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Physicochemistry of the Tomb of Nefertari, Egypt.

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2011

J. E. Smeaton  and
George Burns
J. E. Smeaton
Affiliation:
University of Toronto, Department of Chemistry, 80 St. George St., Toronto, Ontario, Canada. M5S 1A1
George Burns
Affiliation:
University of Toronto, Department of Chemistry, 80 St. George St., Toronto, Ontario, Canada. M5S 1A1
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Abstract

The Tomb of Nefertari, no. 66, Valley of the Queens, is an internationally known monument of historic and artistic importance; it is considere d one of the most beautiful of the Royal Egyptian tombs. The fragility of its plaster along with its ubiquitous sodium chloride crystals and microcrystals have complicated its conservation and restoration. In order to determine the optimum pathway for its conservation, the physicochemical processes which occur now in this Tomb must be well understood. To improve this understanding, samples of plaster taken from the Tomb have been analyzed using Differential Scanning Calorimetry and X-ray Diffraction and have been shown to be fully dehydrated; previous findings suggest that this is not the case in all contemporary Royal tombs. Although we are not aware of any kinetic study of gypsum dehydration in the solid state, the presence of anhydrite in the Tomb of Nefertari suggests that the CaSO4 ·2H2O → CaSO4 + 2H2O reaction is catalyzed. It is reasoned that finely-dispersed sodium chloride crystals act as effective catalysts in this reaction.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 123: Symposium L – Materials Issues in Art and Archaeology I , 1988 , 299
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1988

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