Polychromy and Egyptian bronze: New evidence for artificial coloration

Studies in Conservation

Volumn 47, Issue 2, 2002, Pages 95-108

  La Niece, Susan ^a   Shearman, Fleur ^a   Taylor, John ^a   Simpson, Antony ^a  

^a BRITISH MUSEUM   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

CLEANING; COLORING; IMAGE ANALYSIS; OPTICAL MICROSCOPY; RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY; SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY; X RAY DIFFRACTION ANALYSIS;

ARTIFICIAL COLORATION;

BRONZE;

EID: 18744372398     PISSN: 00393630     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1179/sic.2002.47.2.95     Document Type: Article

References (43)

1. Craddock, P.T., and Giumlia-mair, A., 'Hsmn-Km, Corinthian bronze, shakudo: black patinated bronze in the ancient world' in Metal Plating and Patination: Cultural, Technical and Historical Developments, ed. S. la Niece and P.T. Craddock, Butterworth-Heinemann, London (1993) 101-127.
2. Shearman, F., 'An original decorated surface on an Egyptian bronze statuette' in The Examination and Conservation of Egyptian Materials, United Kingdom Institute for Conservation, Archaeology Section, Institute of Archaeology Publications, London (1988) 29-34.
3. Delange, E., 'Conleur vraie' in La couleur dans la peinture et l'émaillage de l'Égypte ancienne, ed. S. Colinart and M. Menu, Scienze e materiali del patrimonio culturale 4, Ravello (1998) 17-30.
4. Griffin, P.S., 'The selective use of gilding on Egyptian polychromed bronzes' in Gilded Metals. History, Technology and Conservation, ed. T. Drayman-weisser, Archetype, London (2000) 49-72.
5. Plenderleith, H.J., and Werner, A.E.A., The Conservation of Antiquities and Works of Art, 2nd edn, Oxford University Press, London (1971) 26.
6. Lucas, A., Antiques, Their Restoration and Preservation, Edw. Arnold (1924); reissued by Cedric Chivers, Bath (1974) 106-107.
7. Born, H., 'Polychromie auf prähistorischen und antiken Kleinbronzen' in Archeologisches Bronzen, Antike Kunst, Modern Technik, Staatliche Museum, Berlin (1985).
8. Watkins, S., and Shearman, F., unpublished report on a survey of copper-alloy objects in the Department of Egyptian Antiquities (1997).
9. Shearman, F., 'Investigation of evidence for naturalistic polychrome decoration on small copper-alloy Egyptian statuettes: a re-evaluation of colour values in order to improve understanding of Egyptian metalwork and to clarify conservation practice', unpublished British Museum project proposal (1999).
10. Shearman, F., 'Condition assessments for pilot study of Egyptian polychrome bronzes', unpublished (1999).
11. Oddy, W.A., Pearce, P., and Green, L., 'An unusual gilding technique on some Egyptian bronzes' in Conservation of Ancient Egyptian Materials, ed. S. Watkins and C. Brown, United Kingdom Institute for Conservation, Archaeology Section, Institute of Archaeology Publications, London (1988) 35-39.
12. Ogden, J.M., 'Metals' in Ancient Egyptian Materials and Technology, ed. P.T. Nicholson and I. Shaw, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (2000) 162-164.
13. Hatchfield, P., and Newman, R., 'Ancient Egyptian gilding methods' in Gilded Wood, Conservation and History, ed. D. Bigelow, E. Cornu, G. Landrey and C. Van Horne, Soundview Press, Madison (1991) 27-47.
14. Stos-Fertner, S., and Gale, N.H., 'Chemical and lead isotope analysis of ancient Egyptian gold, silver and lead', Archaeo-Physika 10 (1979) 299-314.
15. Ogden, J.M., 'Aesthetic and technical considerations regarding the colour and texture of ancient goldwork' in Metal Plating and Patination: Cultural, Technical and Historical Developments, ed. S. La Niece and P.T. Craddock, Butterworth-Heinemann, London (1993) 39-49.
16. Abubakr, A.M.J., Untersuchungen über die ägyptischen Kronen, J.J. Augustin, Glückstad/Hamburg/New York (1937).
17. Giumlia-Mair, A., and Quirke, S., 'Black copper in Bronze Age Egypt', Revue d'Egyptologie 48 (1997) 95-108.
18. Demakopoulou, K., Mangou, E., Jones, R.E., and Photos-Jones, E., 'Mycenaean black inlaid metalware in the National Archaeological Museum, Athens: a technical examination', The Annual of the British School at Athens 90 (1995) 137-153.
