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Yeah get ready to make all that gold brittle too

If anything if the mask is solid gold, then id figure it would be ok to slowly apply some kinda solvent that will detach the epoxy.

im no priceless national treasure restorer though

The mask is gold on an armature with lapis lazuli applique, which presumably was glued on by the ancient Egyptians using some organic based substance.

It isn't quite as simple as dipping it in a solvent like you would a metal wargame figure but it surely is not beyond the capability of modern technology to solve in some way.

 Kilkrazy wrote:
The mask is gold on an armature with lapis lazuli applique, which presumably was glued on by the ancient Egyptians using some organic based substance.

It isn't quite as simple as dipping it in a solvent like you would a metal wargame figure but it surely is not beyond the capability of modern technology to solve in some way.

Well i didnt mean dip the whole thing in solvent

But yeah im sure they will figure something out.

 Orlanth wrote:
Under a blackened moon Tomb King Atunophatep stood atop his gilded chariot cab with his faithful charioteer Pathesis at his side, in death as he as in life.
Before him his armies were crumbling and the hordes of his ancestor rival, the 27th dynasty King Atun III, crept closer to his pyramid and the final victory and control of the ancient cities funeral valley.
'Vizier' he croaked from crusted lips. "Bring forth the Ushabti"
The Ushabti, feared tomb guardians of his royal person, the finest troops of his pyramid, and the last defence against his adversary and oblivion.
"Vizeier" he called again impatiently, as no sign of the Ushabti following out of their crypt was seen.
"Majesty, forgive us!" The Vizier cried back bend over his kenees in supplication. "The Ushabti are....stuck."
"What?!"
"The fabricators and priests used the wrong epoxy, Majesty. The Ushabti cannot move from their plinths!"
With no reinforcements and dwindling line infantry, Pharoah of Ustensis, Atunophatep 'the Thrice Magnified' could only watch as the armies of his great grandfather advanced upon his temple courtyard.

Epic.

 Orlanth wrote:
By separating the pieces under microscope with very fine tools it can certainly be done.

No doubt...

 d-usa wrote:
Can't they just put the mask in the freezer to break the bond and then put it together right?

I'm fairly certain that the report of it being "super glue" is inaccurate. It looks like some kind of DIY epoxy, such as Araldite. There is no denying, that stuff is seriously strong. I believe the best way to remove it is with a heat gun and acetone or something like dicloramethane. If the mask really is solid gold then it should stand up to that easy. But i'm not sure how the glass is attached, heating or freezing could damage or unstick the non-metal parts. Also gold is a very good conductor of heat, I don't know if that would be a help or a hindrance in this case.

I found this documentary /lecture which is mainly about the mask. The speaker proposes (quite convincingly) that the coffin and mask were appropriated from another tomb, and modified to suit Tutankhamun (who died suddenly and without much provision). Apparently the mask was already damaged. There is some evidence that it may have been dropped during antiquity, and many of the glass inlays at the rear were damaged by Howard Carter when it was originally removed from the tomb. Apparently the beard was also constructed as a separate piece. It is unclear how it was originally attached, but soldering and riveting are mentioned again in the lecture as a means of construction.

*golf clap*

Just. Wow. Great job guys, applause all around.

Dry ice.

Top end bad idea fairy. Dry ice has vapours, it's an area effect and the mask is very vulnerable, it has also been kept in consistent warm dry temperatures since it was made. Dry ice has the opposite effect and speeds up the conditions for rot.
Its not all gold the beard inlays are probably held on by a glue of some sort, within a decade they will start peeling off if not sooner. There is a chance that with the exception of the gold itself the mask would be effectively destroyed by the work.

heat gun and acetone or something like dicloramethane

Also you will get leakage, the mask is solid gold over a base, the beard is gold with inlay, again you will get fumes. Chemical fumes, not good. Again the gold will be ok.

