Non-invasive wood identification on parts of King Horemheb’s ritual couches (New kingdom)

Ahmed Abdrabou; Gilan M. Sultan; Mohamed Abd Elkader; Hussein M. Kamal

doi:10.14568/cp2019038

Autores

Ahmed Abdrabou Wood Conservation Laboratory, Grand Egyptian Museum – Conservation Center (GEM.CC), Remaya Sq.,12572 Giza, Egypt https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3423-3884
Gilan M. Sultan Wood Conservation Laboratory, Grand Egyptian Museum – Conservation Center (GEM.CC), Remaya Sq.,12572 Giza, Egypt
Mohamed Abd Elkader Wood Conservation Laboratory, Grand Egyptian Museum – Conservation Center (GEM.CC), Remaya Sq.,12572 Giza, Egypt
Hussein M. Kamal Wood Conservation Laboratory, Grand Egyptian Museum – Conservation Center (GEM.CC), Remaya Sq.,12572 Giza, Egypt

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14568/cp2019038

Palavras-chave:

Rei Horemheb, Camas funerárias, Identificação de madeira, Cedrus Libani, Ziziphus spina-christi

Resumo

A inclusão de camas funerárias como artefactos rituais em túmulos reais no Egipto antigo teve o seu início no Império Novo. Tratam-se de objetos de elevada raridade, havendo muito pouca informação relativamente à madeira utilizada para os fabricar. O presente artigo incide sobre a identificação de madeiras pertencentes a peças de camas funerárias egípcias provenientes do túmulo do Rei Horemheb, através de microcopia ótica com luz refletida como técnica analítica não-invasiva. Embora estes objetos pertençam a um túmulo real, os resultados obtidos demonstram que as quatro espécies de madeira identificadas (Cedro-do-Líbano, Sicómoro, Tamargueira e Espinho de Cristo) encontram-se entre as mais comuns do Egipto antigo. Estes dados confirmam que a escassez de madeira no Egipto antigo levou a que as poucas espécies de madeira existentes localmente fossem utilizadas para funções específicas, de acordo com as suas propriedades, enquanto para a obtenção de madeira de maior envergadura, os carpinteiros Egípcios tiveram de recorrer a fontes externas, tais como o Cedro-do-Líbano, confirmando a existência de rotas comerciais de madeira no Egipto antigo.

Recebido: 2019-10-11
Revisto: 2020-3-12
Aceite: 2020-3-16
Online: 2020-6-3
Publicação: 2021-2-10

Downloads

Não há dados estatísticos.

Referências

[1] Smith, G. E.; Tutankhamen and the discovery of his tomb by the late earl of Carnarvon and Mr Howard Carter, G. Routledge & Sons, Ltd., London (1923).

[2] Reeves, N., The Complete Tutankhamen (the King-the Tomb-the Treasury), The American University in Cairo Press, Cairo (1990).

[3] Ruffinatto, F.; Macchioni, N.; Boetto, G.; Baas, P.; Zanuttini, R., ‘Reflected light microscopy as a non-invasive identification tool for wooden artefacts’, IAWA Journal 31(3) (2010) 317-331, https://doi.org/10.1163/22941932-90000026.

[4] Ruffinatto, F.; Cremonini, C.; Macchioni, N.; Zanuttini, R., ‘Application of reflected light microscopy for non-invasive wood identification of marquetry furniture and small wood carvings’, Journal of Cultural Heritage 15 (2014) 614-620, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.culher.2013.11.013.

[5] Carivellaro, A.; Schweingruber, F. H., Atlas of Wood, Bark and Pith Anatomy of Eastern Mediterranean Trees and Shrubs with Special Focus on Cyprus, Springer-Verlag, Berlin (2013).

[6] Gale, R.; Cutler, D., Plants in Archaeology, Westbury Publishing, London and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (2000).

[8] Wheeler, E. A.; Pearson, R.; LaPasha, C.; Zack, T.; Hatley, W., Computer-aided wood identification - Reference Manual, The North Carolina Agriculture Research Service, North Carolina State University, Raleigh (1986).

[9] Wheeler, E. A.; Baas, P.; Gasson, P. E., ‘List of microscopic features for softwood identification’, IAWA Journal 25 (2004) 1-70, https://doi.org/10.1163/22941932-90000349.

