An Ancient Egyptian Cartonnage Broad Collar
TECHNICAL EXAMINATION OF PIGMENTS AND BINDING MEDIA
David A. Scott, Lynn Swartz Dodd,Junko Furihata, Satoko Tanimoto,Joy Keeney, Michael R.
Schilling and Elizabeth Cowan
An ancient Egyptian cartonnage fragment with polychrome decoration was examined to
characterize pigments, binder and construction. The fragment, from a broad collar, was
radiocarbon-dated to 512—351 BC. The cartonnage is made on a double layer of plain weave
linen, the ground being a mixture of calcite and huntite. The pigment colours employed were red,
yellow, blue, white, black and green. Red was identified as cinnabar, yellow as orpiment, blue as
Egyptian blue, white as lead white and black as charcoal black. Green is now present as an
organic copper carbohydrate or proteinate green. The binding medium in the yellow areas was
identified as gum arabic. A glue was used in the green areas, although the green pigment also
contains some protein, while the binder in the black paint was a mixture of glue and oil. The use of
mixed media as a binder on cartonnage has therefore been identified for the first time. An
unidentified yellow glaze was also used.
INTRODUCTION
This paper continues with the theme of the technical examination of some fragments of Egyptian
cartonnage from the Archaeological Research Collection in the School of Religion, University of
Southern California (USC 9429). A paper describing a different cartonnage fragment from the same
collection has already been published. The technical details of the analytical methods employed in
the present study are the same as those used in that paper [1], to which the reader is referred for
further information concerning this aspect of the research.
The cartonnage fragment (Figures 1 and 2), of unknown provenance, appears as a flat sheet of
plaster with a double layer of plain weave linen backing, about 2.1 mm thick in total. X-ray
fluorescence, polarized light microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis showed it to consist of two
plain weave layers, covered with a calcite coating on one side only, effectively constituting
the ground layer (Figure 3). A similar type of structure was found by Seiler [2] who conserved a
painted mummy mask, damaged during the Second World War, made of multiple layers of linen
covered by a chalk base. This mask was later conserved by consolidation using poly(vinyl butyral)
in ethanol. Although an effective consolidation, this conservation treatment would render the
subsequent determination of any binding media very difficult, and could potentially interfere with
attempts at radiocarbon dating. These are important factors in relation to the study reported here,
since the binding media used are both difficult to determine and varied in origin.
SURFACE EXAMINATION AND DESCRIPTION
The cartonnage fragment is a portion of an openwork broad collar painted with multiple rows of
differently shaped beads and pendant beads, over a depiction of a net that lies on a reddish
background. Such broad collars are known as wesekh [3]. These openwork collars normally appear
on the upper chest area of the wearer. Doth painted representations (as in the USC example) and
Figure 1 Overall view of cartonnage fragment.
Figure 2 Overall view of cartonnage fragmen't (reverse side).
real examples made of beads alone or in combination with other materials are known, such as the
beaded net and wesckh collar of Hekaemsafs mummy from the later 26th Dynasty in the Cairo
Museum [4]. Another example of a wesekh collar in the Cairo Museum [5] is made of stone, in the
same three colours as appear as the background colours behind the beads and pendants on the USC
example: red, light green and dark blue. In the Cairo example, these three colours are created by the
natural hue of the stones: carnelian (red), lapis lazuli (dark blue) and amazonite/feldspar (light
green), whereas they are created by painted pigment in the USC example.
The use of cartonnage material was prevalent during the last half of the first millennium BC,
especially in the Ptolemaic and Roman periods, whereas wooden coffins dominated earlier. Within
the corpus of Late Period cartonnage, in which the care in execution varies considerably, the USC
example may be characterized as a fairly high quality representation. There is an example of a
broad collar with a net visible beneath in the British Museum [6] on a wooden inner coffin of the
Lybian Pasenhor, from the 22nd Dynasty, c. 850 BC. In this instance, the net is schematically
presented with single criss-crossing lines indicating the knotted netting. In contrast, on the USC
fragment, each knot is carefully painted, attached to a string which is no mere line; instead, the
volume of the string used for the netting is rendered. This modelling gives an impression of realism
that would be less characteristic of renderings dating before the Ptolemaic period. The collar and
net combination is also seen in the 26th Dynasty coffin of Ta'awa at the Rosicrucian Museum.
