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 Examinations and Tests | |
Date/Period of Implementation: 2000-10-00 To 2000-12-00 | |
Description:
Test were carried out to determine appropriate materials and treatments to undo the previous restoration work on the chest plate by removing the cloth backing and brown coloured filling material. Further tests were required to reshape and reline the chest plate after the previous restoration had been removed. Various examination techniques for the condition survey were used, including microscopic examination and chemical tests.
On closer inspection the filling material is composed of two different layers and along the edges to the original painting, three different layers. The first layer is a very rough, strong, thick, brown material with an irregular surface. The second layer is a white material which is fine and very strong. It was applied between the cracks of the first layer, to the edges of the original painting and in some cracks of the cartonnage. The third layer is a dark brown paint and was applied all over the fill, in border areas overlapping the original. In some areas, broken pieces of the original painted linen are mixed up with the filling material.
Tests were conducted to determine the possibility of removing the excessively strong backing and fill to protect the cartonnage from further deterioration. Upon mechanically sampling the backing adhesive and the fill, extreme hardness was displayed in contrast with the porous and fragile original layers. The solubility was tested (investigation: canterb_mummy_inv) on a small sample of the backing adhesive and the three different fill layers. The first layer of the fill material and the backing adhesive were only soluble (or rather could be softened) in deionised water. While softening the adhesive, there was a strong smell of bone or skin glue. The second layer was not soluble in the solvents that were used, and the brown paint was soluble in acetone. After removing the backing and the fillings further tests were required to find an appropriate adhesive for a new backing and temporary facing if necessary. Properties such as low penetration, adhesion to substrate, reversibility, ease of application, long-term effects of aging and stability were considered in these tests. Tests with different fabrics resulted in the decision of using the adhesive Lascaux® 360 and 498 (mixed 1:1) and a linen fabric (same colour as the wrapping of the mummy) for the backing. If a temporary facing is required during the process of removing the previous backing adhesive, 3% Klucel® G painted on a acid free paper on the top of the surface can be used without changing the appearance of the surface.
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Removing of Backing and Fillings | |
Date/Period of Implementation: 2000-10-00 To 2000-12-00 | |
Description:
To protect the chest plate from further deterioration, the previous restoration work had to be removed. Based on previous tests, the backing and fillings on the chest plate could only be taken off by softening with water before carefully mechanical removing.
Lying on the surface the backing was first wetted out with deionised water to soften the adhesive and than carefully pulled (stripped) from the original linen layer. Especially in very fragile and already cracked areas the bone glue was still attached to the back surface.
(Images Folder: canterb_mummy_fig_34.jpg)
(Images Folder: canterb_mummy_fig_35.jpg)
(Images Folder: canterb_mummy_fig_36.jpg)
The backing adhesive and the first thick layer of fill material were slowly softened with deionised water soaked tissue compressers and taken off very cautiously. During this process pieces of the original paint layer that had been mixed up in a previous restoration were removed from the fill material and reattached later on. The second layer of white fill material located between cracks on both sides of the cartonnage was removed using dental tools. Small strips of silk crepline were adhered to the back with Lascaux® 360 to secure porous and cracked areas during the conservation treatments.
(Images Folder: canterb_mummy_fig_37.jpg)
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(Images Folder: canterb_mummy_fig_39.jpg) |
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Permanent Backing and readhering flaking paint | |
Date/Period of Implementation: 2000-10-00 To 2000-12-00 | |
Description:
To reline and reshape the very fragile and porous chest plate a backing was made. One piece of linen fabric covering the whole cartonnage was brushed with Lascaux® 360 and 498 (mixed 1:1) and adhered to the back of the chest plate. On the front, flaking paint and separated pieces of original substance were readhered in place with Lascaux® as well. The treatment is reversible with acetone and on the chest plate has dramatically improved the flexibility of the chest plate. New fill material were not applied. The linen fabric is now visible in all areas of loss.
(Images Folder: canterb_mummy_fig_40.jpg)
(Images Folder: canterb_mummy_fig_41.jpg)
(Images Folder: canterb_mummy_fig_42.jpg)
The leg and ankle plates were comparatively stable and did not need a complete backing. Only on the back of the leg plate, covering the cracks, small strips of linen were adhered to stabilise the cartonnage. On the front sides, flaking paint and pieces of original substance were readhered in place with Lascaux® as well.
(Images Folder: canterb_mummy_fig_43.jpg)
(Images Folder: canterb_mummy_fig_44.jpg)
(Images Folder: canterb_mummy_fig_45.jpg)
(Images Folder: canterb_mummy_fig_46.jpg)
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