The “Begram ivories” are widely considered to be miniature masterpieces of Indian art and are one... more The “Begram ivories” are widely considered to be miniature masterpieces of Indian art and are one of the largest archaeological collections of ancient ivories. They were excavated at the site of Begram, in northern Afghanistan, in 1937 and 1939 and belong to a period when Afghanistan, Pakistan and northern India were united under rulers of the Kushan dynasty. Divided soon afterwards between the National Museum of Afghanistan in Kabul and the Musée national des arts asiatiques–Guimet in Paris, the collection in Kabul suffered a disaster during the civil war which ravaged the country during the early 1990s. Some of the pieces were successfully concealed by museum staff but most were stolen, hundreds have since been reported in different collections and very few have yet been recovered. In 2011 a group of twenty bone and ivory plaques was generously acquired for the National Museum of Afghanistan by a private individual. These were scientifically analysed, conserved and exhibited at the British Museum and returned to Kabul in 2012. This book describes their story from excavation to display and return, with individual object biographies and detailed scientific analyses and conservation treatments. It also discusses how these objects have attracted very different interpretations over the decades since their discovery, and how the new analyses shed a completely fresh light on the collection. It is lavishly illustrated in full colour, and includes many previously unpublished views of the objects when they were originally exhibited in Kabul. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in the archaeology of Afghanistan, Indian art, polychromy, museum studies, object biographies or the history of conservation. This is available both as an interactive e-book and as a traditional printed volume. An order form is attached which also offers a discount.
The application of tattoos to the human body has enjoyed a long and diverse history in many ancie... more The application of tattoos to the human body has enjoyed a long and diverse history in many ancient cultures. At present, the oldest surviving examples are the mainly geometric tattoos on the individual known as Ötzi, dating to the late 4th millennium BCE, whose skin was preserved by the ice of the Tyrolean Alps. In the Egyptian Nile valley, the arid climate has also promoted extensive soft tissue preservation. Here we report on the tattoos found during the examination of two of the best preserved naturally mummified bodies from Egypt's Predynastic (c. 4000-3100 BCE) period, making them the earliest extant examples from the Nile Valley. Figural tattoos that mirror motifs found in Predynastic art were observed on the right arm of one male and the right arm and shoulder of one female, demonstrating conclusively that tattooing was practiced in prehistoric Egypt. These findings overturn the circumstantial evidence of the artistic record that previously suggested only females were tattooed for fertility or even erotic reasons. Radiocarbon testing and datable iconographic parallels for the motifs indicate that these tattooed individuals are nearly contemporaneous with the Iceman, positioning them amongst the bearers of some of the oldest preserved tattoos in the world. At over five thousand years of age, they push back the evidence for tattooing in Africa by a millennium and provide new insights into the range of potential uses of tattoos in pre-literate societies by both sexes, revealing new contexts for exploring the visual language of prehistoric times.
Summary Th is garniture - or set of paired and single display items - from the collections at the... more Summary Th is garniture - or set of paired and single display items - from the collections at the British Museum comprises a pair of candlesticks, a pair of ewers, a large basin and a bottle. It is made from shaped plaques of the marine gastropod Turbo marmoratus L. (green turban shell) with small inserts of two other marine shells, the gastropod Trochus (Tectus) niloticus L. (button shell) and the bivalve Pinctada margaritifera L. (pearl oyster). Garnitures and individual items of this type were made from the late sixteenth century in Gujarat, western India, to Portuguese order for export to Europe and possibly also for the Jesuit missionary market throughout Asia. Th e available literature describes the expected method of construction as being, for the larger items, either shell plaques pinned to a wooden substrate, or a double-walled technique of shell plaques alone. Th e initial simple visual examination had shown transmitted light vi sible through the walls of the ewers, candle...
