DOI issue:
Egypt
DOI article:Godziejewski, Zbigniew: Conservation work, 2000
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.41368#0122
WEST SAQQARA
EGYPT
CONSERVATION WORK, 2000
Zbigniew Godziejewski
As in the previous campaign, conservation
activities focused on the funerary chapel of
Meref-nebef, re-opened on August 28.
Later in the season, more attention was
paid to objects now discovered and
requiring immediate treatment, both
equipment of funerary shafts and elements
of the architecture.
FUNERARY CHAPEL OF MEREF-NEBEF
A survey of the architrave and lateral
walls that had been structurally
impregnated at the end of the 1999 season
with Remmers’ Funcosil Antihygro and
then Funcosil Steinfestiger 300 suggested
that a considerable reinforcement of the
rock structure has taken place. However,
there are still places demanding further
treatment, especially the horizontal strip of
rock that runs across the middle part of the
lateral walls, as well as some parts of the
architrave.
Although no fragments of the
decorated facade surface had fallen off
between seasons, the layer of painting was
found slightly detached in places and had
to be re-attached to the ground. The same
was true of certain areas of the painting
inside the chapel, now found detached
from the rock.
New concentrations of salt had
appeared on the decorated surface. The
biggest of these is a spot of white down
(c. 25 by 15 cm) on the northern part of
the eastern wall, c. 1 m above the floor.
Smaller concentrations were visible at the
southern end of the eastern wall. On the
southern wall, c. 1.00 m-1.20 m above the
floor, there was a concentrated strip of salt
grains that has caused some detachment of
the polychrome surface, as well as peeling
and crumbling of the rock, which is
particularly weak here. Smaller
concentrations of salt were observed also on
the northern wall and on the outside
elevation of the chapel. The salt
efflorescence was removed mechanically
with scalpels and brushes. Some
concentrations of salt have also affected the
polychromy on a part of the ceiling,
between the eastern wall and the crevice
following the ceiling of the chapel.
The shelter built over the chapel in
1999 has radically stabilized interior
climatic conditions, as demonstrated by
repeated temperature and humidity
measurements taken during the campaign.
The temperature is stable at 26-28°C in
front of the facade and 27°C inside the
chapel. Relative air humidity inside the
chapel is now slightly above 50% and does
not exceed 60% (c. 55-57° between 7 a.m.
and 1 p.m.) More extensive differences (up
to 10%) have been observed in the room
formed by the shelter in front of the facade.
They are due to the bigger volume of this
space, the presence of ventilation holes,
and the opening of the shelter door during
work. The values registered by the
thermohygrometer usually vary between
120
EGYPT
CONSERVATION WORK, 2000
Zbigniew Godziejewski
As in the previous campaign, conservation
activities focused on the funerary chapel of
Meref-nebef, re-opened on August 28.
Later in the season, more attention was
paid to objects now discovered and
requiring immediate treatment, both
equipment of funerary shafts and elements
of the architecture.
FUNERARY CHAPEL OF MEREF-NEBEF
A survey of the architrave and lateral
walls that had been structurally
impregnated at the end of the 1999 season
with Remmers’ Funcosil Antihygro and
then Funcosil Steinfestiger 300 suggested
that a considerable reinforcement of the
rock structure has taken place. However,
there are still places demanding further
treatment, especially the horizontal strip of
rock that runs across the middle part of the
lateral walls, as well as some parts of the
architrave.
Although no fragments of the
decorated facade surface had fallen off
between seasons, the layer of painting was
found slightly detached in places and had
to be re-attached to the ground. The same
was true of certain areas of the painting
inside the chapel, now found detached
from the rock.
New concentrations of salt had
appeared on the decorated surface. The
biggest of these is a spot of white down
(c. 25 by 15 cm) on the northern part of
the eastern wall, c. 1 m above the floor.
Smaller concentrations were visible at the
southern end of the eastern wall. On the
southern wall, c. 1.00 m-1.20 m above the
floor, there was a concentrated strip of salt
grains that has caused some detachment of
the polychrome surface, as well as peeling
and crumbling of the rock, which is
particularly weak here. Smaller
concentrations of salt were observed also on
the northern wall and on the outside
elevation of the chapel. The salt
efflorescence was removed mechanically
with scalpels and brushes. Some
concentrations of salt have also affected the
polychromy on a part of the ceiling,
between the eastern wall and the crevice
following the ceiling of the chapel.
The shelter built over the chapel in
1999 has radically stabilized interior
climatic conditions, as demonstrated by
repeated temperature and humidity
measurements taken during the campaign.
The temperature is stable at 26-28°C in
front of the facade and 27°C inside the
chapel. Relative air humidity inside the
chapel is now slightly above 50% and does
not exceed 60% (c. 55-57° between 7 a.m.
and 1 p.m.) More extensive differences (up
to 10%) have been observed in the room
formed by the shelter in front of the facade.
They are due to the bigger volume of this
space, the presence of ventilation holes,
and the opening of the shelter door during
work. The values registered by the
thermohygrometer usually vary between
120