Hello Harby Ezzeldeen! On a Ptolemaic mummy, the resin was found to be an
ester like mastic (Pistacia lentiscus L., Anacardiaceae). The resin was
characterized by infra red spectroscopy. When fresh mastic is soluble in
ethanol...We weren't especially concerned about the identification of the
resin at the time (CAL Report #4488). Do you want me to send you the peaks?
You could probably confirm with GC. There may be more information in
Mummies, disease & ancient cultures, edited by Aidan Cockburn, Eve Cockburn,
and Theodore A. Reyman. Edition:  2nd ed. Publisher:  Cambridge ; New York :
Cambridge University Press, 1998. Description:  xxii, 402 p. : ill., maps ;
26 cm. Best wishes, Mary Ballard


>>> [log in to unmask] 12/20/2005 6:04:38 PM >>>
  Hi everyone
      I have the pleaure e-mailing yours, and I have big question, I am
Ph.D student my work about ( Enzymes application for textiles ) , I have
samples from linen textiles that used as a band cover and enfold the mummy
from ancient egypt , i will make analysis for natural resins that are on
textiles enfold to choose suitable ezyme for cleaning .
   are anyone have idea or information about :-
  1) what kind of analysis suitable for this .
  2) what kind of resins that expected be on my samples.
     accept my deep thanks
           Harby Ezzeldeen
     M.A in textiles conservation.
     Conservation depatment - Cairo univeristy .
    Ph.D holder in biochemical department
    National techical Univeristy of athens.