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 Wooden Substrate | |
Specification and Location:
The wooden substrate of the coffin lid appears to be in a good condition. But there is deterioration at the bottom of the lid, where a piece of wood is originally added. The top half of the feet section was added horizontally, there are areas of loss of wood around the joint, likewise caused by a now inactive insect infestation.
(Images Folder: canterb_mummy_fig_04.jpg)
The previous display left fourteen visually disturbing bracket screw holes, located along adjoining edges at the head and feet areas of the lid (and lower box). Black paint (appearing to be the same paint used to coat the steel brackets) and red/brown corrosion products are also found on the surfaces surrounding the holes.
(Images Folder: canterb_mummy_fig_05.jpg)
(Images Folder: canterb_mummy_fig_06.jpg) | |
Surface | |
Specification and Location:
The description of the surface is mainly adopted from the first conservation 'Treatment Report - Mummy' (1) .
The overall surface appears very irregular, with large areas of staining caused by a discoloured dark yellow to brown coating. This is probably a previous conservation treatment. Further examinations on this coating will follow.
The interior and exterior of the coffin lid have suffered from physical deterioration.
Damages caused by mishandling, e.g. abrasions and scratches, are particularly evident on the head and feet ends and on the proper left side of the coffin lid. On the top of the sarcophagus there are lifting paint and gesso flakes, blistering and tenting areas (Images Folder: canterb_mummy_fig_01.jpg) eased by changing relative humidity, entering water, compression forces and tension of the wooden substrate. Because of this, the major problem is the deterioration of the ground layers - the linen is cupping and lifting from the first gesso layer, which has lead to the formation of cracks in the top gesso/painted layers. Most of the painted surface appears to be in a stable condition, but small areas of paint are in danger of flaking off. The underlying linen fabric is revealed in many places due to further deterioration and losses of the top two layers. Some of the exposed fabric is torn with edges unraveled. In other areas the fabric is no longer attached to the first gesso layer and drooped at the edges. The fabric has been completely lost in some places to reveal the underlying first gesso layer. There are complete areas of loss, exposing the underlying wood at the top and left side of feet end and at the head edges. Some surfaces are uneven due to the losses and loose gesso pieces becoming entrapped between the fabric.
(Images Folder: canterb_mummy_fig_07.jpg)
(Images Folder: canterb_mummy_fig_08.jpg)
(1) (Literature Titles/Sources: Ng, Amy 1998) p. 5 |
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