2025 Poster Session

The Grand Egyptian museum acquire a remarkable vase made of pottery decorated with linen textile connected with group of blue beads rolled on the linen thread (Gem No.75751). The vase was excavated by The IFAO Excavations at Deir el-Medina, Luxor in 1934. It was moved to the Cairo Egyptian museum probably in the same year. Recently, the vase was transferred to the GEM’s inorganic Lab. 

            The paper tackles an extraordinary decorated vase with blue beads rolled around the neck. This pattern made the vase a distinguished object among the collection that are kept at the Museum. This unique vase is uncommon in the Egyptian pottery. Therefore, this unique type of the vase has desired mentioning and study. Therefore, the conservation team of Inorganic Laboratory intended to explore the mysteries of this unique vase through cooperation between various institutions and departments. This Collaboration represented by Database unit at the Grand Egyptian Museum, Records Department at the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir, the French Cultural Institute for Oriental Archaeology in Cairo (IFAO), the Department of Scientific Laboratories for Examinations and Analysis at the Grand Egyptian Museum and the conservation of organic Laboratory at the Grand Egyptian Museum.

            The object is composed material: pottery vase, linen textile, and faience beads. The pottery vase in good condition. The linen was in bad condition while the faience beads in fair condition. However, the origin beads thread was very weakness caused divided into several parts. Consequently, the GEM conservation team decided to conduct an urgent treatment for the composed material. The object was cleaned and consolidated. The linen textile was Straightened and supported with the crepe fabric. The separated beads were re-arranged into the old original threads.  

           The research paper debates questions open for discussion: What is the history of the object from the first discovery to the final restoration in the GEM? What is the relationship between linen textile, rolled blue beads and the vase itself? What is the purpose and function of the decorated vase? Who was owned the vase in the past? 

           To answer the questions, the GEM team intended to examine the object under the digital microscope. This helped the team to better understand the technique and manufacture of the linen textile. The GEM team visited the labs and the Archival documents center at IFAO, Cairo to search for the old reports of the excavation in 1934 to explore the relationship between the decorated blue beads and the vase. Results are included in the poster. This poster highlights the cooperative work between different scientific fields and insure the power of unity in accomplishing scientific research.