Background Research and Assessment
 

During the first phase of the project, a complete assessment of the history, condition and significance of the tomb and its wall paintings will be conducted, and a comprehensive report on the findings drafted. This information will be used in diagnosing the deterioration of the wall paintings and in the development of a detailed treatment proposal. Research and documentation will include:

Background and bibliographic research: Comprehensive documentation detailing the condition of KV62 at the time of discovery in the early 1920s and knowledge of subsequent interventions is essential in planning for the tomb's conservation. In 1995, the GCI prepared a bibliographic and research report on the history of the tomb of Tutankhamen and its conservation, which will now be updated. In addition to reviewing the literature on Tutankhamen's tomb, the GCI has compiled an archive of historic photographs of the tomb and its wall paintings.

Significance statement: Following the research phase, a statement of the significance of the tomb of Tutankhamen will be drafted and revised with input from the joint experts committee of the SCA and the GCI. This statement will guide future conservation interventions, as well as the management and presentation of the tomb in all its aspects.

	Conducting photographic documentation of the paintings on the tomb's north wall. Photo: Lori Wong

Current condition recording: As part of its investigation, the GCI completed a comprehensive photographic recording of KV62 and its wall paintings in February 2009. This work was conducted under the direction of the wall paintings conservation team, with attention to particular aspects of condition recording that are critical to an understanding of the causes of deterioration, the paintings' technology and materials, and previous treatments or interventions. This photographic documentation will serve as a reference point for comparison with historic photographs in order to evaluate changes in the condition of the wall paintings, as well as providing baseline data for future monitoring of the tomb's condition. Additional graphic documentation will include mapping of damage and contours.

Conservators using a portable, handheld microscope to examine and photograph the paintings on the burial chamber's west wall. Photo: Robert Jensen	The brown spots marring the wall paintings are clearly seen in this detail of the goddess Hathor from the south wall of the burial chamber. The nature and origin of these spots, which have never been fully explained, will be addressed during the project. Photo: Lori Wong

Scientific investigation: Scientific investigation is critical to understanding specific issues in Tutankhamen's tomb. A program of materials identification and analysis will be carried out, both at SCA laboratories in Cairo and at the GCI. This relates to the wall paintings' original materials and technology, including pigments, binding medium, and substrate, and the method of application, as well as materials used in previous interventions, such as adhesives. The investigation will also seek to provide an answer to the origins and causes of the brown spots found on the surface of the paintings and assess whether they pose a risk. The geological-structural stability of KV62 and its hydrology will be assessed based upon existing reports, publications, and in situ investigations. Scientific investigation will continue as needed throughout the duration of the project.

Environmental monitoring: Environmental monitoring, which commenced in 2009, will be used to assess the impact of exterior conditions and visitation on the microclimate within the tomb. Parameters to be monitored in the tomb are relative humidity, temperature, particulate matter, carbon dioxide, and air exchange.

The sarcophagus and outermost coffin: The condition of the red quartzite sarcophagus and the gilded outermost coffin, which remain in the burial chamber, will be assessed during the first phase of the project. A joint decision will be made as to whether or not conservation is needed. The sarcophagus and coffin will be included in the condition documentation and other baseline investigations.

Tutankhamen's gilded-wood outermost coffin rests in the sarcophagus. The GCI will conduct a condition assessment of the coffin and sarcophagus. Photo: Lori Wong	The red quartzite sarcophagus dominates the burial chamber's floor space. Photo: Robert Jensen

The report to be drafted at the close of Phase I will be based upon the bibliographic research, documentation, scientific information, and significance statement. It will describe the tomb and its physical history, and will identify causes and mechanisms of damage and deterioration. This report will serve as the basis for developing a detailed treatment proposal during the second phase of the project.

Last updated: November 2009