Absorption edge sensitive radiography and tomography of Egyptian Papyri

Arlt, Tobias; Mahnke, H.‐E.; Siopi, Tzulia; Menei, Eve; Aibéo, Cristina; Pausewein, Regine-Ricarda; Reiche, Ina; Manke, Ingo; Lepper, Verena

doi:10.1016/j.culher.2019.04.007

Cited by 11 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…The object of these studies was not only to decipher the ink recipe but also to find a way to decrypt highly degraded or rolled papyri, for example, using a chemical contrast between the ink and the papyrus support. Analyses mainly rely on nondestructive techniques such as X-ray radiography and X-ray computed tomography (CT), X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and Raman spectroscopy or Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy . In most of these studies, chemical elements such as copper, lead, , or iron were found in the ink, offering a good chemical contrast compared to the raw papyrus support.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several hypotheses attempt to explain the presence of lead found in several collections from the Middle Kingdom to first century AD, with possibly an intentional addition of lead-based compounds in the binding medium as a drying agent, or the use of the black mineral galena, even if no definite answer has been accepted so far. Lead carboxylates were also identified in a few studies, , possibly resulting from the degradation of other lead-based compounds. Concerning copper, the authors assumed that the black pigment used for the ink was obtained from by-products of technical metallurgy, glass, and glaze production processes that were also used to produce carbon inks during the early centuries BCE.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Revealing the Nature of Black Pigments Used on Ancient Egyptian Papyri from Champollion Collection

et al. 2020

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Although numerous papyri from ancient Egypt have been collected and preserved over the centuries, the recipe used to prepare black inks was only reported in manuscripts from the late Greco-Roman period. Black inks were mostly obtained after mixing carbon black with a binder agent and water. In previous studies performed on black inks apposed on papyri from ancient Egypt, additional chemical elements such as lead, iron, or copper were also identified, and the resulting chemical contrast with the papyrus support was used to virtually decrypt highly degraded or rolled papyri. Combining a series of synchrotron-based techniques with Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy, we investigated 10 papyri fragments from J.-F. Champollion's private collection. For each fragment, the carbonblack pigment found in the ink is identified as flame carbon (lampblack or soot). Using Xray diffraction computed tomography, we show that the diffraction signal of the carbon-based pigment itself can be isolated. As a result, a contrast with the papyrus support is obtained, even in the absence of a specific chemical element in the ink. This is opening up new opportunities to decipher words written millennia ago, as part of our Cultural Heritage.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Revealing the Nature of Black Pigments Used on Ancient Egyptian Papyri from Champollion Collection

et al. 2020

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“…S16) that dates to the Graeco-Roman periods (circa 332 BCE to 250 CE). The authors of this study note that "its deliberate use as an ink for encryption seems very unlikely" (9). Our unequivocal detection of lead carboxylates in ancient Egyptian inks show that they probably were produced and used intentionally.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 69%

“…were developed through continuous experimentation and used alongside charcoal/soot inks (7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20).…”

Section: Significancementioning

confidence: 99%

Insights into the composition of ancient Egyptian red and black inks on papyri achieved by synchrotron-based microanalyses

Christiansen

Cotte

Nolf

et al. 2020

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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A hitherto unknown composition is highlighted in the red and black inks preserved on ancient Egyptian papyri from the Roman period (circa 100 to 200 CE). Synchrotron-based macro–X-ray fluorescence (XRF) mapping brings to light the presence of iron (Fe) and lead (Pb) compounds in the majority of the red inks inscribed on 12 papyrus fragments from the Tebtunis temple library. The iron-based compounds in the inks can be assigned to ocher, notably due to the colocalization of Fe with aluminum, and the detection of hematite (Fe2O3) by micro–X-ray diffraction. Using the same techniques together with micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Pb is shown to be associated with fatty acid phosphate, sulfate, chloride, and carboxylate ions. Moreover, micro-XRF maps reveal a peculiar distribution and colocalization of Pb, phosphorus (P), and sulfur (S), which are present at the micrometric scale resembling diffused “coffee rings” surrounding the ocher particles imbedded in the red letters, and at the submicrometric scale concentrated in the papyrus cell walls. A similar Pb, P, and S composition was found in three black inks, suggesting that the same lead components were employed in the manufacture of carbon-based inks. Bearing in mind that pigments such as red lead (Pb3O4) and lead white (hydrocerussite [Pb3(CO3)2(OH)2] and/or cerussite [PbCO3]) were not detected, the results presented here suggest that the lead compound in the ink was used as a drier rather than as a pigment. Accordingly, the study calls for a reassessment of the composition of lead-based components in ancient Mediterranean pigments.

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“…These involves spectroscopic techniques and experimental simulation of aging and conservation tests to define proper materials for conservation. The most significant and most recent contributions have been made to heritage materials of the SE Mediterranean cultures [19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38].…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Essays in Archaeology and Archaeometry and the Hellenic Contribution to Egyptology

2022

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The contemporary trend of research projects and works are presented on selective issues of archaeometry, archaeology and Egyptology. The current status in research in the area of SE Mediterranean on cultural heritage and archaeological/historical reflections alone and/or coupled with archaeological sciences of eleven papers are placed within an updated frame. The results concern a variety of selected topics critically presented. The topics touch on the cultural astronomy, the ancient textiles and masonries and the physico-chemical and biological investigations, the socio-political issues of Egyptian Ramesside era, revisiting the inscription of an Egyptian statuette, and the valuable information extracted from rock graffiti in north Kharga, Egypt.

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Absorption edge sensitive radiography and tomography of Egyptian Papyri

Cited by 11 publications

References 16 publications

Revealing the Nature of Black Pigments Used on Ancient Egyptian Papyri from Champollion Collection

Revealing the Nature of Black Pigments Used on Ancient Egyptian Papyri from Champollion Collection

Insights into the composition of ancient Egyptian red and black inks on papyri achieved by synchrotron-based microanalyses

Essays in Archaeology and Archaeometry and the Hellenic Contribution to Egyptology

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