Another example of a more carefully depicted net exists on the late Ptolemaic or early Roman
coffin of an unnamed man found in 1896 in a tomb at Akhmim near Sohag, now in the British
Museum [7]. The net in this British Museum example is coarser and larger than the net on the USC
example: however, both pieces show a desire to render the netting in a naturalistic manner. The
netting and the knots of the British Museum example are somewhat exaggerated, larger than life,
and the artist is not making any attempt to represent natural scale or real shading, as is the case in
the USC example. The execution on the USC example is finer than the late Ptolemaic/early Roman
example from Akhmim, and much more naturalistically rendered than the far earlier Pasenhor
example. The swelling of the net between the knot junctions is slightly closer to the net on a
mummy mask of unknown provenance, dated stylistically to the late Ptolemaic/early Roman period
[8]. Thus, in terms of the general typological position of the USC example,
Figure 3 Cross-section of cartonnage showing double layer of linen support for the principal
calcite ground.
it lies between the latest and the earliest versions. If a typological development is assumed, then this
may be an indication that the USC example should be placed somewhere between the 26th Dynasty
and the late Ptolemaic period.
These painted broad collars and nets could also continue around to the back of the coffin, as seen in
the cartonnage inner coffin of Djedameniufankh from the Late Period after 800 BC [3, fig. 54], and
so it is not possible to determine with certainty from exactly where on a mummy case or mask the
USC fragment was derived. The type of broad collar represented on the USC piece is a design that
continues through the Ptolemaic period as, for example, on the inner coffin of Djedhor from
Akhmim in the British Museum [3, p. 49, tig. 59]. The USC example is clearly curving, as if the
preserved section came from a cartonnage in which the broad collar was depicted extending across
the chest. This contrasts with numerous examples of beaded collars in the centre panel of mummy
masks from the late Ptolemaic and Roman periods. In these mummy masks, the multiple rows of
beads generally appear as parallel straight lines, rather than parallel curving lines.
Such a depiction of the straight beaded panel located above the curving broad collar is found in an
example in the Louvre from Tuna el-Gebel, made of painted wood [9]. This collar is more elaborate
than the USC collar, and has rosettes with ruffled edges, in contrast to the simpler, schematic, round
white circle of the USC example. In another instance, on an anthropoid plastered and painted coffin
dating to the Ptolemaic period, sent to Grenoble in 1809 [10], the straight panel of beaded rows is
depicted between the two sides of the wig. Below this is a panel of gods in procession and, lower
still, a broad collar with more than 10 curved, beaded rows. Of interest in this example is the
execution of the pendants and beads in the curving broad collar, which is similar to the USC
example. For instance, both have round white beads in one row, possibly representing highly
stylized rosettes. The level of detail and schematic rendering of the other bead types is also similar.
Another mummy mask, that lacks the curving broad collar, also has a very similar rendering of the
beaded rows. This example is on a mummy mask that has a gilded face with the broad collar
showing between the halves of the wig as they fall past the shoulders. The detail of the triangular
blossom is similar to a British Museum example from the late Ptolemaic period found in Abydos
(EA 51146). The other aspects of the rendering of the pendant beads on the Abydos mummy mask
are less similar to the USC example than is the stylized rendering of a mummy mask in the Kelsey
Museum, dating to the late Ptolemaic period [11].
The colour scheme that includes dark red, white and yellow, as seen on the USC fragment, is
attested in numerous examples from the New Kingdom through the Ptolemaic period, although the
colour scheme is most common from the 22nd Dynasty through the later Ptolemaic period. Thus,
the colour palette of this cartonnage fragment is less useful for purposes of dating by stylistic
criteria. Very closely comparable examples of the combination ot elements seen in the openwork
broad collar on the USC piece have been dated to the Ptolemaic period, and also some that date to
the earlier Roman period. These include a late Ptolemaic cartonnage of a man named Wahpare from
Tuna el-Gebel, in the Louvre [9].
A dating attribution to the last half of the first millennium BC is possible for this object, although the
most directly comparable pieces fall very late in this range, specifically in the Ptolemaic period,
from approximately the later fourth through the first century BC. Certain comparable examples are
found in the later Ptolemaic and earlier Roman period, generally lacking the depiction of the net
altogether, or with a lesser degree of naturalism in the net or detail in the colours of the beading and
the backgrounds than displayed in the USC example.
