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Transmitted and non-transmitted bores, fractures and sometimes holes are the common aspects of deterioration that can be found in archaeological bones in excavations and storehouses. The factors that cause these forms of deterioration may include biological factors, improper storage, human errors, etc. This study focuses on the evaluation of some pates used in gap filling of bones in order to verify their effectiveness in the treatment of bone artifacts and to develop them in the future. Change of color, change in the chemical structure, mechanical properties measurement (compressive strength, tensile strength and elongation), wettability, density, porosity, water absorption and investigation of the surface morphology were used to evaluate the pastes used. The results revealed that the paste No. 2 (Paraloid B-72 with glass micro-balloons) was better than the paste No. 1 (Paraloid B-72 with CaCo3) and the paste No. 3 (beeswax, shellac, sawdust, turpentine and 6 ml of tea tree oil) in most properties.

Four icons from church of Saint Theodore El Shatby, Deir El Sankoria, El Minia, Egypt, have studied by micro-destructive spectroscopic methods: Attenuated Total Reflection–Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR–FTIR), Raman Spectroscopy (RS), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy–Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (FESEM–EDX), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Inductively Coupled Plasma–Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP–OES). This study gave information about the materials used in the icons painting, state of the icons, and evaluation of the effect of environmental conditions. ATR–FTIR and Raman methods showed the characteristic bands of lithopone and lead white as a ground material, gum Tragacanth as a binder, and chrome oxide green, mars yellow, mars red as a pigment. EDX microanalysis exhibited the elements of mars yellow and mars red pigments, and ICP–OES method showed the concentration of chromium element that is characteristic for chrome oxide green pigment. The results were authenticated by XPS method to ensure the materials used in the painting. SEM images showed the cracking of the paint surface. Degradation of the chemical structure of gum Tragacanth binder was attributed to metal oxides of the pigments in presence of sunlight and artificial light which led to promotion of the oxidation process and then deterioration of the painting through peeling of the painting surface and cracking of the paint film.

The manuscript studied here dates to 19th century, and consists of paper pages and leather bookbinding. This study aims to use analytical techniques in order to identify the components of the manuscript and to explain its deterioration process. Visual assessment, isolation and identification of fungi, pH measurements, and investigation of the surface morphology by a scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used to explain paper and leather deterioration. X-ray diffraction with EDAX, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and chemical analysis were used to identify pigments, binder of pigments, ash, lignin, and the α-cellulose content of papers. The shrinkage temperature measurement was used to explain the deterioration process of leather. SEM was used to identify the type of animal skin used for the bookbinding and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to identify the vegetable tanning material used with the bookbinding. The results revealed that the ink used was a mixture of carbon with iron gall. The pigments used on the paper were gold leaf or gold shell, cobalt oxide, and mercuric sulfide for the gold, blue and red colors respectively. Sodium chloride was the main salt crystallized on the surface of paper. Calcium carbonate was the filler used in the paper making process. Cotton fibers may have been used as a raw material in the creation of paper. The values of the shrinkage temperature and pH were lower than in normal conditions, indicating that the leather bookbinding suffers from deterioration. Aspergillus sp., and Penicillium sp. were the most dominant fungi found on the manuscript. Goat skin was identified as the animal skin of the bookbinding, and Acacia Arabica was identified the tanning material used with the bookbinding. The condition of the manuscript studied with its components play an important role in its deterioration.