Investigations into ancient Egyptian basketry are described, focusing in particular on baskets wi... more Investigations into ancient Egyptian basketry are described, focusing in particular on baskets with dyed or pigment stained elements. An overview of ancient Egyptian basketry techniques, plant materials, deterioration characteristics and potential sources for colours is given. Studies of two museum collections show a significant proportion of baskets to have geometric and/or figurative coloured designs. While the condition varies, colour and level of degradation appear related insofar as black-dyed elements often show particular degradation. The conservation of a basket from the Fitzwilliam Museum is described, and the black-dyed elements investigated. Further analyses of baskets from the British Museum using bathophenanthroline (iron-indicator) strips and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) revealed the presence of significant amounts of iron in most (but not all) black elements and to some extent in the red elements. Future avenues for research into stabilisation techniques for ...
The British Museum Technical Research Bulletin, 2012
Joint paper describing the results of scientific research and conservation on an important group ... more Joint paper describing the results of scientific research and conservation on an important group of first century Indian ivory and bone furniture ornaments excavated at Begram and stolen from the National Museum of Afghanistan in Kabul during the civil war. This work was carried out with permission of Kabul immediately prior to the exhibition of these pieces in the special exhibition at the British Museum, 'Afghanistan: Crossroads of the Ancient World' (2011). They had been identified and acquired by a private individual on behalf of Kabul and temporarily and were returned there in 2012 with the assistance of the British Armed Forces.
The conservation of an ancient Egyptian mummy, cartonnage cover and mask is described. Evidence o... more The conservation of an ancient Egyptian mummy, cartonnage cover and mask is described. Evidence of old restoration in the form of excess beeswax and cardboard were removed from the cartonnage and distortions reshaped. The structure of both mask and cover was strengthened. Tests showed Vinamul 3252, polyvinyl acetate/ethylene copolymer emulsion, to efficiently adhere a backing of Japanese kozo (mulberry) paper to the interior waxed surfaces. Further reinforcing elements in the form of bamboo struts were added over large cracks. Loose linen wrappingd and layers of pitch were secured to mummy using kozo paper and cellulose-based adhesives. The use of Japanese paper in a variety of ways during the course of treatment illustrates the versatility of this material.
In 2010 a group of 20 decorative ivory and bone plaques from the late first-century ad Kushan cit... more In 2010 a group of 20 decorative ivory and bone plaques from the late first-century ad Kushan citysite at Begram, Afghanistan arrived on deposit at the British Museum (BM). The plaques had only recently been rediscovered after being looted from the National Museum of Afghanistan (NMA) in Kabul during the height of the Afghan civil war (1992-1994), and through the generous intervention of a private individual were acquired on behalf of the NMA. These plaques are part of a larger group collectively known as the Begram Ivories, the largest body of ancient Indian ivory carving to survive from antiquity. The pieces were scientifically examined and treated at the BM and subsequently displayed in the temporary exhibition Afghanistan: Crossroads of the Ancient World held at the BM 3 March-17 July 2011 before being safely returned to the NMA in July 2012. Immediately prior to the exhibition the first ever scientific examination of these objects was carried out. The organic plaque material, the distribution and composition of the polychromy and the composition of the original metal pins were investigated using non-invasive techniques. Raman spectroscopy established an original pigment palette that included vermilion and hematite (red), indigo (blue) and carbon black, while X-ray fluorescence analysis confirmed that the metal pins were a heavily corroded copper alloy. Multispectral imaging, including ultraviolet-induced visible luminescence imaging, suggested the possible use of a now degraded organic pigment. A manganese-containing black deposit on the surfaces of several of the plaques is believed to be post-depositional, rather than a deliberately applied pigment. The choice of indigo (an organic colourant likely to have been produced in India) as the blue pigment on the plaques, rather than locally available ultramarine (derived from Afghan lapis lazuli), supports a possible Indian origin. The distinctive Indian style and pattern of the carved designs also suggests that these pieces were either imported ready constructed from India or were produced in Afghanistan by local or imported craftsmen working to Indian styles. The opulent sofas and footstools that the vibrantly coloured plaques would once have decorated are prime examples of the lavish international goods that were being traded and used by courtly elites at this time.
