Conservation of Severely Deteriorated, Dry Painted Wood: A Case Study From Abydos, Egypt

Severely deteriorated wood statues dating to the later third millennium BCE and excavated at Abydos, Egypt, were investigated to learn about their original manufacture, subsequent deterioration, and to develop a conservation treatment plan. Because Egypt restricts the sampling and export of archaeological materials, scientists and conservators conducted non-destructive analysis and engaged in empirical testing of potential treatments at the Abydos field site. The wood substrate was examined microscopically to determine wood species and to understand damage by insects and fungi, and fungi were cultured for identification. Decorative surfaces were studied to identify pigments and binding media; elemental compositions were analyzed with portable XRF, mid-infrared spectra were collected using a small spectrometer, and several wet chemical tests were performed. Notable results include the likely use of orpiment on artifacts dating to the Old Kingdom and the identification of a wide variety of wood types within a discrete archaeological context and, probably, in single objects. Conservation treatment testing focused on choosing consolidants and fill materials for the highly degraded wood substrate and friable paint layer. Two case studies present the successful treatment of the two largest and most elaborately decorated statues from the time of excavation to readiness for display.