanging in straps along the sides of the mummy below its cartonnage,
>and are therefore in need of conservation prior to transportation.

In August 2002 we encountered a similar problem at the University
Museum of Cultural Heritage in Oslo, Norway. The mummy had to be
conserved prior to transportation for X-ray/CT-scan and for
exhibition. In 1889 the mummy's wrapping  had been cut open for
examination of the mummy, and the front was exposed, from the throat
down to the knees. The resin impregnated linen bandages were stiff
and brittle and about to come off along the sides of the mummy. They
were fastened with pieces of kozo paper (18 g/m2) in between each
layer, adhered with rice starch adhesive.  The rice starch was made
into a dense gel that prevented it from being absorbed into the
textiles. Rice starch is stable, resistant to mold growth and
remains reversible in water forever.

Large pieces of the vertical shroud from the knees up to the hips
were replaced back to the original position and secured with a piece
of dyed silk crepelin. The silk crepelin was wrapped around the
thighs and stitched to form a tight-fitting cylinder. This way the
shroud was secured with minimal intervention and maximum
reversibility.

After conservation the mummy could be lifted and transported, and
will be on temporary display in the museum from April 2003.

Anne Haabu
Conservation intern
University Museum of Cultural Heritage
Oslo, Norway


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 16:54
                 Distributed: Thursday, March 27, 2003
                       Message Id: cdl-16-54-002
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