DOI issue:
Egypt
DOI article:Czaja-Szewczak, Barbara: Conservation of a fatimid shawl from the Naqlun cemetery
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.42093#0254
NAQLUN
EGYPT
CONSERVATION OF A FATIMID SHAWL
FROM THE NAQLUN CEMETERY
Barbara Czaja-Szewczak
A Fatimid shawl was put on display at the
Egyptian Museum in Cairo as part of the
exhibition Seventy Years of Polish Archaeology
in Egypt, held from 21 October to 21
November 2007 (subsequently extended
through January 2008), celebrating the
Polish archaeological and conservation
contribution to Ancient Egyptian heritage.
This linen wrap (Nd.02.245; Godlewski
2007) is a plain-weave textile (18 weft/cm,
27 warp/cm) with colorful silk decoration in
tapestry weave (56 weft/cm, 25 warp/cm). It
is dated to the second half of the 12th
century. Ultimately used as a burial
wrapping (it was excavated from tomb
T.316 on Cemetery A in Naqlun;
Godlewski 2003: 167, Fig. 3a), it had
suffered damages due to direct contact with
products of human body decomposition.
The surviving fragment constitutes about
half of the original textile. The dimensions
after conservation are: length 87 cm, width
112/104 cm.
The cream-colored linen is decorated
with two bands of decoration. Bordering the
tasseled edge (the fringe is 4.2 cm long) are
four black threads of silk woven into the
weft, each one millimeter wide, forming
a band barely 0.4 cm wide. The main
ornament is a band 7.6 cm wide appearing
21.5 cm away from this band. Joining
medallions form this band. They are filled
alternately with images of birds on an
inscribed rosette and a fantastic hoofed
creature on a pink ground. The line of
medallions is flanked by Arabic pseudo-
inscriptions (tiraz) in pink on yellow ground,
sandwiched between bands of a cream-
colored scrolling-vine motif on black
ground.
The conservation program developed for
textiles coming from the excavation of
cemeteries A and C at the site of Naqlun is
carried out continuously from season to
season, following a schedule based on regu-
lar assessment of the condition of particular
finds and their relative importance for
research. The wrap in question was in good
condition compared to other pieces in the
collection. The decision to display it at the
Cairo exhibition, however, necessitated
immediate full conservation treatment
[Fig. 1, top].
The first steps had been taken already in
2002, right after the discovery. Surface dirt
was removed with a brush and mini-vacuum
cleaner and the textile was subjected to
a water bath containing PRETEPON G liquid
softener. Biocide PREVENTOL R 80 was
added to the last rinsing. After draining off
excess water, the textile was laid out on
a horizontal surface and delicately pulled
into shape without risking any damages. It
was fixed to a flat board with entomologic
pins and left to dry.
The next stage was carried out in time
for the exhibition in the last quarter of
2007. Biocidal treatment was repeated with
248
Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean 19, Reports 2007
EGYPT
CONSERVATION OF A FATIMID SHAWL
FROM THE NAQLUN CEMETERY
Barbara Czaja-Szewczak
A Fatimid shawl was put on display at the
Egyptian Museum in Cairo as part of the
exhibition Seventy Years of Polish Archaeology
in Egypt, held from 21 October to 21
November 2007 (subsequently extended
through January 2008), celebrating the
Polish archaeological and conservation
contribution to Ancient Egyptian heritage.
This linen wrap (Nd.02.245; Godlewski
2007) is a plain-weave textile (18 weft/cm,
27 warp/cm) with colorful silk decoration in
tapestry weave (56 weft/cm, 25 warp/cm). It
is dated to the second half of the 12th
century. Ultimately used as a burial
wrapping (it was excavated from tomb
T.316 on Cemetery A in Naqlun;
Godlewski 2003: 167, Fig. 3a), it had
suffered damages due to direct contact with
products of human body decomposition.
The surviving fragment constitutes about
half of the original textile. The dimensions
after conservation are: length 87 cm, width
112/104 cm.
The cream-colored linen is decorated
with two bands of decoration. Bordering the
tasseled edge (the fringe is 4.2 cm long) are
four black threads of silk woven into the
weft, each one millimeter wide, forming
a band barely 0.4 cm wide. The main
ornament is a band 7.6 cm wide appearing
21.5 cm away from this band. Joining
medallions form this band. They are filled
alternately with images of birds on an
inscribed rosette and a fantastic hoofed
creature on a pink ground. The line of
medallions is flanked by Arabic pseudo-
inscriptions (tiraz) in pink on yellow ground,
sandwiched between bands of a cream-
colored scrolling-vine motif on black
ground.
The conservation program developed for
textiles coming from the excavation of
cemeteries A and C at the site of Naqlun is
carried out continuously from season to
season, following a schedule based on regu-
lar assessment of the condition of particular
finds and their relative importance for
research. The wrap in question was in good
condition compared to other pieces in the
collection. The decision to display it at the
Cairo exhibition, however, necessitated
immediate full conservation treatment
[Fig. 1, top].
The first steps had been taken already in
2002, right after the discovery. Surface dirt
was removed with a brush and mini-vacuum
cleaner and the textile was subjected to
a water bath containing PRETEPON G liquid
softener. Biocide PREVENTOL R 80 was
added to the last rinsing. After draining off
excess water, the textile was laid out on
a horizontal surface and delicately pulled
into shape without risking any damages. It
was fixed to a flat board with entomologic
pins and left to dry.
The next stage was carried out in time
for the exhibition in the last quarter of
2007. Biocidal treatment was repeated with
248
Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean 19, Reports 2007