TUTANKHAMUN'S GOLDEN MASK INVESTIGATED WITH XRDF

Abstract

This is a preliminary report for “the joint investigation between Japan and Egypt on Tutankhamun's golden mask”. This experiment was performed in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo using an XRDF (X-Ray Diffractometer equipped with x-ray Fluorescence spectrometer) setup invented by one of the authors (M. U.) and improved here. A diffraction pattern and a fluorescence spectrum can be obtained by the XRDF setup in the air from one and the same small area (1–2 mm in diameter) on a specimen. The face and neck, and the other parts of the Tutankhamun's golden mask were composed of 23.2–23.5 K matrix covered with an 18 K Au - Ag - Cu thin layer, whitish gold in color, and with a 22.5 K Au - Ag - Cu thin layer, gold in color, respectively. A dark blue material used for the nemes (headdress) was characterized with a new kind of glass paste which includ main components of Amarna blue and Egyptian blue, and is named here as Tutankhamun blue. A grayish blue material used for a false beard had a similar chemical composition to the dark blue one. Pectoral red and green beads were made of carnelian and amazonite, respectively.