Microbeam synchrotron imaging of hairs from ancient Egyptian mummies.
Developments in microfocus synchrotron techniques have led to new results regarding the long-term alteration of archaeological samples of biological origin. Here, ancient hair samples from two Egyptian mummies have been analyzed using a conjunction of structural and elemental synchrotron methods. In this favored context of conservation, structural analysis revealed a remarkable preservation of keratin supramolecular organization at any observed length scale. Bulk keratin structure has therefore not been modified significantly over 2000 years. However, infrared spectroscopy indicated a partial disorganization of keratins close to the hair surface through polypeptide bond breakage. Elemental mapping showed a strongly heterogeneous distribution which can be related to mummification and cosmetic treatments.
Bertrand
L
L
Centre de Recherche et de Restauration des Musées de France, UMR 171 du CNRS, 6 Rue des Pyramides, Paris, France. loic.bertrand@m4x.org
Doucet
J
J
Dumas
P
P
Simionovici
A
A
Tsoucaris
G
G
Walter
P
P
D001106:Archaeology / Q000379:methods*; D004534:Egypt; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007633:Keratins / Q000737:chemistry; D013052:Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission / Q000379:methods*; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared / Q000379:methods*; D017356:Synchrotrons; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction / Q000379:methods*
D014131:Trace Elements; D007633:Keratins