A shabti of the Egyptian priest Amenmose unveiled

Analysis of the protective coating of an Egyptian wooden shabti statuette of the New Kingdom Ramesside period (XIX dynasty, probably Ramses II, ca.1279–1213 a.C.) is here reported. No less than 30 main molecules and classes of compounds were identified on the coating of the shabti such as ricinoleic acid, erucic acid, dammarolic acid, several saturated and unsaturated fatty acids and terpenoids. They mostly belong to vegetable oils, such as castor oil (and wax), rapeseed oil, cedar oil (and wood) as well as conifer resins (all of them diterpenoid acids). These data have been obtained without inflicting damage or contamination to the archeological item under investigation (as typically occurring in prior investigations using standard tools) thanks to the EVA technique, which permits to sample minute material from any surface, sufficient though for instrumental analyses. Research aims: Although previous analytical studies have been carried out at the surface of Egyptian artefacts, including the pigments utilized on objects such as coffins, statuettes and other manufacts, not much has been reported on the coatings adopted to preserve such items (especially if made of wood) from decay over the centuries. In the current study, we have adopted the EVA technique (enabling harvesting very minute surface material sufficient for instrumental analyses) for ascertaining the present of chemicals, if any. Indeed, it has been possible to identify >30 organic compounds as surface coatings on a wooden shabti statuette of the Ramses II period. Thus, our technology would seem to be a most valuable tool for analysis of any archeological artefact.