Scientists use technology to unlock secrets in 3,000-year-old Egyptian art

the art of ancient egypt has always fascinated archaeologists and history enthusiasts, but recently, a collaboration between scientists at Sorbonne University in France, and the University of Liège in Belgium, has brought to light hidden details in Egyptian paintings over 3,000 years old.

Using chemical imaging technology that detects specific elements, researchers have made discoveries intriguing facts about the way art was produced and modified in antiquity, revealing corrections and revisions until then unknown.

intriguing discoveries

Field research, detailed in an article published in the scientific journal PLOS One on Wednesday (12), shed light on the process of artistic creation in Ancient Egypt.

Generally, the art of the time is considered the result of a formal and schematic process, carried out by skilled professionals who followed rigorous steps to create their works of art.

However, most of the studies to date have been carried out in museumsor laboratories, which limits our understanding of the natural working conditions at that time.

(Image: Martinez et al./PLOS One/reproduction)

To fill this knowledge gap, the team of archaeologists chose to take portable chemical imaging equipment with them to carry out the survey. directly on site, close to the River Nile, where two paintings of Egyptian temple chapels in the Necropolis of Thebes were painstakingly analyzed. The works date from the Ramesside Period, around 1200 BC. W.

One of the most intriguing discoveries was the identification of corrections and alterations in the paintings. In the chapel at Menna, a painted man displayed a “third arm” which was actually an altered position of the limb.

The reason for this change remains a mystery, but there are theories that it could be related to aesthetic issues or even an artistic conception of the Egyptians, which currently escapes us.

Analysis suggests that the change was made during the early stage of the tomb's decoration, indicating that this was not a later stylistic update.

(Image: Martinez et al./PLOS One/reproduction)

The second painting, which depicts the pharaoh ramsesII in the tomb of Nakhtamun, also underwent several alterations in its clothing. The crown, scepter and necklace used by the monarch were modified.

The scepter, for example, was apparently shortened to avoid collisions with the figure's chin, probably being modified from the initial draft.

The crown was elongated, but the reason for this change remains unclear, and could be both aesthetic and symbolic. As for the necklace, the researchers suggest that the item originally painted was anachronistic, belonging to to a different time in the pharaoh's reign, which may have led a later artist to correct the error.

These findings are remarkable, as alterations to paintings of this type are rare. The application of chemical imaging technology has revealed surprising details and raises new questions about the creative process of ancient Egyptian artists.

The researchers believe that this method could be applied in other archaeological sitesto uncover more changes that may have gone unnoticed due to lack of equipment or interest in performing on-site analysis.

The collaboration between the University of Sorbonne and the University of Liège represents a significant advance in the study of ancient Egyptian art.

The discoveries provide a deeper insight into the culture and artistic techniques of the time, revealing that even in this highly advanced, the artwork was subject to tweaks and modifications, giving us a fuller and more comprehensive perspective on this rich and enigmatic society.