THE DESIGN
Infrared reflectography showed that the black lines outlining the design areas of the surface
effectively constitute the underdrawing, no other features being observed in the reflectogram. The
design has been applied as five motifs following this outline, as can be seen in Figure 1:
1 An area of leaf design in red and pale green. The design of the leaves was drawn using a black
pigment, filled in with pale green. The background to this design is painted red.
2 A circular design with white, yellow and dark blue. There appears to be a difference between
the creamy white of the ground and the pure, powdery white within the circle design. There are two
types of circle design: alternating circles are white with a black line surround, and the other is a
yellow-coloured circle, with dark blue surround.
3 A triangular design in red, yellow, green and dark blue. This section has five colours: dark
blue, yellow, red, pale green and dark green. The upper triangle was filled in green: the upper layer
is dark green and the bottom layer pale green. The lower triangles are filled with red and dark blue,
separated by a yellow line. The colour of the ground under the blue is creamy-white, while under
the red it is a pure white.
4 A circular tear-drop design in red, dark blue and pale blue. A mixture of pigments has been used
in this area: red, yellow, pale blue, dark blue and black. The dark blue area has a multilayered
structure. The lower layer was drawn in black line, followed by yellow, over which the dark blue
and pale blue are painted.
5 A lattice design in red, pale blue and yellow, also making use of mixed pigments in different tones
of red. A thick application of yellow has been used to fill in the circular design, while in between,
blue has been used sporadically. Pale blue was made from a mixture of white and blue, after which
a black outline was drawn in.
The band of each motif is separated with lines. In order from 1—5 these are yellow, pale blue,
yellow and black. There are black lines visible under some of the pigmented areas, representing the
underdrawing.
Some of these paint layers have developed a craquelure, particularly in the red and dark yellow
pigmented areas, where some loss of the painted surface has occurred, revealing the white ground,
as shown in Figure 4 for the red paint layer. Bucklow f12| has discussed an epidemiological
approach to the description of craquelure. employing seven descriptive variables.
Application of this terminology allows the following observations to be categorized for the red paint
on the cartonnage: the prominent direction and orientation of the cracks appear isotropic; the
changes in direction are jagged; the distance between the cracks is moderate; all cracks are of
uniform thickness with no secondary cracks present; the crack network is connected and the
orientation of the cracks is random.
These observations also apply to the light green and dark green painted areas, where there has also
been some loss of the pigmented surfaces from the ground, although in localized areas there is no
pronounced craquelure, as Figure 5 illustrates. Certain colours have not developed a craquelure. For
example, the Egyptian blue areas arc painted in a thick application of paint incorporating pigment
particles several microns across; although partially discoloured to a light grey, these areas have not
developed any craquelure.
ANALYSIS OF PIGMENTS AND BINDING MEDIA
Red
Most of the red paints used in ancient Egypt were red ochre but in this cartonnage evidence for
cinnabar was found. All red particles were pleochroic, with a refractive index greater than 1.66. Xray fluorescence analysis (XRF) showed the presence of mercury and X-ray diffraction (XRD)
confirmed the presence of cinnabar, as shown in Figure 6. Quirke [13J found a pink-red paint
consisting of vermilion on a late Ptolemaic or early Roman papyrus (BM EA 9916), which is a
comparatively rare occurrence and suggests that cinnabar only
Figure 4 Craquelure of the red paint showing island morphology.
Figure 5 Green and dark green paint from area 3.
Figure 6 XRD analysis for cartonnage red, identified as cinnabar (ICDD: 06-0256).
came into use in the later Egyptian periods, consistent with the probable late date of this example.
Yellow
The yellow particles examined were taken from sections 2 and 3; all were identified as orpiment.
The yellow-brown lines between some areas of the design are also painted with orpiment. Under the
microscope, strongly birefringent particles could be seen with internal cleavage planes, of refractive
index greater than 1.662. XRF confirmed the presence of arsenic, but the material was so dilute that
it proved impossible to obtain an X-ray diffraction confirmation. Spurrell [14] noted that this
pigment became commonly employed after the 18th Dynasty. Lee and Quirke [15] confirmed this,
finding orpiment or pararealgar with iron oxide red used on an early 18th Dynasty papyrus.
