Schröder, Fachhochschule Hildesheim / Holzminden / Göttingen Christchurch, Egyptian Mummy - Tash pen Khonsu

Abstract Abstract: In 1997, funds from the Mason Foundation enabled the Canterbury Museum to undertake investigative and remedial conservation treatment on the Egyptian mummy Tash pen Khonsu, concentrating on the mummy itself and the bottom portion of the sarcophagus, in preparation for CT Scanning. Additional examination and conservation treatment on the coffin lid and the cartonnage were carried out over a six month period beginning September 2000 by Kirsten Schroeder, a student of the conservation program at the Fachhochschule (University of Applied Sience) Hildesheim in Germany during a practical semester. The treatment report contains a full description, condition report, treatments and tests carried out, including photographic documentation. References and material records used are added to the appendix. Samples taken and unidentified paint flakes from the cartonnage, as well as additional prints and slides, are stored in the conservation laboratory of the Canterbury Museum Christchurch. Period of treatment: October-December, 2000 in Conservation Lab. at Canterbury Museum Christchurch. State of Report: 2000-12-00   Keywords: Egyptian Mummy - Coffin Lid - Cartonnage   Author   Name   Institution/Company   City   Schröder   Fachhochschule Hildesheim / Holzminden / Göttingen   Hildesheim   Persons Involved: Name Institution/Company City Position within the project   Canterbury Museum Christchurch   Christchurch   Owner   Schröder   Fachhochschule Hildesheim / Holzminden / Göttingen   Hildesheim   Conservation / Author   Stollmann   Canterbury Museum   Christchurch   Senior Conservator

Object Identification Object:   Egyptian Mummy - Tash pen Khonsu Museum/Collection:   Canterbury Museum Christchurch Address:   Rolleston Avenue Christchurch Neuseeland Additional Location Data:    Conservation Traetment Report - Coffin Lid and Cartonage Catalogue# EA.1989.13 Conservation# 98.20 Type of Object:   Mummy / Mumie Owner:   Public Property Dating:   200 To 100 Object Description: According to filed documents on the object, the coffin contains the mummified remains of the female Tash pen Khonsu. On the coffin she is described as "a noble lady, who was married, [and] a sistrum player of Amun Re" . The coffin, indicative for the early to the middle Ptolemaic period around 200-100 BC, is probably from Akhim in Egypt. (Literature Titles/Sources: Sullivan, Peter 1998) p. 12 and 13 (Images Folder: canterb_mummy_fig_001.jpg) (Images Folder: canterb_mummy_fig_01.jpg)

Object History Object History: Date/Period    Event/Action Taken 1800 A. D. bis 1888 A. D.   Von Haast, the founder of Canterbury Museum arranged through Giglioli in Florence to have two Egyptian mummies sent from Cairo to Christchurch. The mummies arrived in 1888, after van Haast's death, at the Canterbury Museum Christchurch in New Zealand. (1)  1957 A. D. bis 1957 A. D.   One of them was exchanged with the Auckland Museum in October 1957. (2)  1997 A. D.  After more than 100 years, initiated by Roger Fyfe Curator of Ethnology Department, the Mummy was removed from display and transported to the Conservation Laboratory, to start examination and various conservation treatments.  1998 A. D.  To reconstruct a social and medical life history of the mummy, the museum planned to do a CT Scan of the wrapped mummy, lying in the lower coffin box. In preparation to safely shift it for scanning, the condition of the exterior of the mummy and the bottom part of the sarcophagus had been examined and stabilised. The consolidation treatments that were carried out with a complete condition report by Amy Ng were finished in early 1998 (3). X-rays had been taken in the Conservation Laboratory, by Mike Averill of Veterinary Sevices, to give a first glimpse and to determine the internal stability of the mummy, in preparation for the shift. They were sent to John Dennison, Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology at the University of Otago, for analysis (4). Also in 1998 the Egyptologist Peter Sullivan from Wellington deciphered the hieroglyphics and described all paintings and their meanings (5). The CT Scanning was done by Roger Jackson, CT Radiology in Christchurch Hospital on 21 March 1998 which gave a 3D reconstruction with a thorough representation of the mummy. The results of the CT Scan were also analysed by John Dennison (6).  2000 A. D.  The lower coffin box and the wrapped body went back on display and the further conservation treatments on the coffin lid and the cartonnage started in September 2000.  (1) (Literature Titles/Sources: unknown 1998) (2) (Literature Titles/Sources: Canterbury Museum Library, Christchurch, RollestoneNew Zealand, The Mummy, EA 1989.13, AR1001.0. 1989) (3) (Literature Titles/Sources: Sullivan, Peter 1998) pp 1-14 (4) (Literature Titles/Sources: Department of Anatomy and Struktural Biologie, Dunedin, New Zealand, Ta seps-pen khonsu - Preliminary Report. 1998) pp 1-3 (5) (Literature Titles/Sources: Sullivan, Peter 1998) p 13 (6) (Literature Titles/Sources: Dennison, K. John 1999) pp 31-42

Materials and Methods Description of Materials and Methods: Wood, linen, gesso, pigment For Details see "Coffin lid" and "Cartonnage"! Condition General Description: For Details see "Coffin lid" and "Cartonnage"! Inventory of Damage:   2000-12-00 Measures Images canterb_mummy_fig_001.jpg View Image    Caption   New Zealand, Christchurch, Canterbury Museum Christchurch, Egyptian Mummy - Tash pen Khonsu, front side   Source/Copyright:   Canterbury Museum Christchurch   Type of Image:  Foto   canterb_mummy_fig_01.jpg View Image    Caption   New Zealand, Christchurch, Canterbury Museum Christchurch, Egyptian Mummy - Tash pen Khonsu   Source/Copyright:   Canterbury Museum Christchurch   Type of Image:  Foto   Literature Monographies Author:    Sullivan, Peter   Title: The Mummy of Tash pen Khonsu in the Canterbury Museum, Preliminary report   Year of Publication: 1998   Author:    Sullivan, Peter   Title: The Mummy of Tash pen Khonsu in the Canterbury Museum, Preliminary report   Year of Publication: 1998   Author:    Sullivan, Peter   Title: The Mummy of Tash pen Khonsu in the Canterbury Museum, Preliminary report   Year of Publication: 1998   Abstracts Author: unknown   Title: The Life and Times of Sir Julius von Haast   Journal/Collective Publication Canterbury Museum Conservation Laboratory Treatment Report, Egyptian Mummy   Editor: Ng, Amy   Place of Publication: Christchurch   Year of Publication: 1998   Author: Dennison, K. John   Title: Tash pen Khonsu;in the Canterbury Museum   Journal/Collective Publication Records of the Canterbury Museum   Issue (No, Year) Vol.13   Editor: Canterbury Museum   Place of Publication: Christchurch   Year of Publication: 1999   Sources/Archival Documents Author: Canterbury Museum Christchurch   Title: The Mummy, EA 1989.13, AR1001.0   Period/Term: 1989   Position, Shelf-mark: Canterbury Museum Library, Christchurch, RollestoneNew Zealand   Author: Dennison, K. John   Title: Ta seps-pen khonsu - Preliminary Report   Type of Source/Archival Document: Report   Period/Term: 1998   Position, Shelf-mark: Department of Anatomy and Struktural Biologie, Dunedin, New Zealand   Addresses On this place the addresses are available to the registered Users.