Egyptian bronzes at the RMAH

Egyptian bronzes at the RMAH 1 F.W. , Rademakers Verly 2 1 Delvaux L. and Degryse P. A first look into the ancient Egyptian bronze collection at the RMAH, Brussels 1KU Mirror: bronze (cfr. Spectrum 1) The Royal Museums of Art and History in Brussels house a large collection (700+ objects) of Egyptian copper alloy artefacts (Pre-dynastic to Roman Periods) encompassing tools, jewellery, mirrors, statuary, furniture, vessels and limited ores, moulds and wax models. The EACOM project enables the comprehensive study of this collection: reconstruction of the objects’ history and of their archaeological contexts, assessment of manufacturing techniques, microscopic, chemical and isotopic analysis for technological and provenance studies, and development of conservation protocols. The first results of this collection research are presented here, within the broader approach to (Egyptian) copper metallurgy envisaged by EACOM. Excavation – Museum studies Experiments Analysis The results of these different facets of archaeometallurgical research are constantly exchanged, to immediately build working hypotheses that can be tested in the course of the same project, and in turn aid interpretations. Handle: copper (cfr. Spectrum 1) Mirror (E 02251) New Kingdom Mission d’Egypte 1905-1906 10 cm The entire collection is considered in the first instance, whereby typology, techniques and composition are combined to characterise all artefacts. A database is established to document for each object: • Object history and archaeological context • Description of forming methods (incl. photography) • Handheld XRF1 analysis results (qualitative) This database is an essential aspect of the project, to disclose the collection to the public and assist in its future management, but equally serves as the basis for continued analytical work within EACOM. ( Bruker Tracer III) 1 Assemblage-wide variability: copper alloy tools HH-XRF Spectrum 1 Iron; 2 Brass; 2 Pewter; 1 Lead; 1 Leaded gunmetal; 2 Leaded copper; 2 Leaded bronze; 8 Copper Tin bronze Copper; 33 Objects: internal variability HH-XRF analysis reveals variability within composite objects (e.g., mirror shown above), as well as heterogeneity in single-alloy objects (e.g., variable Pb content). Despite corrosion or strongly altered surface conditions in several objects, it can further reveal the existence of gilding or other surface treatments invisible to the naked eye. For example, HH-XRF revealed which areas of two uraei were gilded, despite different states of conservation (cfr. Spectrum 2). The collection Tin bronze; 39 Middle Kingdom, Kerma + Abydos - Garstang Protodynastic, Faras - Griffith Early Dynastic, Abydos - Petrie ?, Abydos - Petrie New Kingdom, Deir el Bahari & Abydos - Naville & Hall, Garstang 3rd Int. Period, Memphis & Sanam - BSAE & Griffith Old Kingdom, Beit Khallaf - Garstang 3rd Intermediate Period, Memphis - BSAE Meroïtic ? 7 6 5 Copper Arsenical copper Tin bronze Leaded bronze 4 3 1 Dyn., Kawa relation the witnessed alloy compositions, e.g., the possible selection of arsenical copper for sheet metal production. These issues are further explored through experimental reconstructions of selected objects. Example of hammered sheet with impressed cow Tin bronze 10 cm New Kingdom, Deir el Bahari (E 02441) Arsenical copper (1 gilded); 29 Early Dynastic, El Kab 2 25th The bronzes housed at the RMAH were mostly acquired during the late 19th and early 20th centuries: a significant number were obtained directly from excavations (e.g., Petrie, Garstang and Griffith), others privately in Egypt or Europe (e.g., Ravestein and Leopold II collections). To 5 cm 5 cm E 06966 E 06965b obtain archaeologically relevant results from the HH-XRF Spectrum 2: bronze detailed study of these objects, contextual data is substrate (green), with gilding in select areas (red) essential. Well-documented artefacts are therefore selected to form the basis of a much-needed reference work for Egyptian copper metallurgy: • Technology: primary and secondary metallurgical techniques Forming methods • Provenance: Pb isotope (currently limited) Secondary metallurgical techniques are studied diachronically by evaluating forming methods for each and chemical analysis (limited, often no As) object, such as casting (open mould, lost wax with or without core), hammering, bending, etc. The Object history application of these techniques is then considered in The first step has been to develop an overview of archaeological contexts and post-excavation history for all objects in this collection. The dispersal across Europe of other objects from the same contexts is reconstructed as well. This map shows the different sites in Egypt from which artefacts were obtained for the museum collection: Proto-dynastic Early dynastic Old Kingdom 1st Intermediate Period Middle Kingdom New Kingdom 3rd Intermediate Period Saïte Period Late Period Exploratory analysis As/Cu All team members participate in excavations (Ayn Soukhna, EG), museum studies (Brussels), experimental modeling (Melle, FR and Aubechies, BE) and archaeometric analysis (Leuven, BE), in order to collectively outline the most promising approaches in each sub-project. ISA 2016 – Poster 140 Leuven, Division of Geology & 2Royal Museums of Art and History, Brussels Introduction Integrated methodology 2 G. , 0 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 Sn/Cu Groupings based on preliminary HH-XRF analysis, highlighting main copper alloy types. Dimensionless data show raw counts for the As Kb peak (rather than Ka, to avoid Pb La peak interference) and Sn Ka peak, ratioed to the Cu Ka peak. Average of 3 measurements per object (untreated surfaces), at 40kV exciting voltage and 5mA current, without filters. 10 cm E 00161 Arsenical copper axe from the tomb of Khasekhemwy, 2nd Dynasty (ca. 2700 BC), Abydos Further work This exploratory collection analysis is only the first step. Sampling continues for chemical (ICP-OES/ICPMS) and lead isotope (MC-ICP-MS) analysis, with the aim of obtaining representative samples for several time periods as well as the different alloy groups identified by HH-XRF. These analyses raise new hypotheses on technical aspects of Egyptian copper metallurgy (smelting, casting and working) that are experimentally tested and offer a diachronic insight into exploited copper sources. Detailed analysis of experimental products in turn offers new interpretative frameworks for understanding the collection itself (e.g., Poster 139). This interplay is extended to ongoing excavations, to obtain an integrated approach to archaeometallurgy. Acknowledgements: Dirk Huyge (curator Prehistoric and Early Dynastic Egypt, RMAH), Aurélie Joppart for work on GIS database, Héloïse Smets, Hugues Paridans and CR lab. 1 KU Leuven, Division of Geology Celestijnenlaan 200E, 3001 Leuven, Belgium 2 Royal Museums of Art and History Parc du Cinquantenaire 10, 1000 Brussels, Belgium Contact: [email protected]