Blue
All dark blue particles were identified as Egyptian blue. Under the microscope they were found to
be birefringent and to have a refractive index lower than 1.66. The pigment particles show a good
pink coloration under the Chelsea filter. Environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM)
examination showed the elemental components to be calcium, copper, silicon and oxygen. Calcite
and lead white are present as minor components in some areas of this blue paint. The pale blue used
in area 4 was shown to be a mixture of Egyptian blue and calcite.
White
The white areas of the cartonnage consist of the ground, which is principally of calcite with some
huntite, with a little quartz, as shown in Figure 7. The circular white
Figure 7 XRD analysis lor cartonnage white ground. USC 9429. Area 2 showing huntite, calcite
and quartz (ICDD: 84-0820, 24-0027 and 33-1161, respectively).
design elements are painted in lead white over this ground layer, and were revealed by the high lead
peaks in the genera] XRF examination that was carried out. The presence of a lead white pigment
was confirmed by the examination of a small sample of white under the polarized light microscope.
The particles were amsotropic and precipitated, oval or round, small bright particles, showing high
relief and anomalous white birefringence under crossed polars, typical for hydrocerussite. A
GADDS X-ray diffraction analysis of a pigment micro-sample showed a good match to ICDD 130131, hydrocerussite. The same pigment was identified on the Graeco-Roman cartonnage
previously reported [1|, radiocarbon-dated to between 386 BC and AD 34. Since hydrocerussite was
well known in the Roman world, the presence of the pigment here would normally lead one to
suspect a later date of manufacture; Sack et al. [16], for example, found lead white on an Egyptian
painting on canvas from the third-fourth century AD.
Black
The black pigment was identified as a charcoal black. Under the microscope the particles were
opaque and angular, typical for charcoal. This black pigment was popular in all periods and was
found by Borchardt [17], mixed with wax as a binding medium, on the head of Nefertiti. Laurie [18]
found that a black pigment of the 19th Dynasty was powdered charcoal, as was a specimen of late
date. Lamp black was reported in the early Predynastic period on a gesso—linen object by Mond
and Myers [19].
Green
It is difficult to decide if there are two green paints used in the triangular green design of area 3, or
whether the lighter green interior and apparently darker green surround of these elements is only
due to the selective retention of the thicker green paint, the majority of which has exfoliated from
the interior regions of the triangular design. This might create the impression that there were two
different greens used in this area. On more detailed study, the latter would appear to be the case,
and therefore the lighter green within the triangular designs occurs largely as a result of the organic
copper-containing green being partially absorbed by the ground.
The green from this cartonnage provided another example of an organic copper-containing green,
optically similar to that first reported during a previous examination of a cartonnage fragment from
the USC collections [1|, and which was also difficult to identify. The green particles have a
refractive index of less than 1.662, they are isotropic or nearly isotropic, were shown to contain
copper by microscanmng XRF spectroscopy [20], and appear similar in morphology to mounted
preparations of discoloured copper resinate paints from the Renaissance. A representative set of
elemental maps is shown in Figure 8, and the presence of copper in the individual pigment grains
was confirmed by environmental scanning electron microscopy.
There is a different colour from section 4 of the design, which may have been originally green, as it
consists of a faded Egyptian blue and a yellow organic glaze-like material which was not identified
during this study. Lucas |21] found that a green-coloured plaster from a stick dated to the 18th
Dynasty owed its colour to a mixture of blue frit and a yellow colourant that was not identified, but
which was not yellow ochre. That may well be another example of the same type of organic yellow
as used in this cartonnage.
Figure 8 Scanning XRF spectroscopy for the elements S, Cl, Fe. As, Cu, Hg, Ca, and K which
reveals areas of different pigment use.
Figure 9 GC-MS analysis for yellow orpiment paint showing presence of carbohydrate
derivatives.
