After four weeks, we do have some encouraging progress to report.
Our SCA conservators (Ahmed Baghdady, Mohammed Mahmoud and Zaref Basili) have recently reattached Coffin B’s facemask to the lid. The unattached mask had been strange to behold, but now that it is back in it’s proper place it presents a more favorable appearance. See ‘Photos ~ 2010’ for images of the stages of restoration of the facemask including the final result. Further removal of resin from the lid of Coffin B proved useless --- we only found unadorned wood.
We are in the process of checking the texts on the Coffin A’s fragments. Last season we uncovered inscriptions identifying the owner as a “Royal Nurse, Iny.” The glass inlays for part of the eyes and the incised inscriptions suggested a rather exemplary coffin. Gold leaf added to that opinion. In cleaning, we found an incised collar at the sides that turned inward and unites under the crossed arms. The details are sketchy due to the poor preservation, but there is definitely more gold leaf, red (ochre?) and traces of blue inlays. Chicago House artist, Sue Osgood, is adding what remains of this collar to her drawing of the coffin lid.
In addition to cleaning and illustrating the collar of Coffin A, the SCA conservators plan to do more consolidation and repair on the facemask and join sections of the lappets (side ends of wig).
There's more on the above page, and some photos on the 2010 photo page.
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