Eleventh International Conference on The Inclusive Museum

Abstract

This research describes the beading techniques of a hassock found in the tomb of Tutankhamun, analyzing the fabrication and pattern of bead-work and giving an insight into the time spent in production and on the effort put into it. Photographic documentation with Dino-Lite Digital Microscope (USB) for beads and digital drawing and illustration was used to document the materials used, the pattern, the beading technique and type of beads. An archaeobotanic study was taken to give more details about the type of bran used in the footstool. Multispectral imaging (MSI) technique was used on the different color beads, allowing us to analyze it non-destructively and with great results from each color. The second part of the research explains the conservation and reconstruction work done in order to give us a glimpse into the methodology of the conservation and reconstruction of the hassock. An assessment for the condition was made to start the conservation procedure and also to choose the suitable consolidation to reconstruct the shape and to rework the beadworks again as it was before. From the identification of the manufacture technique we were able to rework the beads to complete the losses in decorative parts. Anew intended mounting was made to use as a physical support for the hassock waiting for display in the new museum.