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY-MASS SPECTROMETRY ANALYSIS
It was suspected that this object was painted in a tempera or gum medium; consequently, samples
from the green copper-containing paint and the black paint were prepared for protein and
carbohydrate analysis. A yellow orpiment paint was tested for plant gums, too. and another sample
of black was examined for waxes and resins. Plant gums were identified from the
carbohydrate composition of their resins by comparison with the spectral library, and oils on the
basis of their fatty acid composition [22-24]. The yellow orpiment paint showed a very good
correlation to several plant gums; summary results are shown in Figure 9 and Table 1. Allose,
arabinose, glucose, and galactose were detected. Mannose and xylose were found in small
quantities; ribose, rhamnose, fucose and fructose were absent. The result shows a correlation
coefficient of 99.3% with Egyptian acacia gum (gum arabic), present
Table 1 Summary results of the GC-MS study for the four pigment samples removed for binding
media analysis
Table 1.
Figure 10 GC-MS data for green paint.
Figure 11 GC-MS analysis of shiny black (1) paint for amino acids and fatty acids showing
combination of glue and oil present.
at an estimated concentration of 1.5%. Due to very limited sample quantity for this yellow, it is not
known if protein, oil, resin or waxes may also be present.
The powdery green pigment was examined for amino acids, carbohydrates and fatty acids using the
ethyl chloroformate derivitisation method [25-27]. Copper-based pigments often interfere in amino
acid analysis by dramatically reducing the concentration of proline and hydroxyproline. This
phenomenon was observed on the cartonnage examined previously [1]. Some amino acids were
found in low concentration, suggesting that a little protein may be present, but analysis for plant
gums suggested about 14% content of carbohydrates with a 0.99% correlation to acacia gum; gum
arabic has therefore been used in the green areas although the green paint contains some protein
also. The results are summarized in Table 1.
ESEM examination of a small sample of the green paint showed the presence of chlorine in the
paint layer. This could be due either to the presence of some alkali metal chloride, such as sodium
chloride, or to one of the copper trihydroxychlorides, either as an alteration product of the original
pigment or the original pigment itself. The copper pigment used here has reacted over time with the
carbohydrate and the small amount of protein present to produce an organometallic copper complex
whose precise identity is hard to determine.
A sample of the black paint removed from the lower edge of the cartonnage fragment appeared to
be shiny and brittle compared with the other colours. Plant gum was not detected in this black paint,
nor was any conclusive evidence for resin or wax found. The GC-MS analysis for amino acids and
fatty acids, shown in Figures 11 and 12 and Table 1. indicated that a combination of glue and oil
was present, 8% and 10% by weight respectively. The quantity of organic material detected in this
black paint was much higher than that detected in either the green or the yellow paint. Summaryresults are given in Table 1 and more detailed information for the binding media studies is shown in
Figures 10, 11 and 12.
The results showed several unusual features for an object of this age: the glycerol and oleic acid
contents are fairly high, and the ratio of palmitic acid to glycerol is unusually low. The use of mixed
media has been reported previously for Egyptian art; for example, the mural painting of the tomb of
Nefertan was executed using gum arabic as a binder with an egg-white glaze [98] A possible
explanation for this shiny black material is suggested by Serpico and White [29] who note that a
sample of black on a polychrome painted and varnished Third Intermediate period cartonnage in the
Museum or Fine Arts, Boston consisted of a fatty substance — perhaps an 'anointing' residue
poured over the cartonnage, which may explain the origin of the black used here.
Figure 12 GC-MS analysis of shiny black (2) paint for amino acids and fatty acids showing
combination of glue and oil present.
An analysis of the dark green and lighter green areas was carried out in situ using Fourier transform
infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) employing a Nicolet Nic-Plan infrared microscope. The sample area
was apertured to approximately 100 nm and analysed using both transmittance and reflectance
mode with dry, carbon dioxide-free air. The spectra obtained are the sum of
200 scans collected from 4000-800 cm-1 at a resolution of 4 cm-1.
The dark green, copper-containing paint was sampled from a triangular design element in area 3 of
the surface. The result obtained with FTIR, shown in Figure 13b, was difficult to interpret. Some
evidence for the presence of calcium oxalate, copper chloride hydroxide and an
Figure 13 (a) FTIR analysis for light green pigment; (b) FTIR analysis for dark green pigment
from area 3.
organic, possibly gum, binder was determined, which supports the results obtained using GC-MS
analysis. An extraction was attempted with water, but nothing was found by FTIR examination of
the water extract.
The pale green, copper-containing paint from the same triangular design element was also analysed.
