Barkal West Group Project



SEASON 2017


Summary
Gallery
Item Restoration
Final Report
All Seasons

FIRST SEASON – SUMMARY





Start date: February 8th, 2017
Duration: 16 days



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Barkal West Group: Excavation and documentation

Archaeological work has focused on extracting the sand accumulated during the years in which the tomb has been closed. Reference measures have been taken prior to the start of the excavation and at the end of the work. We have photographed the entire excavation process.

During 10 days the sand covering the stepped access has been partially removed until reaching the door lintel in order to allow access to the interior. The superstructure of the pyramid has also been cleaned. On the outside we have been able to document the perimeter of the pyramid and correct and update the measurements we had so far. The sides of the pyramid measure approximately 7 meters. In the stepped access, the condition of the interior walls up to the height of the door, has been checked. Degradation of the upper side walls is visible up to one meter, but does not compromise or endanger the stability of the corridor. The closure of the door made in 1996 was partially broken; therefore inside the first chamber we found a level of accumulated sand. Since the objective was to document the decoration of the interior chambers as well as to evaluate their state of preservation, a complete cleaning of the interior was not carried out. The chamber walls and ceiling have been exhaustively photographed with different intensity of light and camera objectives. All texts visible in the interior have been registered for further study.



Conservation work


The paintings have been found basically in the same state as they were left after the discovery. The restoration work carried out during the excavations of 1995 and 1996 has contributed to its preservation, since the performance of the beveling has helped to avoid more detachments. Stable humidity and temperature conditions have also contributed to its conservation. Since the reopening, the levels of humidity and temperature have been controlled to avoid sudden changes that would have caused the deterioration of the paintings. This season’s conservation work has consisted of evaluating the state of preservation in order to plan a work strategy for the next season. Numerous samples of both pigment and preparation layer and also samples of the modern restoration material used in the former campaign have been taken to evaluate the reaction of the materials inside the chamber. The samples have been collected from the decoration remains that were found detached during the first campaign, which were left inside the second chamber arranged in panels. On the paintings, we have been performed a series of internal consolidation tests of the mortar consisting on the injection of PLM-S mortar CTS. As for the consolidation tests of the pictorial layer, 5 to 10 layers of lime nanoparticles (NANORESTORER © CTS) have been applied using a thin paper medium. All have been done, in order to be able to evaluate the result in the next opening of the tomb.



Site Protection


To close the area we have rebuilt the fence of the outer perimeter as we had indicated in the scope of work sent before the campaign. The door has been sealed with mudbrick and mud mortar, preceded by redbricks without any mortar, inside the first chamber a layer of stones was set above the layer of sand that intrudes this chamber. We have partially filled the stepped access of the pyramid with sand up to one meter above the level of the upper edge of the door.





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