The “Begram ivories” are widely considered to be miniature masterpieces of Indian art and are one... more The “Begram ivories” are widely considered to be miniature masterpieces of Indian art and are one of the largest archaeological collections of ancient ivories. They were excavated at the site of Begram, in northern Afghanistan, in 1937 and 1939 and belong to a period when Afghanistan, Pakistan and northern India were united under rulers of the Kushan dynasty. Divided soon afterwards between the National Museum of Afghanistan in Kabul and the Musée national des arts asiatiques–Guimet in Paris, the collection in Kabul suffered a disaster during the civil war which ravaged the country during the early 1990s. Some of the pieces were successfully concealed by museum staff but most were stolen, hundreds have since been reported in different collections and very few have yet been recovered. In 2011 a group of twenty bone and ivory plaques was generously acquired for the National Museum of Afghanistan by a private individual. These were scientifically analysed, conserved and exhibited at th...
The intention of this paper is to explore the history of wineskins; to investigate how animal ski... more The intention of this paper is to explore the history of wineskins; to investigate how animal skins might facilitate the production and transport of wine and how wine might alter the skin itself. Wineskins were in widespread use from ancient times; Homer’s Odysseus, for example, makes Polyphemus drunk from the contents of skins.
... Fragile Medieval leather shoes have also been repaired and mounted using paper, as have Ancie... more ... Fragile Medieval leather shoes have also been repaired and mounted using paper, as have Ancient Egyptian objects made of cartonnage, textile and other ... An adhesive should have a degree of flexibility suitable for use with pliant organic materials; many of those used in the ...
... These may remain tacky on drying, possess only partial reversibility, have a low pH and produ... more ... These may remain tacky on drying, possess only partial reversibility, have a low pH and produce acetic acid as a degradation product'. ... water in some form, remains current.2 In the field of Ancient Egyptian artifacts, Jaeschke explored a method of reshaping cartonnage using a ...
The “Begram ivories” are widely considered to be miniature masterpieces of Indian art and are one... more The “Begram ivories” are widely considered to be miniature masterpieces of Indian art and are one of the largest archaeological collections of ancient ivories. They were excavated at the site of Begram, in northern Afghanistan, in 1937 and 1939 and belong to a period when Afghanistan, Pakistan and northern India were united under rulers of the Kushan dynasty. Divided soon afterwards between the National Museum of Afghanistan in Kabul and the Musée national des arts asiatiques–Guimet in Paris, the collection in Kabul suffered a disaster during the civil war which ravaged the country during the early 1990s. Some of the pieces were successfully concealed by museum staff but most were stolen, hundreds have since been reported in different collections and very few have yet been recovered. In 2011 a group of twenty bone and ivory plaques was generously acquired for the National Museum of Afghanistan by a private individual. These were scientifically analysed, conserved and exhibited at the British Museum and returned to Kabul in 2012. This book describes their story from excavation to display and return, with individual object biographies and detailed scientific analyses and conservation treatments. It also discusses how these objects have attracted very different interpretations over the decades since their discovery, and how the new analyses shed a completely fresh light on the collection. It is lavishly illustrated in full colour, and includes many previously unpublished views of the objects when they were originally exhibited in Kabul. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in the archaeology of Afghanistan, Indian art, polychromy, museum studies, object biographies or the history of conservation. This is available both as an interactive e-book and as a traditional printed volume. An order form is attached which also offers a discount.
