Analytical examination of the heart-scarab (EA7876) belonging to a King Sobekemsaf has produced new evidence on its production. The heart-scarab, with its unusual inscription containing incomplete hieroglyphs, was acquired from Henry Salt’s collection and entered the British Museum in 1835. It was allegedly found inside the coffin of King Nubkheperre Intef and has been linked to King Sekhemre Shedtawy Sobekemsaf whose tomb at Thebes was sacked, as evidenced by the robbers’ confessions recorded in the Abbott and Amherst papyri (c.1110 bc). The heart-scarab was examined and analysed by optical microscopy, X-radiography, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry, Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to determine the materials and techniques used in its production. The results are compared with those for other objects in the British Museum belonging to King Nubkheperre Intef in order to understand any possible chronological and material link with the scarab; these are a finger-ring (EA57698), bearing the prenomen of King Nubkheperre and spacer-bars from a bracelet (EA57699 and EA57700), belonging to his wife, Queen Sobekemsaf, both dated with more certainty to the Seventeenth Dynasty. All were found to have been made of unrefined alluvial gold with copper added to lower the melting temperature for hard soldering of the components. The craftsmen of these three items used a similar repertoire of manufacturing techniques: sheet and wire components, sharp chisel cuts to mark details and chasing for the inscriptions. There is no evidence for casting of any of the gold components. The finding of the use of a mixture of Pistacia resin and a coniferous resin from the Pinaceae family as a fill for a hollow gold item has not previously been reported. Comparison of the inscriptions on these gold items does not suggest that the connection between King Sobekemsaf (with no prenomen) and King Nubkheperre Intef was sufficiently close for them to have shared the same goldsmith, but the results of the technical studies indicate that in the Second Intermediate Period (c.1800–1550 bc), at a time known for a lack of luxury resources, the Theban region still retained a strong goldsmithing tradition.

Analytical study of the first royal Egyptian heart-scarab, attributed to a Seventeenth Dynasty king, Sobekemsaf

MINIACI, GIANLUCA;
2013-01-01

Abstract

Analytical examination of the heart-scarab (EA7876) belonging to a King Sobekemsaf has produced new evidence on its production. The heart-scarab, with its unusual inscription containing incomplete hieroglyphs, was acquired from Henry Salt’s collection and entered the British Museum in 1835. It was allegedly found inside the coffin of King Nubkheperre Intef and has been linked to King Sekhemre Shedtawy Sobekemsaf whose tomb at Thebes was sacked, as evidenced by the robbers’ confessions recorded in the Abbott and Amherst papyri (c.1110 bc). The heart-scarab was examined and analysed by optical microscopy, X-radiography, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry, Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to determine the materials and techniques used in its production. The results are compared with those for other objects in the British Museum belonging to King Nubkheperre Intef in order to understand any possible chronological and material link with the scarab; these are a finger-ring (EA57698), bearing the prenomen of King Nubkheperre and spacer-bars from a bracelet (EA57699 and EA57700), belonging to his wife, Queen Sobekemsaf, both dated with more certainty to the Seventeenth Dynasty. All were found to have been made of unrefined alluvial gold with copper added to lower the melting temperature for hard soldering of the components. The craftsmen of these three items used a similar repertoire of manufacturing techniques: sheet and wire components, sharp chisel cuts to mark details and chasing for the inscriptions. There is no evidence for casting of any of the gold components. The finding of the use of a mixture of Pistacia resin and a coniferous resin from the Pinaceae family as a fill for a hollow gold item has not previously been reported. Comparison of the inscriptions on these gold items does not suggest that the connection between King Sobekemsaf (with no prenomen) and King Nubkheperre Intef was sufficiently close for them to have shared the same goldsmith, but the results of the technical studies indicate that in the Second Intermediate Period (c.1800–1550 bc), at a time known for a lack of luxury resources, the Theban region still retained a strong goldsmithing tradition.
2013
Miniaci, Gianluca; Guerra M., F; La Niece, S; Hakei, M.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11568/772335
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