2025 Poster Session

Wadi Al-Natrun is a desert depression located nearly ninety kilometers northwest of Cairo. Wadi Al-Natrun is home to four important Monasteries, all still active: One of these monasteries is the Monastery of St. Macarius (Abu Makar) which houses a vast collection of objects.

And inside this Monastery, there are many icons. Still, there is a unique overlapping paper Crucifixion icon representing the Crucifixion dating back to the 19th Century, painted by So this paper will discuss the Conservation of the overlapping paper Crucifixion icon which was painted by priest Girgis(dating to the 19th Century). 

This study aims to evaluate the icon's condition by characterizing its layers and assessing the impact of aging and environmental factors. The goal is to develop conservation solutions. Multispectral Imaging (MSI) was employed not only for the documentation but also to gather data for better characterization of the pigments used. X-ray diffraction (XRD) to determine the crystal structure of the pigments and other inorganic materials. (SEM-EDX) to identify the chemical composition of the paint layer (Carbon black, Orpiment, Cinnabar, Malachite, Lazurite, and White Lead). (FTIR-ATR) was instrumental in characterizing the varnish layer (shellac varnish) and binding the pigments layer (Arabic gum). (OM) used to identify the paper (Cotton Material) and wooden panel (Pinus halepensis). 

Microbiological swabs were taken to identify microbial damage to the icon (Aspergillus flavus, Rhizopus oryzae, Aspergillus niger,Trichoderma viride, Cheatomium globosum)

Finally, due to the icon's unstable condition, this article will discuss the conservation process, which includes consolidation, cleaning, filling, retouching, and varnishing.

Keywords: Coptic Icons, SEM/EDX, Pigments, Multispectral Imaging, microbial damage