The GEM-JC Project’s target artifacts include 7 sets of wall paintings, 1 of which is a lead target artifact and the other 6 sets are follow artifacts.
The lead artifacts will be the objects which GEM-CC and the Japanese conservators will work on collaboratively together, whereas the follow artifacts are the objects on which they will work together up to output 2, and GEM-CC conservators will conduct the remedial conservation.
Ini-Senefru-Ishetef’s mural paintings were originally painted on the plaster substrate on the surface of the mud brick wall of his mastaba tomb in Dahshur. However, in the 19th century the wall surface was cut and moved to Egyptian Museum in Cairo, then displayed within wooden showcases that are fixed to the walls. These paintings are separated into different showcases which made understanding of the whole context very difficult, and therefore diminishing the meaning and value.
Furthermore, the surface deposit such as efflorescence of salts can be observed. Therefore, suitable analysis and conservation treatments will be determined. Additionally, it is suggested to arrange the scenes of wall paintings from Ini-Senefru-Ishetef’s tomb and King Senefru’s limestone according to their original wall compositions, and to put them together to form the story in a way that is easily understood.
