Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (16.2004(2005))

SAQQARA

EGYPT

face tension with this mixture, and drip-
ping it with a viscous substance, each de-
tachment was delicately adhered to the
matrix with cotton wool tampons. Syringes
and small brushes were used for these
procedures, the latter tool being especially
convenient for mounting the whitewash
covering the lower part of the walls.
Rock detachments on the ceiling were
mounted in similar fashion, using, however,
a suspension made on the base of a water
solution of Primal AC33 (c. 10%) and mi-
neral fillers and pigments. The suspension
was injected with a convenient syringe. Not
only numerous small fragments were
mounted in this way, but also a large piece
of ceiling in the northeastern corner of the
chapel. The edges of the mounted frag-
ments were reinforced by increasing the con-
centration of the solution up to 15%, and
by adding some fine-grained, pure sieved
sand to the suspension. The putty made this
way was applied with a spatula.
Two fragments of the ceiling, measuring
together c. 20 x 20 cm, were mounted in
the entrance to the chapel. These fragments
were stuck to a relatively thick putty made
on the base of Movilith 50 (PVAc) dis-
solved in acetone, and subsequently diluted
to c. 10-12% with pure ethyl alcohol. This
SMALL
STONE
The 'false door1 limestone stela of priestess
Khekeret, found in Shaft 32, was cleaned
[Fig. I).1 Loose dirt and two layers of white-
wash were removed from the surface in
order to reveal the reliefs (inscriptions and
figures of the deceased), as well as remains
of original polychromy. The cleaning was
performed mechanically, using scalpels,

modification was necessary because of sur-
face crumbling in the spots to be mounted,
which resulted in voids being created. Mi-
neral flours by Remmers, as well as pure,
very fine-grained sand and pigments were
used as fillers.
The chapel facade was cleaned. Dust
and salt concentrations were brushed away
from its surface. Detaching fragments of
the rock in the inscription on the 'lintel'
were mounted with PRIMAL AC33 (water
solution, c. 10%). Some ancient gypsum-
mortar fillings found in the uneven surface
of the rock, as well as tiny remains of the
whitewash were mounted with PRIMAL
E330 (water solution, c. 6%).
Eroded sections of the facade in the cem
ter, tending to peel and' fall at mere touch,
were dripped with a FUNCOSIL ANTIHYGRO
concoction, intended to diminish the hy-
drostatic heave of loamy minerals found in
the rock. Subsequently, a suspension pro-
duced on the base of FUNCOSIL KSE 500
STE, mineral fillers FUNCOSIL KSE-Fullstoff
A and B, and pigments, was injected into
the crevices. These works are a continua-
tion of procedures initiated in 2003.
Gypsum seals were fixed on the rifts
crossing the ceiling and walls, for better
control of rock stability.
OBJECTS
small brushes and wooden needles. The re-
mains of polychromy were secured with
a 2-3% solution of Movilith 50 (PVAc) in
alcohol.
WOOD
Three figurines representing nude men (cf.
Figs. 9 a,b on p. 156) were cleaned me-
chanically. Sand and dust were removed

1 Cf. contributions by K. Mysliwiec and K. Kuraszkiewicz in this volume.

162