Tungsten tools and 'microsurgery'

You need a physical rather than a chemical based approach. Tungsten tools are best, tungsten can be made ultra fine. Even seen a tungsten needle under a microscope, it looks like a needle when the standard steel needled beside it is magnified to look as thick as a chimneystack. These glues are strong, yes, but they can be dilled away, sawn through etc quite easily, the glue is relatively soft. Given a few hours work a day for a month under micro surgical conditions the beard can be sawn off and the glue drilled away and hacked off with something not to dissimilar to dentists tools. The scratches from the botched glue removal job can be left or covered over with more gold, as gold doesnt rot easily such a repair would be unnoticable.
It will take expert hands, which will be available from the international archeological community and time, and egyptology has time on its side.

Ought to see how abrasion strips are removed from main rotor blades of helicopters using dry ice.

 Smacks wrote:

 Orlanth wrote:
By separating the pieces under microscope with very fine tools it can certainly be done.

No doubt...

Spoiler:

 d-usa wrote:
Can't they just put the mask in the freezer to break the bond and then put it together right?

I'm fairly certain that the report of it being "super glue" is inaccurate. It looks like some kind of DIY epoxy, such as Araldite. There is no denying, that stuff is seriously strong. I believe the best way to remove it is with a heat gun and acetone or something like dicloramethane. If the mask really is solid gold then it should stand up to that easy. But i'm not sure how the glass is attached, heating or freezing could damage or unstick the non-metal parts. Also gold is a very good conductor of heat, I don't know if that would be a help or a hindrance in this case.

I found this documentary /lecture which is mainly about the mask. The speaker proposes (quite convincingly) that the coffin and mask were appropriated from another tomb, and modified to suit Tutankhamun (who died suddenly and without much provision). Apparently the mask was already damaged. There is some evidence that it may have been dropped during antiquity, and many of the glass inlays at the rear were damaged by Howard Carter when it was originally removed from the tomb. Apparently the beard was also constructed as a separate piece. It is unclear how it was originally attached, but soldering and riveting are mentioned again in the lecture as a means of construction.

Those are awesome! Who does that?

Can't they just whack a bit of gold paint on to touch it up, and no one will be any the wiser?

 Kilkrazy wrote:
Let's send the Elgin Marbles back right now. Surely they will be well taken care of.

With the way the Greek economy is going they'd probably sell them back to us.

 Jihadin wrote:
Ought to see how abrasion strips are removed from main rotor blades of helicopters using dry ice.

I dount doubt you, but those are not 3000 year old fragile relics, helicopter blades can take a knock or two and are made of modern materials.

 Orlanth wrote:
The mask is solid gold over a base

I have been trying to find information on the exact composition. So far as I can ascertain, the mask is gold all the way through. In fact the matrix is of a higher purity than the surface, being 23.2K gold (96.6%), while the surface of the mask is only 18.4K gold (76.8%), which is alloyed with roughly equal parts copper and silver. The headdress is of a higher purity, being around 98% gold, surfaced with 94% gold, and has proportionally more silver than copper. This is possibly because the coffin was intended for someone else, and the face had to be removed and adapted for Tutankhamun using a different batch of gold.

Sources:

http://www.researchgate.net/publication/263791854_TUTANKHAMUN%27S_GOLDEN_MASK_INVESTIGATED_WITH_XRDF

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxN1hm1TmJ0


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 KingCracker wrote:
Those are awesome! Who does that?

The pencil sculpts are by Dalton Ghetti but I have seen others do them.

I can't tell if this one is real or 3D (something looks a bit off about it), but if real then it's breath taking.

I'm surprised the current dictator of Egypt hasn't declared the guys who broke the mask to be members of the Muslim Brotherhood and had them arrested yet.

squidhills wrote:
I'm surprised the current dictator of Egypt hasn't declared the guys who broke the mask to be members of the Muslim Brotherhood and had them arrested yet.

He (Director of Conservation) has been demoted according to todays press.