[10] Wheeler, E. A.; Baas, P.; Gasson, P. E., ‘IAWA list of microscopic features for hardwood identification’, IAWA Bulletin 10(3) (1989) 219-332.

[11] Cartwright, C., ‘Cedrus Libani under the microscope; the anatomy of modern and ancient cedar of lebanon wood’, Archaeology and history in Lebanon 14 (2001) 107-113.

[12] Giachi, G.; Guidotti, M.; Lazzeri, S.; Sozzi L.; Macchioni, N., ‘Wood identification of the headrests from the collection of the Egyptian Museum in Florence’, Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 9(2016) 340-346, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2016.08.027.

[13] Gale, R.; Gasson, P.; Hepper, N., ‘Wood’, in Ancient Egyptian Materials and Technology, ed. T. Nicholson & I. Shaw, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (2000) 334-371.

[14] Ismail, Y.; Abdrabou, A.; Abdallah, M., ‘A non-destructive analytical study and the conservation processes of Pharaoh Tutankhamun´s painted boat model’, International Journal of Conservation Science 7(1) (2016) 15-28, http://www.ijcs.uaic.ro/public/IJCS-16-02_Ismail.pdf.

[15] Rifai, M. M.; El Hadidi, N. M. N., ‘Investigation and analysis of three gilded wood samples from the tomb of Tutankhamun’, in Decorated Surfaces on Ancient Egyptian Objects. Technology, Deterioration and Conservation, ed. J. Dawson, C. Rozeik & M. M. Wright, Archetype Publications, London (2010) 16-24.

[16] El Hadidi, N. M. N., ‘The Cheops Boat – 50 Years Later’, in Conservation of Historic Wooden Structures, Alter Ego Ing Arch S.r.L, Florence (2005) 452-457.

[17] Nour, M. Z.; Iskander, Z.; Osman, M. S.; Youssof, A., The Cheops Boat, Ministry of Culture and National Orientation, Cairo (1960).

[18] Cartwright, C., ‘Egyptian mummy portraits: examining the wood workers’ craft’, in Portraits and masks: burial customs in Roman Egypt, ed. M. Bierbrier, British Museum Press, London (1997) 106-111.

[19] Dawson, J.; Marchant, J.; Von Aderkas, E.; Cartwright, C.; Stacy, R., ‘Egyptian coffins: materials, construction and decoration’, in Death on the Nile (Uncovering the Afterlife of Ancient Egypt), ed. H. Strudwick & J. Dawson, The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge (2016) 75-246.

[20] Cartwright, C.; Spaabæk, L.; Svoboda, M., ‘Portrait mummies from Roman Egypt: ongoing collaborative research on wood identification’, The British Museum-Technical Research Bulletin 5 (2011) 49-58.

[21] Abdrabou, A.; Abdallah M.; Kamal, H. M., ‘Scientific investigation by technical photography, OM, ESEM, XRF, XRD and FTIR of an ancient Egyptian polychrome wooden coffin’, Conservar Património 26 (2017) 51-63, https://doi.org/10.14568/cp2017008.

[22] Abdrabou, A.; Abdallah, M.; Shaheen, I. A.; Kamal, H. M., ‘Investigation of an ancient Egyptian polychrome wooden statuette by imaging and spectroscopy’, International Journal of Conservation Science 9(1) (2018) 39-54, http://www.ijcs.uaic.ro/public/IJCS-18-04_Abdrabou.pdf.

[23] Abdallah, M.; Abdrabou, A., ‘Tutankhamen’s small shrines (naoses): technology of woodworking and identification of wood species’, International Journal of Conservation Science 9(1) (2018) 91-104, http://www.ijcs.uaic.ro/public/IJCS-18-08_Abdallah.pdf.

[24] Cartwright, C.; Taylor, J. H., ‘Wooden Egyptian archery bows in the collections of the British Museum’, The British Museum Technical Research Bulletin 2 (2008) 77-83, https://research.britishmuseum.org/pdf/BMTRB%202%20Cartwright%20and%20Taylor.pdf

[26] Abdrabou, A.; E Hadidi, N. M. N.; Hamed, S.; Abdallah, M., ‘Multidisciplinary approach for the investigation and analysis of a gilded wooden bed of King Tutankhamun’, Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 21 (2018) 553–564, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2018.08.015.

[27] Boulos, L., Flora of Egypt, Vol. 2: Geraniaceae – Boraginaceae, Al Hadara Publishing, Cairo (2000).