Restoration of Amenhotep Tomb

http://www.algomhuria.net.eg/gazette/2/

Hassan Saadallah reports as follows: "A Japanese team have completed the first phase of the restoration of the Tomb of Amenhotep III of the 18th Dynasty.This first phase included cleaning the tomb and photographing the walls with their engravings of the King and the gods. Other work involved repairing some of the engravings that were damaged and strengthening the walls and columns. Meanwhile, the fungi and bacteria on the walls were killed by the team, using chemicals that would not harm the engravings.

By taking X-rays of the monument, the Japanese members of the team were able to pinpoint the constituents of the paints used by the Pharaohs to colour their engravings, including the pigments orpiment (used to make a yellow colour), hematite (for white) and arsmeti (for orange).

The tomb, located in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor, consists of a long corridor with three halls. The corridor descends steeply to a well surrounded by gods. There is also a room with two square pillars, descending to 21 small rooms with damaged engravings. Meanwhile, there is a burial chamber with columns. It also contains parts of a broken coffin. Some of the rooms were looted in the era of King Ramses IX. There is a papyrus in existence which records the confessions and names of the thieves" .

This is the complete item on the Egyptian Gazette website.