An Exploration of Consolidants for Ancient Egyptian Limestone

ABSTRACTThe Penn Museum has many monumental architectural elements of the Palace Complex of Merenptah, a 19th Dynasty Egyptian pharaoh. The palace was excavated in Memphis by Clarence Fisher and elements of it, including columns, doorways, and windows, were brought to Philadelphia and installed in the Museum in 1926. The limestone architectural pieces exhibit various condition issues including powdering, flaking, and cracking. In preparation for reinstallation in the Museum’s renovated Egyptian galleries, methods and materials for strengthening and stabilizing the stone were investigated. First, the stone was characterized using thin-section petrographic analysis. After a literature search, the following consolidation materials were selected for initial testing: Conservare, CaLoSil E5, CaLoSil E25, CaLoSil E50, CaLoSil IP5, CaLoSil IP25, diammonium phosphate (DAP), and M-3P bacterial nurturing solution. Test areas were evaluated for reduced powdering, improved strength, and minimal visual change (if any). CaLoSil E5 and M-3P were then further tested to better compare their performance with each other. Paraloid B-72 was also considered for this project and selected for stabilizing areas with structural damages like breaks and cleavage. This article outlines the steps taken and results of testing. It also addresses the treatment choices made for these architectural elements, and the rationale for them.