A Multi-Analytical Study of Egyptian Funerary Artifacts from Three Portuguese Museum Collections

Nick Schiavon,Sara Valadas,Antonio Candeias,Carlo Bottaini,Patricia Panganiban,Cristina Barrocas Dias,Ana Manhita

doi:10.3390/heritage4040166

Abstract

A diachronic, multi-analytical approach combining EDXRF, µFTIR, µRaman, SEM-EDS, and Py-GC/MS has been adopted with the aim to study for the first time the painting materials used to decorate Egyptian funerary masks and sarcophagi ranging from the Late Period to the Roman Period and stored in the Archaeological National Museum (MNA) and the Carmo Archaeological Museum (MAC) of Lisbon and the Natural History Museum of the University in Oporto (MNH-FCUP). Results indicate that yellow and red ochres, realgar, cinnabar, Egyptian blue, and Egyptian green were used as pigments while chalk served as the preparatory layer. Over the 1000-year timeline of the studied artifacts, the palette remained remarkably consistent with previous findings as exemplified by cinnabar being used for red pigments in samples only dated after the Ptolemaic period. The presence of Sn in Egyptian blue and Egyptian green pigments used in one sample suggests the use of recycled bronze scraps during pigment production. Black pigments in two Late Period masks were found to be produced by mixing Egyptian blue with red ochre suggesting either a hitherto unknown method for production of purple pigments in the Egyptian palette or, alternatively, an attempt to create a specific hue or shade of dark brown or black. The results of this study contribute to further expand the database of Ancient Egyptian painting materials while at the same time helping to valorize three important Egyptian collections in Portugal.

Highlights

IntroductionIn the Museu Nacional de Arqueologia (MNA) in Lisbon, a vast collection of Egyptian artifacts was acquired over the 19th and early 20th centuries
The aim of the current study is twofold: (1) to conduct for the first time a diachronic multi-analytical study of pigments and binders used in funerary masks and sarcophagi from two of the most important Egyptian Museum collections in Portugal with a time ranging from the Late Period until the Roman one, and (2) to assess whether any significant
Under Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), the red pigments in Mask #1 appear to be composed by small, rounded pigment grains showing high concentrations of Fe (36.02 wt.%) and Ti (12.71 wt.%) with minor amounts of Ca, Si, and Al suggesting that the pigment is made up by a mixture of oxides, aluminosilicate clays, and quartz (SiO2) together with calcite

Summary

Introduction

In the Museu Nacional de Arqueologia (MNA) in Lisbon, a vast collection of Egyptian artifacts was acquired over the 19th and early 20th centuries. The collection includes the former King of Portugal’s private collection, which was donated to the MNA by the state, after the royal family was overthrown [2]. The MNA has around 560 Egyptian artifacts, ranging from Prehistoric to the Coptic Periods. Among their collection, flint tools, pottery and stone vases, funerary relief sculptures, various funerary objects, and bronze objects can be found [2]. While their provenances are unknown, the human mummies at some point belonged to aristocratic Portuguese families [3]

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