ASSESSING CONSERVATION TREATMENTS OF THE MAIN FAÇADE OF MEDINET HABU TEMPLE, LUXOR – EGYPT | ||
| Journal of the General Union of Arab Archaeologists | ||
| Article 8, Volume 8, Issue 2, June 2023, Pages 121-146 PDF (3.14 M) | ||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/jguaa2.2023.172505.1117 | ||
| Author | ||
| Ahmed Manci* | ||
| Department of Restoration and Conservation of Antiquities - Faculty of Archaeology and Tourism Guidance - Misr University for Science and Technology, Egypt | ||
| Abstract | ||
| (EN) This paper focuses on the environmental hazards affecting the wall reliefs at the main facades of the mortuary temple of Ramesses III at Luxor west bank, abreast with proposing the optimum materials to conserve these inscriptions. To achieve the aforementioned purpose; the building materials used in the structure, the deterioration products, and ambient environmental factors were studied. The materials were characterized by visual observations, polarized light microscope, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), colorimetric measurements, and static water contact angle, with some physical and mechanical properties. The results revealed that the wall reliefs on the main facades of the temple are in a serious preservation state, where affected by several deterioration phenomena and patterns of damage such as scaling, flaking, powdering, discoloration, multiple types of cracks, surface deposits, fragmentation, efflorescence of salts, the different types of intentional mechanical damage such as, blessing marks (knife whetting), gaps over wide areas, and on the lower blocks, there are many loops, which were carved from the middle ages until the last century for securing animals. All the deterioration phenomena are a result of many deterioration factors such as the environmental impacts, which come as a result of urban and agriculture sprawling around the temple area, moreover human activities and biodeterioration factors. The results obtained from studying archeological sandstone by investigation and analytical methods revealed that it consists mainly of quartz, minor amounts of kaolinite, calcite and halite with rare amount of feldspars, biotite, zircon, iron oxides, and opaques. Also, the study revealed that the archaeological sample of mortar’s joints consists mainly of gypsum, fragments of carbonate rock in micrite form (calcite), quartz, iron oxides, halite and opaques. Gypsum represents is the binding material for the components of the mortar. Sandstone and mortar were suffering from collapse of the internal structure and dissolution of cement materials, as a result of the effects of salt weathering. The experimental study results of the treatments demonstrated that the prepared poultice (A), which consists of 1000 ml of distilled water, 60g of ammonium carbonate, 60g of sodium bicarbonate, 25g of ethelyne diamine tetraacetic acid, and 40g of arbocel (cellulose pulp), is the most effective in removing dirt, stains, and bird droppings from the surfaces of wall reliefs, when compared to the other prepared poultice (B). Additionally, the product of Methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMOS) has a significant efficiency in consolidation and protection of sandstone compared to the other evaliuated products in the study. The mortar (C), wich consisting of (yellow sand 100ml, slacked lime 100ml, gray sandstone powder 100ml, brown sandstone powder 100ml, distilled water + Eucopr M 5ml), is the best mortar for filling gaps and joints in the main facades of the mortuary temple at Medinet Habu, compared to the other evaluated mortars in the study. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Luxor; wall reliefs; sandstone; Medinet Habu; SEM; EDX; XRD; Consolidation; Cleaning; Mortars; Static water contact angle | ||
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