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327025

Technical Investigation and Conservation of Core Cast Bronze Statuettes of Osiris

Article

Last updated: 25 Dec 2024

Subjects

-

Tags

CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION

Abstract

This study focuses on six Egyptian bronze statuettes dating from the Late Period (664-332 BC, which were cast around a sandy clay core using the lost-wax process. Theses statuettes depict the god Osiris and were excavated from Ehnasya, Beni Suef governorate, Egypt. They are distinguished by having thin walls, estimated to be approximately 1-1.5 mm thick. The analytical study aims to identify the metallic structure, corrosion crusts, casting core, and characterize the manufacturing technique. Various methods, including optical microscopy (OM), metallographic microscope, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (pXRF), were employed. The results indicate that the statuettes were most likely made of leaded bronze alloy using the direct lost-wax method, a technique commonly used for manufacturing thin-walled bronze castings. The statuettes exhibit cracks and breaks in various areas, likely attributed to factors such as manufacturing defects, core expansion, or corrosion during burial. Corrosion products identified by XRD include clinoatacamite, cuprite, chalcopyrite, and those resulting from soil burial (calcite and quartz). The core is composed of a mixture of quartz and clay minerals. Finally, the statuettes underwent mechanical cleaning and treated with 3% (w/v) benzotriazole in alcohol, followed by the application of two layers of 3% (w/v) paraloid B-72 in acetone to insure long-term corrosion protection.

DOI

10.21608/shedet.2023.181696.1159

Keywords

statuettes, Casting Core, Leaded bronze, analysis, conservation

Authors

First Name

Mohamed

Last Name

Abdelbar

MiddleName

Abdou

Affiliation

Department of conservation, Faculty of Archaeology, Damietta University, Damietta, Egypt

Email

ma00@du.edu.eg

City

-

Orcid

-

Volume

12

Article Issue

12

Related Issue

44494

Issue Date

2024-01-01

Receive Date

2022-12-18

Publish Date

2024-01-01

Page Start

325

Page End

343

Print ISSN

2356-8704

Online ISSN

2536-9954

Link

https://shedet.journals.ekb.eg/article_327025.html

Detail API

https://shedet.journals.ekb.eg/service?article_code=327025

Order

327,025

Type

research articles

Type Code

1,264

Publication Type

Journal

Publication Title

Shedet

Publication Link

https://shedet.journals.ekb.eg/

MainTitle

Technical Investigation and Conservation of Core Cast Bronze Statuettes of Osiris

Details

Type

Article

Created At

25 Dec 2024