19. Murakami, R., 'Japanese traditional alloys' in Metal Plating and Patination: Cultural, Technical and Historical Developments, ed. S. La Niece and P.T. Craddock, Butterworth-Heinemann, London (1993) 85-94.
20. Giumlia-Mair, a., 'Das Krokodil und Amenemhat III aus el-Faiyum', Antike Welt 4 (27) (1996) 313-321.
21. Hill, M., and Schorsch, D., 'A bronze statuette of Thutmose III', Metropolitan Museum Journal 32 (1997) 5-18.
22. Fishman, B., and fleming, S.J., 'A bronze figure of Tutankhamun: technical studies', Archaeometry 22 (1) (1980) 81-86.
23. Craddock, P.T., and La Niece, S., 'The black bronzes of Egypt' in Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Ancient Egyptian Mining & Metallurgy and Conservation of Metallic Artifacts, ed. F.A. Esmael, Ministry of Culture, Supreme Council of Antiquities, Cairo (1995) 89-100.
24. Craddock, P.T., 'The ancestors of Japanese irogane' in The Fourth International Conference on the Beginning of the Use of Metals and Alloys (BUMA-IV), Japan Institute of Metals (1996) 79-94 [see p. 82].
25. Hughes, R., and Rowe, M., The Colouring, Bronzing and Patination of Metals, Crafts Council, London (1982) 13.
26. Wood, R.W., 'The purple gold of Tutankhamun', Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 20 (1934) 62-65.
27. Vickers, M., 'Artful crafts, the influence of metalwork on Athenian painted pottery', Journal of Hellenic Studies 105 (1985) 108-128.
28. Rackham, H., (translator), Pliny: Natural History IX, Loeb Classical Library, Heinemann, London (1952).
29. Aufrère, S., 'Les couleurs sacrées en Égypte ancienne: vibration d'une lumière minérale', Techne 9-10 (1999) 19-32.
30. Aston, B.G., Harrell, J.A., and Shaw, I., 'Stone' in Ancient Egyptian Materials and Technology, ed. P.T. Nicholson and I. Shaw, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (2000) 39-40.
31. El Goresy, A., Jaksch, H., Abdel Razek, M., and Weiner, K.L., 'Ancient pigments in wall paintings of Egyptian tombs and temples', Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg, unpublished report (1986).
32. Lee, L., and Quirke, S., 'Painting materials' in Ancient Egyptian Materials and Technology, ed. P.T. Nicholson and I. Shaw, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (2000) 104-120.
33. Ogden, J.M., 'Metals' in Ancient Egyptian Materials and Technology, ed. P.T. Nicholson and I. Shaw, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (2000) 148-176.
34. Tite, M.S., Bimson, M., and Cowell, M.R., 'Technological examination of Egyptian blue' in Archaeological Chemistry III, ed. J.B. Lambert, Advances in Chemistry Series No. 205, American Chemical Society, Washington DC (1984) 215-242.
35. Schiegl, S., Weiner, K.L., and El Goresy, A., 'Zusammensetzung und Provenienz von blauund grünpigmenten in altägyptischen Wandmalereien: ein Beitrag zur exakten Chronologic der Bronzetechnologie in Altägypten', Erzmetall 43 (6) (1990) 265-272.
36. Robinet, L., 'Analysis of Egyptian bronze eye', unpublished British Museum internal report no. 2001/8, Conservation Research Group, Department of Conservation (2001).
37. Whitehouse, H., 'A statuette of Ptah the Creator "Beautiful of Face"', The Ashmolean 12 (1987) 6-8.
38. Fishlock, D., Metal Colouring, Robert Draper Ltd, Teddington (1962).
39. Field, S., and Bonney, S.R., The Chemical Coloring of Metals and Allied Processes, Chapman & Hall Ltd, London (1925).
40. Theophilus, On Divers Arts, trans. J.G. Hawthorne and C. Stanley Smith, Dover Publications, New York (1979) 147-148.
41. Serpico, M., and White, R., 'Resins, amber and bitumen' in Ancient Egyptian Materials and Technology, ed. P.T. Nicholson and I. Shaw, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (2000) 459-460.
42. Born, H., 'Multi-coloured antique bronze statues' in Metal Plating and Patination: Cultural Technical and Historical Developments, ed. S. La Niece and P. Craddock, Butterworth-Heinemann, London (1993) 19-29.
43. Craddock, P.T., and Giumlia-Mair, A., 'Beauty is skin deep: evidence for the original appearance of classical statuary' in Metal Plating and Patination: Cultural Technical and Historical Developments, ed. S. La Niece and P. Craddock, Butterworth-Heinemann, London (1993) 30-38.