No abstract

A wide range of analytical techniques has been used to study an Egyptian funerary mask of the Ptolemaic period . Secondary electron (SE) and backscattering (BS) images, recorded by a scanning electron microscope (SEM), provided a detailed representation of the metallurgical techniques used to construct the gilded mask. It is confirmed, that the golden leaf used to cover the mask is the product of an antique refinery practice, so called, cementation process of naturally occurring alloy of gold and silver, namely electrum. Complementary results of SEM-electron dispersion spectroscopy (EDS) and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA)-wavelength dispersion spectroscopy (WDS) provided chemical compositions of the golden leaf as well as in the plaster base of the mask. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) revealed the presence of Au, Ag, Si, S, Cl, Ca, and N, in addition to O and C. Relative concentration of Au/Ag at the surface has been measured by XPS to be 70% to 30%. XPS depth profiling verified silver-enrichment at the surface, as ratio of gold to silver is measured to be 80% to 20% at the depth of 15 nm. XPS chemical mapping images of gold and silver confirmed a rather inhomogeneous character of Au/Ag relative concentration at the surface. The main diffraction peaks in the X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectrum coincide with diffraction peaks of pure gold, silver metals, and magnesium calcite Mg 0.03 Ca 0.97 CO 3 . Whereas, Raman spectroscopy results implied the existence of Ag 2 S, a tarnishing compound, on the golden area of the mask.

Raman spectroscopy, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) were used to study pigments on an Egyptian cartonnage from the Ptolemaic period (305-30 BC). The surface morphology of each color region was examined using backscattering (BS) and secondary electron imaging. SEM X-ray energy dispersive spectrometry and EPMA wavelength dispersive spectroscopy provided semiquantitative chemical analysis of each pigment. Raman spectroscopy was used to identify the minerals associated with the pigments. This technique confirmed the presence of cinnabar (α-HgS) in the red part of the fragments. A mixture of orpiment (As 2 S 3) and bonazziite (β-As 4 S 4) and/or alacránite (As 8 S 9) was detected in the yellow regions of the fragments. The orange pigment was confirmed to be a mixture of orpiment, uzonite (χ-As 4 S 5), and pararealgar (As 4 S 4). Egyptian blue (CaCuSi 4 O 10) and Egyptian green ((Cu,Ca)SiO 3) pigments were detected from blue/green dark-colored regions of the fragments.

In this paper, we propose to explain Middle Persian rōzag ‘fasting’ as a decompositional formation from dō-rōz=ag ‘(fasting ritual) of two days’. It is neither possible – we argue – to explain rōzag as a formation with the sufffix*-(a)ka- from the primary word rōz ‘day’ nor °rōzag-compounds as compounds with rōzag ‘fasting’ as a second member. We discuss °rōzag-compounds generally. We postulate, for instance, that Parthian bēmrōzag does not mean ‘fasting day of the Bema’ but ‘commemoration of the Bema’. At the end, we put up for discussion that there may be other suchlike decompositional words in Iranian languages, for instance paT zanag ‘kind’. Key Biblical quotations are identified in M 2 (Mk 9.29) and M 16 supporting our translations. (At the end of this article, there is a list of the formations, words and passages that we discuss.)

In the current proceedings, we report complementary results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron probe micro analysis techniques (EPMA) on an Egyptian funerary mask from (3rd century BC), which was provided by the Museum of La Plata, see Fig. 1 (A). SEM-energy dispersion spectroscopy (EDS) measurements, Back Scattering (BS), and Secondary Electron (SE) imaging were performed in a FEI Quanta 200 SEM with an EDAX Apollo detector, at low vacuum mode. Electron beam micro-analysis was carried out in a CAMECA SXFiveFE [1].