Again, interpretation of the resulting FTIR spectrum, shown in Figure 13a, proved difficult, with
possible peaks for carbon, calcite, polysaccharide and calcium oxalate, the last attribution being
somewhat dependant on the exact position of the FTIR microscope. The utility of FTIR
examination of some of these complex surfaces is limited, since the spectra obtained are very hard
to assign to materials responsible for the copper green pigments under investigation.
RADIOCARBON DATING
A microsample of the linen from a broken edge of the cartonnage was removed for radiocarbon
dating and sent to the Rafter Radiocarbon Laboratory in New Zealand. The results of this study
showed that the calibrated age in terms of 2-sigma intervals is 512—351 BC, with the 1-sigma
interval being 406—378 BC. This radiocarbon age is in agreement with the archaeological
interpretation of the stylistic information.
CONSERVATION ISSUES
The cartonnage, although fractured across the ground in some areas, still retains good adhesion to
the double layer linen support. Since it is preferable for future technical studies that the cartonnage
be interfered with as little as possible, no conservation treatment was undertaken on the fragment at
this time. Although there has been considerable loss of the pigmented surface, especially of the red
paint, there is no evidence that any further loss has occurred in the recent past, and examination of
the fragment over a period of several months has not shown any cupping or flaking, or loss of paint
or of textile fibres from the reverse. If the cartonnage is adequately supported on a polyethene foam
mount and protected from large variations in relative humidity, it should not be substantially at risk.
CONCLUSIONS
This cartonnage fragment has provided further insight into the technical art-history of Late Period
Egyptian polychromy, from the use of different types of pigments to the variation in binding
medium employed, depending on the colour and purpose. Most of the copper-containing greens
used by the Egyptians were either Egyptian green, malachite or chrysocolla, although green earth
was also found on the USC Graeco-Roman cartonnage reported earlier [1]. It is interesting that
both fragments from the USC collections so far examined should have copper greens that are
now present as copper proteinate or copper carbohydrate paints, and that these are not necessarily
derived from deterioration processes associated with the copper trihydroxychlondes. In one case, no
evidence for the presence of chlonde ions could be found, and surface chloride ions may be just that
and have no particular association with the original pigment. This impression is substantiated by the
work presented by Lee and Quirke [15] who do not report a single example of the copper
trihydroxychlondes occurring as an original pigment in the Egyptian art that they have examined.
Thus, if they were used as the original green pigment, this use is a rare event. Examination of
further examples of Egyptian art should help us to understand the origin and extent of the use of
copper-containing paints which are now present as organometallic complexes.
The presence of some huntite in the calcite ground layer is interesting in view of its possible use as
a demographic indicator, as shown by recent work at the Metropolitan Museum of Art [30].
Relatively few objects of the Late Period through the Roman period (c. 712 BC—AD 476) were
found to contain any huntite, so it is also of interest from a temporal aspect that huntite was found in
this study. The use of lead white as a white paint over the calcite and huntite ground may have been
employed to create a colour contrast in the whites themselves, or at least in the painted areas of the
design. The discovery of lead white in this cartonnage is of interest, since both the radiocarbon and
the stylistic investigation indicate a date between 512 and 351 BC. There is no evidence for the use
of lead white in Egyptian art before the Late Period, and this choice of colourant would appear to be
a possible indicator of Roman influence. Gum arabic has been used as the principal binding medium
for this cartonnage. The presence of a small amount of protein only in the green paint is difficult to
account for, and further research may be able to clarify the nature of the original paint used.
In terms of deterioration, there has been selective loss of some of the pigmented surfaces,
particularly of the red and green painted regions, but no recent paint losses were found, nor are the
remaining pigments poorly adhered to the ground. The plain weave linen backing is in remarkably
good condition, considering that it is 2300-2500 years old, and no consolidation of the cartonnage is
necessary — only careful handling and packing are required.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors wish to thank Professor Bruce Zuckerman for allowing the examination of the
cartonnage fragment from the USC collections. Rafter Radiocarbon Laboratory, Lower Hurt, New
Zealand is also thanked tor their careful work in undertaking the radiocarbon determination. The
support of our colleagues at the Getty Museum and Getty Conservation Institute is gratefully
acknowledged.
