Tenth International Congress of Egyptologists Abstracts of Papers

XICE – Abstract of Papers
In 2005, “The Egyptian-Japanese Mission for the Mastaba Idout” started the
conservation and restoration works of mural paintings of burial chamber of Idout,
Saqqara. The mastaba of Idout dates back to 2360 BC and it was discovered in 1927
by C.M. FIRTH.The mural painting is located at a subterranean burial chamber, which
was hewn in local hill of Saqqara area. The walls of the chamber were covered with
plaster layers of different thickness, depending on the quality and nature of stone
support. The paintings and plasters show many signs of severe degradation. Some
were fragmented and others were peeled off approximately one thirds when R.
MACRAMALLAH published this tomb in 1935. The degradation processes have been
accelerated since its discovery due to the effect of the surrounding environment
(variation of relative humidity and temperature, and rainfall) and the bad nature of the
bed rock (mother rock, as it was formed of marl and clay lime stone). The paintings
at the burial chamber are keeping the original character and shining of their colors till
now. Because the mural of Idout is one of the best beautiful of Pharaonic age and
because it is on the crisis of eternal loss due to the fragile mother rock, we have
decided to rescue it by using the “stacco” technique, i.e. detachment of mural
paintings.
Laboratory tests and investigations using different equipments as well as XRD,
XRF, SEM, petrographic study, I.R. spectrophotometry etc. were carried out in order
to identify the compositions and mineral constituents of pigments, plaster and stone
support as well as organic biding media, by which we recognize the painting
technique.We have looked for non health-hazardous materials and method for our
works. As our work was carried out at a close and narrow chamber located under
ground, which allowed little air to circulate through a small entrance of the chamber,
the synthetic solvents (Acetone or Toluene), common in this work, were limited to the
inevitable usage, and natural materials are preferred to them.
The main steps and processes of the restoration works, starting from the fixation
of paintings along their edge on the walls by using mortar free of salt, the
consolidation of the pigments by using Paraloid B-72, facing consisting of some
different layers by glue, detachment of the painted plaster layers by different kinds of
knifes, backing (some processes to the attachment on the new support), and the final
fixation of some fragments on their original supports. It is “facing” to prevent the
plaster itself from being cracked and broken into pieces during the detachment
process. Facing means consolidating some flexible materials on the surface of
painting plasters. Here, we used Japanese materials, i.e. some kinds of papers and
natural resin, the latter being called “Funori”, gloiopeltis glue, made of seaweed. It
can be notified that these materials are also “friendly” for the site itself. In 2007, we
completed the work of facing on the west, north and east walls. And we detached
almost all parts of west wall and some pieces of north and east walls in 2007.
Men on their knees, women with snakes: some aspects of gender and personal
religion at Deir el-Medîna
Deborah Sweeney
The workmen’s village at Deir el-Medîna is one of our main sources for personal
religion in the Ramesside Period. Like most documentation from ancient Egypt, the
record is dominated by the men of the community, alone or with their families. Most
of the sources relating to religion in the community were built, carved, drawn or
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