Conservation Report :

Name of cartonnage: M_tt.D_c

Examiner : Pavlos Kapetanakis

Start Date : 16.04.18

End Date : 09.07.18

Initial Name (as on original folder, abbreviations and including sic): Magdôla D

Provenance : Magdôla

Brief description: Cartonnage made of layers of papyrus, residues of decoration (painting) of parallel bands in blue and red pigments, thinner black ink lines (sandal ties?) on plaster (?) at proper top left quadrant of recto, verso is covered overall with a thick layer of fine- ground plaster except for a section at proper top left quadrant.

Initial Maximum Dimensions (h x l ; estimated thickness if applicable; in cm) : 360 x 253cm

Support : papyrus, plaster (thick and fine grained).

Media: red, blue (Egyptian?) pigments, black ink, white pigment or plaster

Type of markings/ images (pictorial / scriptural ; colours or B & W) : Decoration: parallel bands in blue and red pigments, thinner black lines in black ink on white background. Black ink writing with variable legibility on both sides.

General Condition :

Condition

There are multiple (possibly several layers), overlapping, large, folded papyrus fragments. There is moderate to severe surface dirt on both sides. The colour is uneven throughout from light beige to dark brown. The verso is alsmost completely covered with plaster except for the proper top left corner verso. The recto has no plaster remaining except at the proper top left quadrant. This exhibits losses and cracks and appears quite unstable/ powdery when touched with the tip of a sable brush. Three red and three blue painted (partly lost) parallel, vertical lines are noted on the proper right side of the plaster fragment recto. Several thin black painted lines (possibly sandal ties) are noted along the proper left side of that fragment. The cartonnage fragment appears to consist of two thick fragments joined together with one layer of papyrus sheet that exhibits losses and breaks. Strong folds are noted throughout. There are delaminated, twisted and broken fibres on the recto and what is visible of the verso. Surface dirt is most pronounced at the proper top right quadrant recto. The plaster on verso seems to have earth deposits. The papyrus appears dry and dessicated throughout. Clear writing in strong, black ink can be seen at the proper right section recto. The writing at the proper left section with painted plaster is more faint and hard to decipher, there is also less of it visible.

Treatment Proposal

Solubility testing of ink ( water / ethanol / 50: 50 water/ ethanol) : Solubility testing was carried out with water only, by applying a small amount of water with a sable brush. A small square of blotting paper was placed and left under a small weight for 10min. No transfer of ink was visible on the blotting paper.

Treatment Proposal(s) :

Treatment performed (detailed description of the different conservation stages, with description of the fragments extracted gradually from the cartonnages and mention of the materials – humidification chamber, methylcellulose, starch paste, Sturgeon glue, Japanese papers) :

