Textile analysis in Cairo, January 2024

As you may recall from our previous post, we have made some exciting discoveries in our vast funerary textile collection at Saqqara. Magda, a textile specialist in the team, collected dozens of textile and fibre samples to be analysed at the Research and Conservation Centre in Cairo. We are particularly interested in the identification of fibres and dyes, as well as the fixative substances that were used in pleating linen that we have recovered from some of the later Old Kingdom burials. With so many well preserved mummy wrappings, we are also very keen to find out the composition of resin that was used in the process of mummification. The research into embalming ‘recipes’ has gained much attention over the last few years and it would be fascinating to find out where our findings fit in on the map of embalming practices in Ancient Egypt.

With that and other research questions in mind, Magda travelled back to Cairo in January to meet up with the lab team headed by Dr Ashraf Nageh to discuss the sample protocol for the planned analyses. Specialist support during that consultation was provided by our Warsaw colleague, Professor Magdalena Biesaga, from the Faculty of Chemistry. Professor Biesaga has extensive experience in chemical analysis of textiles and a well-established collaboration with archaeologists. She was only too happy to embark on another fascinating research adventure and wasted no time to provide invaluable on-site training and support for our Cairo colleagues, Dr Mohammed Hasaan and Soha Saieed, who had been entrusted with our textile samples.

With so many skillful hands on board and bags of enthusiasm, the lab prep work and preliminary tests were carried out very swiftly and gave us a hint of promising results. The visit, although just a week-long, was essential to support the work of our Egyptian colleagues, who had an opportunity to trouble-shoot with Professor Biesaga and discuss the protocol step-by-step to ensure the best possible outcomes.

We are very grateful to our Egyptian colleagues and Professor Biesaga for their time and dedication, and will wait patiently for the samples to be analysed and to hear the results.