The Use of Analytical Methods in Evaluation of Coptic Wall Paintings Conservation - A Case Study

• Authors: M. Ali , S. Abd El Aal , G. Mahgoub , A. Sihame , A. Turos , A. Korman , A. Stonert
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

Egypt has a lot of ancient monasteries and churches, which were decorated with different kinds of wall paintings. Structure of these wall paintings consists of support, plaster and painting layers. Paintings deterioration is primarily due to physicochemical, natural and human factors. The most detrimental factors are bat patches, old varnish and organic waste of birds. All these lead to the gradual disappearance of paintings. Modern technology of conservation is focused on application of new materials for cleaning of wall paintings. Here we report on the use of enzymes, for cleaning surface of coptic wall paintings. Analytical techniques such as particle induced X-ray emission, Fourier transform infrared and optical microscopy were used to evaluate the enzymatic cleaning processes of coptic wall paintings and to identify the chemical composition of red, yellow and white pigments. Particle induced X-ray emission results indicated that there is no change in the chemical composition of the materials and pigments due to enzymatic cleaning. Fourier transform infrared and optical microscopy results confirmed the stability of organic medium before and after treatment of different kind of patches.

Keywords

EN

78.70.En; 07.60.Pb

Discipline

• 07.60.Pb: Conventional optical microscopes(for near-field scanning optical microscopes, see 07.79.Fc; for x-ray microscopes, see 07.85.Tt)
• 78.70.En: X-ray emission spectra and fluorescence

• Journal: Acta Physica Polonica A
• Year: 2011
• Volume: 120
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 171-176

Dates

published

2011-07

Contributors

author

M. Ali

• Faculty of Archaeology, Conservation Dept., Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt

author

S. Abd El Aal

• Faculty of Archaeology, Conservation Dept., Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt

author

G. Mahgoub

• Faculty of Archaeology, Conservation Dept., Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt

author

A. Sihame

• National Research Center, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt

author

A. Turos

• Sołtan Institute of Nuclear Studies, 05-400 Otwock/Świerk, Poland
• Institute of Electronic Materials Technology, Wólczyńska 133, 01-919 Warsaw, Poland

author

A. Korman

• Sołtan Institute of Nuclear Studies, 05-400 Otwock/Świerk, Poland

author

A. Stonert

• Sołtan Institute of Nuclear Studies, 05-400 Otwock/Świerk, Poland

References

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Identifiers

DOI

10.12693/APhysPolA.120.171