ANALYTICAL INVESTIGATION ON A COPTIC WOODEN ICON FROM THE 18TH CENTURY USING SEM-EDX MICROSCOPY AND FTIR SPECTROSCOPY
Authors/Creators
- 1. Egyptian Grand Museum, Giza, Egypt.
- 2. Conservation department, Faculty of Archaeology, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt.
Description
In the present study, a comprehensive investigation has been undertaken into a
wooden Coptic icon dated to the 18th century and painted by Ibrahim El-Nasekh. It is located in Saint Abanoub church in Samanoud, in the Nile Delta, Egypt. This study included the determination of the pigment palette, the gold layer and the white ground layer and the wooden panel. The analytical instruments used were Optical microscopy, Environmental scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray emission and Fourier transform infrared coupled with attenuated total reflectance "FTIRATR". The analysis revealed that the pigments used in this icon comprises indigo(C16H10N2O2), red lead (Pb3O4), white lead (2PbCO3·Pb(OH)2) and yellow lead (PbO). The gold areas were made of real gold leaves applied over an orange bole layer. The white ground layer comprises calcium sulphate dihydrate admixed with animal glue. The wooden panel was found to be made of Accacia Pennata (L.) Wild, while Cupressus sempervirens L. var. dupreziana (A. Camus) Silba was used for pegs and traverses.