Insights into Wood Species and Woodworking Techniques in Corn Mummy Coffins from the Ptolemaic Period, Ancient Egypt

Abstract This study aimed to enhance the understanding of wood species utilization, woodworking techniques, and timber trade practices during the Ptolemaic Period. A total of fifteen wooden coffins and coffin fragments associated with corn pseudo-mummies — dating back to the Ptolemaic Period (332–30 BCE ) and discovered during the 2018 excavations by the Supreme Council of Antiquities in the area south of Abusir and north of Saqqara — were selected for analysis. A combination of optical and spectroscopic techniques, including USB digital microscopy, optical microscopy, environmental scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, was employed to identify wood species and examine woodworking technology. The results demonstrate that Cedrus libani (Lebanese cedar), Juniperus sp., and Cupressus sempervirens (Mediterranean cypress) were used to construct the side panels and bases of the coffins. Dowels and tenons were crafted from local hardwoods, including Ziziphus spina-christi (Christ’s thorn), Vachellia sp. (umbrella thorn acacia), Tamarix sp., as well as repurposed offcuts of softwood generated during fabrication. In addition to traditional repair methods used to address wood defects and misaligned joints, the study identified a technique developed during the Ptolemaic Period to treat insect-damaged wood using a filler composed of softwood sawdust and calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) paste. Moreover, date palm branches were found to have been selected for crafting the handles of brushes used to apply black resin onto the Osirian mummies.