RESTORATION AND PRESERVATION OF THE WOODEN CEILING OF AL-ASHRAF QAYTBAY MADRESSA, CAIRO – EGYPT

Abstract

The painted ceilings of Qaitbay's madrassa is one of the Egypt's great monuments and among theoldest in the Islamic civilization, dating back to the Garkssy Mamluk period (879 AH/1474 AD). Itrepresents an exceptional example of the quality and extent of medieval woodworking in Egypt. Thewooden ceiling of Qaitbay's madrassa had been affected by an extensive deterioration due to manyfactors, such as loss of colors, cracking, soot deposition, and losses of materials/units, insects' holes,and fungi growth, in addition to formation of corrosion products of its metallic parts. The main aim ofthe present paper is the characterization and investigation of the different components employed inthe decorated ceiling of Madrassa of Qaytbay as wood units, painting ground, pigments, gilding,binding media and products of deterioration. Scanning Electron Microscope coupled with EDXanalysis, Optical Light Microscope, X-ray diffraction and Infrared analysis were applied forinvestigation. Biological study was done. We present the results of identifying the wood species andinsects of the ceiling of the Qaitbay's madrassa, which the aim of the providing information not onlyof the benefit to restoration but also to the historical- artistic background of the artifacts. Also thispaper includes the present of its state of conservation for preservation the study will include thedocumentation, investigation, and analysis before the intervention process. The treatment steps weredocumented before, during and after the restoration. Preservation of the wood ceiling was carried outincluding the following: cleaning (mechanical and chemical cleaning), treatment of fungi infection,consolidation and restoration.