The plaster covering most of verso was removed by means of scraping with a hard brush. Residues of plaster were further reduced/ removed with water and cotton swabs followed by pressing under blotters and weight. Isinglass and Funori were tested on expendable small cartonnage fragment as possible adhesive candidates for applying the facing, due to their good ageing properties and long, successful use on papyrus artefacts (see table for results). A facing of Gampi paper (12gr/m²) and 1% Funori in water was applied with a wide, soft, sable brush on the decoration and left to dry. Tensions and curling created during drying were reduced by cutting small sections along the perimeter of the facing paper. The cartonnage was then humidified in a humidification chamber to relax the papyrus. A medium- sized, almost square fragment (no. 2) was removed by means of sliding a wet sable brush between this and the larger fragment it was sitting on. A large fragment with Greek writing on both sides sitting on the proper right side of the cartonnage recto (no. 3) was removed with the same technique. A tiny rectangular fragment (no. 4) as well as a long, narrow one (no. 5) were removed from the top of the large fragment. The fragments were cleaned with cotton swabs and water. Breaks were reinforced with Gampi paper and 2% methylcellulose. Two more unevenly shaped, small fragments were removed from fragment 1 (no. 6, no. 7). Fragment no. 1 was further separated into three large sections/ fragments (no.1, no. 11, no. 12) and produced associated smaller fragments (no. 8, no. 9, no. 10). Fragment (no. 11) holds the decoration. Fragment no. 12 was sitting on top of fragment no. 1 recto. A long, narrow fragment (no. 45) with clear writing on recto was separated from no. 12. A very narrow long strip (no. 46) sitting on no. 12 was also separated then. Tiny, narrow fragments no. 13 and no. 14 were extracted in the process of removing a cluster of fragments (no. 15), also sitting on top of fragment no. 1 recto. This fusion of fragments was separated into two fragment groups (no. 16, no. 17) both with writing in Greek. Fragment no. 16 yielded further smaller fragments (no. 16, no. 18 - no. 22); several with faint writing. Fragment no. 17 yielded some more small fragments, of which only one (no. 24) has clear writing in Greek on one side and is possibly usable. Two narrow strips (no. 28, 29) with faint writing on, obscuring the writing on no. 24 were removed. Fragments no. 23, 25, 26, 27 are of little use as too small, narrow, or with no writing. Tiny fragment no. 30, sitting on end of no. 27 was separated; it has an ink line on it, possibly usable. Fragment no. 23 was separated further into smaller fragments (no.’s 23, 31, 32, 33, 34) but only several have some faint writing (no.’s 23, 31, 33). Separated fragment no. 17 was cleaned further of overlapping smaller fragments sitting on both sides with humidification and local application of water with a sable brush (see fragments no. 35 to 40). Red pigment residues are noted at proper bottom right quadrant recto. A medium sized fragment (no. 41) with Greek writing attached upside to no. 3 along the edge was separated, revealing more writing underneath on no. 3. In addition, two tiny fragments, one with Greek writing (no. 42) were removed from fragment no. 41. Fragment no. 11 was humidified and it was possible to detach and unfold the two outer folded sheets of papyrus. This revealed crumbly/ unstable plaster powder and flakes and associated loss. It was decided to consolidate these with a 2% Isinglass in water, applied with a sable brush before continuing taking apart the cartonnage. The treatment successfully stabilised the area. On unfolding the two outer papyrus sheets, it was possible to remove a section, no. 43, consisting of at least several fragments, two with writing on. One long, narrow fragment, no. 44, with little, faint writing was separated first. Several tiny fragments with no writing were also removed in the process. Fragment no. 12 comprises several large fragments, some overlapping and of different fibre direction, as well as smaller fragments or strips that obscure certain areas. A long, narrow one, no. 45 with writing on the recto was removed from no. 12, where it was attached along the top, and underneath a large fragment partially attached/ possibly related to no. 12. A long, narrow, blank strip (no. 46) was removed with moisture from the proper top left of no. 12’s recto. On further dismantling fragment no. 43, after separating no. 44, it was possible to also separate no. 47 with very little ink on one side and no. 48 with text on one side and several short lines on the other. Some tiny fragments (no.’s 49- 53), several with a little writing on, were also separated in the process. Returning to fragment no. 45, it was possible to remove several short, narrow strips: no. 54 was obscuring writing on the recto; no. 55 and no. 56 were removed from the verso. A small rectangular fragment (no. 57) attached to the bottom of verso was also removed. Only no. 54 and no. 57 exhibit some writing on one side. Fragment no. 58 was separated from the proper left side of fragment no. 11 verso with a sable brush and moisture. Plaster residues visible on one side were removed with moisture and swabs. Following humidification, it was possible to remove a whole section (no. 59) sitting on fragment no. 11. Fragment no. 60 was detached from bottom of fragment no. 59 with a sable brush and water. Numerous small, mostly oblong fragments were further removed from fragment no. 59, namely fragments no.’s 61- 70, several with some ink on. Fragment no. 58 was found to consist of several smaller fragments, which were separated after humidification. These are fragments no.’s 71- 74 and have no ink on them. However, on unfolding fragment no. 58, clear writing in several lines in Greek was revealed. Two more tiny fragments (no.’s 75 and 76) were separated from fragment no. 59, but are probably unusable as there is no ink on them. Fragment no. 60 produced another smaller fragment (no. 77), both have ink traces. A group of protruding fragments as well as overlapping fragments appearing lighter on proper top right corner of fragment no. 59 verso were separated with moisture and are now fragments no.’s 78- 81. Fragments no.’s 80 and 81 have traces of writing on one side. After overall humidification of fragment no. 11, it was possible to remove fragment no. 82, followed by no. 83 sitting below at the proper left of top edge verso. No. 82 has some writing on one side. These were cleaned with water and swabs and flattened as possible between blotters under weight. Fragment no. 84 was removed from the centre of top edge of fragment no. 11. Fragments no. 85 and no. 86 were sitting horizontally and parallel to each other at the proper top right quadrant on fragment no. 11. They both have a line of writing on one side, faint on no. 86. Tiny fragment no. 87 was extracted from the same area in the process. Fragments no. 88 to 91 were removed from proper bottom right quadrant on fragment no. 11. Fragment no. 88 has some faint writing on one side. Using a sable brush and water, it was possible to remove more small fragments from the proper top left and proper bottom right verso of fragment no. 11 (namely no. 92- no. 98 and no. 100- no. 103). Fragment no. 99 was removed from verso of fragment no. 12. Fragment no. 19 yielded three more small fragments no.’s 104- 106. Fragment no. 3 was revisited and yielded five small fragments with no writing (no. 107- no. 111). Fragments no. 112- no. 116 were extracted from fragment no. 1. A tiny fragment was removed from no. 5. Five more small fragments were removed from the verso of no. 59 (no. 117- no. 121); however, only no. 121 has traces of writing on one side. Lastly, the facing was removed partially with local application of water and tweezers from the decoration (no. 11). It was preserved in some areas as it was lifting off some of the pigments or plaster. The repeated humidification sessions appear to have caused some of the pigment to bleed or sink in the plaster, resulting in partial loss of the design. The surviving cartonnage decoration and remaining papyrus layers were lined with two pieces of Gampi paper and 2% methylcellulose for support.

Adhesive	Concentration	Result
Isinglass	1%	Strong resistance on removal/ paint offset
Isinglass/ Funori	1.5%/ 0.5%	Strong resistance on removal/ paint offset
Isinglass/ Funori	0.5%/ 0.5%	Slight resistance on removal/ paint offset
Funori	2%	Strong resistance on removal Paint offset
Funori	1%	No resistance on removal/ no paint residues on facing tissue

Photo documentation throughout the conservation process (in diachrony, from n° x to n° y):

Final Result

Final Number of inventoried fragments obtained : 121

Number(s) of resulting inventory (as on the official inventory book): Not inventoried

Maximum Dimensions of each final, usable fragment (h x l ; estimated thickness; in cm) :

Current housing: Custom museum board box with lid; blotting paper folders

Final Photo documentation (scan/ IR photos, from n° x to n° y) :