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18 Laurie, A.P., Materials of the Painter's Craft in Europe and Egypt, T.N. Foulis, London (1910)
24, 26-27.
19 Mond, R., and Myers, O.H., Cemeteries of Armani, Egypt Exploration Society, London (1937)
121-122, 131.
20 Scott, D.A., 'The application of scanning X-ray fluorescence microanalysis in the examination
of cultural materials', Archaeometry 43 (2001) 475-482.
21 Lucas, A., and Harris, J.R., Ancient Egyptian Materials and Industries, 4th edn, Edward
Arnold, London (1989) 143.
22 White, R., and Pile, J., 'Media analyses', National Gallery Technical Bulletin 17 (1996) 91-103.
23 Mills, J.S., 'The gas chromatographic examination of paint media. Part 1. Fatty acid
composition and identification of dried oil films', Studies in Conservation 11 (1966) 92-107.
24 Mills, J.S., and White, R., 'Organic mass spectrometry of art materials: work in progress',
National Gallery Technical Bulletin 6 (1982) 3-16.
25 Schilling, M., and Khanjian, H., 'Gas chromatographic analysis of amino acids as ethyl
chloroformate derivatives III: Identification of proteinaceous binding media by interpretation of
amino acid composition data' in Preprints, ICOM Committee for
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London (1996) 211-219.
26 Schilling, M.R., and Khanjian, H.P., 'Gas chromatographic determination of the fatty acid and
glycerol content of lipids, 1. The effects of pigments and aging on the composition of oil paints' in
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September, James & James, London (1996) 220-227.
27 Schilling, M.R., and Khanjian, H.P., 'Gas chromatographic analysis of amino acids as ethyl
chloroformate derivatives. II. Effects of pigments and accelerated aging on the identification of
proteinaceous binding media', Journal of the American Institute for Conservation 35 (1996) 123144.
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of the tomb of Nefertan' in VIII Congress of Conservation of Cultural Property, Valencia (1990)
452-460.
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Fairchild Center for Objects Conservation, Metropolitan Museum of Art] 3 (2002) 1-3.
DAVID A. SCOTT, BSC in chemistry, University of Reading, 1971; BA in archaeological
conservation, Institute of Archaeology, London 1979; PhD from University College London in
1982. Awarded FRSC in 1991 and FIIC in 1994. Lecturer in conservation at University College,
Institute of Archaeology, Department of Conservation and Materials Science, 1981-87; head of the
Getty Museum Research Laboratory, Getty Conservation Institute, 1987-2003; professor in art
history and archaeology at UCLA and chair of the UCLA/Getty program in archaeological and
ethnographic conservation, 2003-present. Address: The Cotsen Institute of Archaeology, Room
A410, University of California, Los Angeles, 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
Email: dascott@ucla.edu
LYNN SWARTZ DODD, BA in art history from Smith College, Northampton, Mass., 1984; MA in
Near Eastern languages and cultures, UCLA, 1997; PhD for research on cultural identity and the
recreation of statehood in the early Iron Age—Late Bronze Age transition of North Syria, UCLA,
2002. Since 1998, visiting assistant professor and curator of the USC Archaeological Research
Collection. Address: University of Southern California, Taper Hall of the Humanities, 328 MC
0355, Archaeological Researdi Collection, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0355, USA.
JUNKO FURIHATA, BSc, MSc and PhD candidate, studied archaeological science at Kyoto
University. She has worked in the Conservation Science Laboratory of the Center for Archaeology,
Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties. Postgraduate intern at the Getty
Conservation Institute Museum Research Laboratory 2000-2001. Address: Conservation Science
Laboratory, Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, 2-9-1 Nijo-cho, Nara 6308577, Japan.
SATOKO TANIMOTO, BS in pharmacy from Kobe Pharmaceutical University, Japan, 1998; MS in
environmental management from University of San Francisco, 2001; worked at the GCI Museum
Research Laboratory as a postgraduate intern, 2001-2002. Address: Department of Conservation
and Materials Science, UCL Institute of Archaeology, 31-34 Gordon Square, London WCIH 0PY,
UK.
JOY KEENEY received her BSc degree in environmental biology from the University of California,
Davis, in 1994. Initial analytical experience was obtained at an environmental laboratory that
identified toxic materials in soil and water. Employed at the Getty Conservation Institute since 1998
as a laboratory research associate. Address: Scientific Department, The Getty Conservation
Institute, 1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 700, Los Angeles, CA 90049, USA.