The application of tattoos to the human body has enjoyed a long and diverse history in many ancie... more The application of tattoos to the human body has enjoyed a long and diverse history in many ancient cultures. At present, the oldest surviving examples are the mainly geometric tattoos on the individual known as Ötzi, dating to the late 4th millennium BCE, whose skin was preserved by the ice of the Tyrolean Alps. In the Egyptian Nile valley, the arid climate has also promoted extensive soft tissue preservation. Here we report on the tattoos found during the examination of two of the best preserved naturally mummified bodies from Egypt's Predynastic (c. 4000-3100 BCE) period, making them the earliest extant examples from the Nile Valley. Figural tattoos that mirror motifs found in Predynastic art were observed on the right arm of one male and the right arm and shoulder of one female, demonstrating conclusively that tattooing was practiced in prehistoric Egypt. These findings overturn the circumstantial evidence of the artistic record that previously suggested only females were tattooed for fertility or even erotic reasons. Radiocarbon testing and datable iconographic parallels for the motifs indicate that these tattooed individuals are nearly contemporaneous with the Iceman, positioning them amongst the bearers of some of the oldest preserved tattoos in the world. At over five thousand years of age, they push back the evidence for tattooing in Africa by a millennium and provide new insights into the range of potential uses of tattoos in pre-literate societies by both sexes, revealing new contexts for exploring the visual language of prehistoric times.
Summary Th is garniture - or set of paired and single display items - from the collections at the... more Summary Th is garniture - or set of paired and single display items - from the collections at the British Museum comprises a pair of candlesticks, a pair of ewers, a large basin and a bottle. It is made from shaped plaques of the marine gastropod Turbo marmoratus L. (green turban shell) with small inserts of two other marine shells, the gastropod Trochus (Tectus) niloticus L. (button shell) and the bivalve Pinctada margaritifera L. (pearl oyster). Garnitures and individual items of this type were made from the late sixteenth century in Gujarat, western India, to Portuguese order for export to Europe and possibly also for the Jesuit missionary market throughout Asia. Th e available literature describes the expected method of construction as being, for the larger items, either shell plaques pinned to a wooden substrate, or a double-walled technique of shell plaques alone. Th e initial simple visual examination had shown transmitted light vi sible through the walls of the ewers, candle...
Investigations into ancient Egyptian basketry are described, focusing in particular on baskets wi... more Investigations into ancient Egyptian basketry are described, focusing in particular on baskets with dyed or pigment stained elements. An overview of ancient Egyptian basketry techniques, plant materials, deterioration characteristics and potential sources for colours is given. Studies of two museum collections show a significant proportion of baskets to have geometric and/or figurative coloured designs. While the condition varies, colour and level of degradation appear related insofar as black-dyed elements often show particular degradation. The conservation of a basket from the Fitzwilliam Museum is described, and the black-dyed elements investigated. Further analyses of baskets from the British Museum using bathophenanthroline (iron-indicator) strips and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) revealed the presence of significant amounts of iron in most (but not all) black elements and to some extent in the red elements. Future avenues for research into stabilisation techniques for ...
The British Museum Technical Research Bulletin, 2012
Joint paper describing the results of scientific research and conservation on an important group ... more Joint paper describing the results of scientific research and conservation on an important group of first century Indian ivory and bone furniture ornaments excavated at Begram and stolen from the National Museum of Afghanistan in Kabul during the civil war. This work was carried out with permission of Kabul immediately prior to the exhibition of these pieces in the special exhibition at the British Museum, 'Afghanistan: Crossroads of the Ancient World' (2011). They had been identified and acquired by a private individual on behalf of Kabul and temporarily and were returned there in 2012 with the assistance of the British Armed Forces.
The conservation of an ancient Egyptian mummy, cartonnage cover and mask is described. Evidence o... more The conservation of an ancient Egyptian mummy, cartonnage cover and mask is described. Evidence of old restoration in the form of excess beeswax and cardboard were removed from the cartonnage and distortions reshaped. The structure of both mask and cover was strengthened. Tests showed Vinamul 3252, polyvinyl acetate/ethylene copolymer emulsion, to efficiently adhere a backing of Japanese kozo (mulberry) paper to the interior waxed surfaces. Further reinforcing elements in the form of bamboo struts were added over large cracks. Loose linen wrappingd and layers of pitch were secured to mummy using kozo paper and cellulose-based adhesives. The use of Japanese paper in a variety of ways during the course of treatment illustrates the versatility of this material.
