Don’t Sink the Boat
Khufu’s funerary barge at Giza may undergo a long-overdue professional overhaul based on a new conservation and condition report, says Jill Kamil.
Hanna summarised his comprehensive study by pointing out that the boat museum’s environment and tourist visitation procedures needed to be urgently addressed, since the vessel had already been adversely affected by direct and indirect damage from humidity, temperature fluctuation, light and pollution. Outlining the reasons for and the extent of the damage, Hanna cited the serious harm caused by a wide range of other factors. “These include weakening, flaking, corrosion, dryness and brittleness in some areas of wood as well as widening of the separations between the wooden planks; breakage, cracks, warping, and twisting; cavities, gaps and holes in various places due to insect infestation; and changes in the colour of the wood due to fungal infection and photo- sensitised degradation due to UV-radiation and visible light,” he said.
The list seemed endless, and eyebrows were raised when Hanna told his audience at the international conference that extensive damage had also resulted from defective former restorations, and the metamorphosis of consolidation, coating and restoration materials. Much to everyone’s astonishment, he added: “there are several oil paint spots resulting from the painting of the interior of the museum building.”
How was this allowed to happen? Why has the magnificent vessel, which was found dismantled but in perfect condition after being buried in the bedrock beside Khufu’s Pyramid for more than 45 centuries, been allowed to suffer such neglect?
Read the rest of the story at Al-Ahram Weekly.