MICHAEL R. SCHILLING earned his BS (1983) and MS (1990) in chemistry from the California
State Polytechnic University, Pomona. He has worked at the Getty Conservation Institute since
1983, and presently holds the position of senior scientist. Address as for Keeney.
ELIZABETH COWAN, BS in architecture from the University of Texas at Arlington and a Master's
degree in architecture from University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA. Graduate student
researcher. Address as for Dodd
Résumé — On a étudié un fragment de cartonnage polychrome de l'ancienne Egypte pour en
caractériser les pigments, les liants et la construction. Le fragment, provenant d'un grand collier, a
été daté au carbone 14 vers 512-351 avant J.C. Le cartonnage est constitué d'une double couche de
toile de lin à armure toile. La préparation est composée d'un mélange de calcite et de huntite. Les
pigments colorés étaient ronges, jaunes, bleus, blancs, noirs, et verts. Le rouge a été identifié
comme étant du cinabre, le jaune de l'orpiment, le bleu du bleu égyptien, le blanc du blanc de
plomb, et le noir du noir de charbon. Le vert se présente comme un composé organique à base de
protéinate carbohydrate de cuivre. Le liant dans les zones jaunes a été identifié comme étant de la
gomme arabique. Une colle était utilisée dans les zones vertes, bien que le pigment vert contienne
également une certaine quantité de protéines, taudis que le liant de la peinture noire était un
mélange de colle et d'huile. L'usage de liants mélangés dans un cartonnage a donc été mis en
évidence pour la première fois. Un glacis jaune non identifié a également été utilisé.
Zusammenfassung — Ein altägyptisches Cartonnage-Fragment mit polychromer Fassung wurde
zur Bestimmung der Pigmente untersucht. Das Fragment eines breiten Halsschmucks wurde durch
die Radiocarbonmethode auf 512—351 v. Chr. datiert. Die Cartonnage ist aus einem doppelten
Leinengewebe gefertigt, die Grundierung besteht aus einer Mischung von Calcit und Hundt. Die
verwendeten Pigmente waren rot, gelb, blau weiß schwarz und grün. Die roten Pigmente konnten
als Zinnober identifiziert werden, Gelb als Auripigment, Blau als Agyptischblau, Weiß als Bleiweiß
und Schwarz als Holzkohle. Grün bestellt heute aus einer organischen l 'erbiudung aus Kupfer,
Kohlenwasserstoff und Proteinen. In den gelben Bereichen konnte Gummi arabicum als Bindemittel
nachgewiesen werden. In grünen Partien wurde ein Leim gefunden, weshalb das grüne Pigment
heute ebenfalls Proteine enthalt. Das Bindemittel für Schwarz bestand aus einer Mischung von
Leim und ÓI. Es ist das erste Mal, dass auf einer Cartonnage ein Bindemittelgemisch identifiziert
wurde. Darüber hinaus wurde eine nicht identifizierte gelbe Lasur verwendet.
Resumen — Con el fin de caracterizar los pigmentos utilizados, aglutinantes y construcción fue
estudiado un antiguo fragmento de 'cartonnage' egipcio con decoraciones policromas. Este
fragmento, procedente de un amplio collar, fue datado por radiocarhouo hacia el 512-351 a.C. El
cartonnage está construido con una doble capa de tela de lino de trama simple y la preparación es
una mezcla de calcita y huntita. Los colores empleados son los siguientes: rojo, amarillo, azul,
blanco, negro y verde. El rojo se identificó como cinabrio, el amarillo como oropimento, el azul
como azul egipcio, el blanco como blanco de plomo y el negro como negro de carbón. El verde está
presente como un proteinato de verde orgánico de cobre carbohidratado. El aglutinante en las
áreas amarillas se identificó como goma arábiga. Una cola se empleó en las zonas verdes, aunque
el propio color verde antes mencionado también contiene cierta cantidad de proteína. Como
aglutinante en el color negro se detectó una mezcla de cola y aceite (es la primera vez que se
identifica el uso de aglutinantes mixtos en un cartonnage). También fue usada una veladura
amarilla no identificada.