Analytical Study of the Examination and analysis a anthropoid wooden coffin dating back to the Late Period - Agha Khan Excavations in West Aswan – Egypt

This study aims to identify the stratigraphic composition of a wooden coffin dating back to the Late Period and preserved in the Aswan Museum's storage. This anthropoid wooden coffin was discovered during the 2017 excavation season of the Egyptian Aga Khan Mission in western Aswan, excavation number (AGH-T11-B-4-2017). It has been previously restored, but the base is missing, and it exhibits various signs of damage.Examination of the coffin revealed it to be an important stage in the development of wooden coffins during the Late Period. The coffin is carved in anthropoid form from sycamore wood and covered inside with a layer of black resin. The researcher employed modern scientific methods to examine and analyze the components of the wooden coffin, including Light microscopy , microscopy (USB),Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR).The results indicated the identification of the layers of the wooden coffin from the wooden support, the preparation layer, and the colored layer. Using the light microscope, it became clear to us that the type of wood used with the coffin was sycamore wood. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis proved that the preparation layers used consisted of two layers:a layer of clay and a layer of calcium carbonate ( ).The results of the analysis by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)confirmed that the medium used with the preparation layers was animal glue, The coffin was covered on the inside with a material that was black resin.