ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

An analytical approach to evaluate the preservation state of some ancient Egyptian painted wooden statues dating back to the New Kingdom, excavated from Iurokhy's tomb, Saqqara, Egypt

Mostafa Abdel-Hamied, Hamdy Mohamed Mohamed, Mohamed Z. M. Salem, and Mohamed Ali Kasem

Organic Materials Conservation Department, Faculty of Archaeology, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt

E-mail: mostafa_farag@cu.edu.eg

Received: 12 August 2025  Accepted: 3 November 2025

Abstract:

Different excavations contain numerous painted wooden sculptures. These sculptures often show various signs of deterioration, and conserving these delicate painted surfaces is challenging. Therefore, assessing and understanding the current condition of the wooden sculptures is essential for their preservation for future generations. This research presents multiple analytical studies of five ancient Egyptian painted wooden sculptures from the New Kingdom period (1539–1075 BCE). These sculptures were excavated from the tomb of Iurokhy in Saqqara, Giza, Egypt, during the 2022 season conducted by the Faculty of Archaeology at Cairo University. A multidisciplinary approach was employed, utilizing microscopes including a digital light microscope (USB), a light microscope, and a scanning electron microscope. Various analytical techniques, including elemental analysis with energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy, were employed. pH measurements were also taken. The anatomical and technological features of the wooden support, identified as Tamarix sp. (Tamarisk) wood, were examined using light microscopy. The microscopy results revealed signs of deterioration, including weakened painted and unpainted areas, several cracks, pigment loss in many sections, and insect damage evidenced by holes. Additional issues included roughness on some painted surfaces and salt crystallization on the surface. The application of different analytical techniques enabled the identification of pigments: yellow ochre for yellow, hematite for red, malachite for green, and carbon black for black. The combined findings indicated that these painted wooden sculptures have suffered various forms of deterioration, necessitating conservation treatments such as cleaning and consolidation.

Keywords: Egyptian painted wooden sculptures; New Kingdom; Iurokhy tomb; Characterization; Multiple analytical techniques

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-025-04489-4

Chemical Papers 80 (2) 1803–1816 (2026)