In 2010 a group of 20 decorative ivory and bone plaques from the late first-century ad Kushan cit... more In 2010 a group of 20 decorative ivory and bone plaques from the late first-century ad Kushan citysite at Begram, Afghanistan arrived on deposit at the British Museum (BM). The plaques had only recently been rediscovered after being looted from the National Museum of Afghanistan (NMA) in Kabul during the height of the Afghan civil war (1992-1994), and through the generous intervention of a private individual were acquired on behalf of the NMA. These plaques are part of a larger group collectively known as the Begram Ivories, the largest body of ancient Indian ivory carving to survive from antiquity. The pieces were scientifically examined and treated at the BM and subsequently displayed in the temporary exhibition Afghanistan: Crossroads of the Ancient World held at the BM 3 March-17 July 2011 before being safely returned to the NMA in July 2012. Immediately prior to the exhibition the first ever scientific examination of these objects was carried out. The organic plaque material, the distribution and composition of the polychromy and the composition of the original metal pins were investigated using non-invasive techniques. Raman spectroscopy established an original pigment palette that included vermilion and hematite (red), indigo (blue) and carbon black, while X-ray fluorescence analysis confirmed that the metal pins were a heavily corroded copper alloy. Multispectral imaging, including ultraviolet-induced visible luminescence imaging, suggested the possible use of a now degraded organic pigment. A manganese-containing black deposit on the surfaces of several of the plaques is believed to be post-depositional, rather than a deliberately applied pigment. The choice of indigo (an organic colourant likely to have been produced in India) as the blue pigment on the plaques, rather than locally available ultramarine (derived from Afghan lapis lazuli), supports a possible Indian origin. The distinctive Indian style and pattern of the carved designs also suggests that these pieces were either imported ready constructed from India or were produced in Afghanistan by local or imported craftsmen working to Indian styles. The opulent sofas and footstools that the vibrantly coloured plaques would once have decorated are prime examples of the lavish international goods that were being traded and used by courtly elites at this time.
The “Begram ivories” are widely considered to be miniature masterpieces of Indian art and are one... more The “Begram ivories” are widely considered to be miniature masterpieces of Indian art and are one of the largest archaeological collections of ancient ivories. They were excavated at the site of Begram, in northern Afghanistan, in 1937 and 1939 and belong to a period when Afghanistan, Pakistan and northern India were united under rulers of the Kushan dynasty. Divided soon afterwards between the National Museum of Afghanistan in Kabul and the Musée national des arts asiatiques–Guimet in Paris, the collection in Kabul suffered a disaster during the civil war which ravaged the country during the early 1990s. Some of the pieces were successfully concealed by museum staff but most were stolen, hundreds have since been reported in different collections and very few have yet been recovered. In 2011 a group of twenty bone and ivory plaques was generously acquired for the National Museum of Afghanistan by a private individual. These were scientifically analysed, conserved and exhibited at th...
The intention of this paper is to explore the history of wineskins; to investigate how animal ski... more The intention of this paper is to explore the history of wineskins; to investigate how animal skins might facilitate the production and transport of wine and how wine might alter the skin itself. Wineskins were in widespread use from ancient times; Homer’s Odysseus, for example, makes Polyphemus drunk from the contents of skins.
... Fragile Medieval leather shoes have also been repaired and mounted using paper, as have Ancie... more ... Fragile Medieval leather shoes have also been repaired and mounted using paper, as have Ancient Egyptian objects made of cartonnage, textile and other ... An adhesive should have a degree of flexibility suitable for use with pliant organic materials; many of those used in the ...
... These may remain tacky on drying, possess only partial reversibility, have a low pH and produ... more ... These may remain tacky on drying, possess only partial reversibility, have a low pH and produce acetic acid as a degradation product'. ... water in some form, remains current.2 In the field of Ancient Egyptian artifacts, Jaeschke explored a method of reshaping cartonnage using a ...
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