The Egyptian coffins are complex objects from both their symbolic and religious point of view. During the long history of Ancient Egypt, coffins were subjected to substantial modifications in form, decoration and style, as well as in their traditions and use. For their value, these objects can be studied only with a multidimensional approach: from the materials used for their construction to their ideological and religious value. In this holistic vision of studying materials, in collaboration with the Vatican Coffin Project, Faces Revealed Project was born in 2018 and funded by the European fellowship Marie Skłodowska-Curie (H2020-MSCA-GF 2019: 895130) in 2019. The project focuses on the geometry and the volumetry of the anthropoid yellow coffin lids which are worth being investigated as isolated elements. The analysis uses photogrammetry and 3D models, which allow the observation of the objects, digitally “switching off” the painted layer, and adding important elements to the knowledge of the coffins, especially in terms of construction, production and ancient reuse, themes that are at the centre of the international debate. This article wants to summarize the first results the of Faces Revealed Project on 11 yellow coffins in the Musei Vaticani, one of the partners of the project together with the Museo Egizio di Torino, la University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and the Politecnico di Milano.
I sarcofagi egizi rientrano in una categoria complessa sia per il loro valore simbolico che per quello religioso. Nel corso della lunga storia dell’Antico Egitto, i sarcofagi hanno subito modifiche sostanziali nella forma, nella decorazione e nello stile, oltre che nelle tradizioni e negli usi. Questi oggetti complessi possono essere adeguatamente studiati solo se si adotta un approccio multidimensionale in grado di abbracciare quanti più aspetti possibile: dai materiali impiegati per la loro costruzione al loro valore ideologico-religioso. In questa visione olistica di studio dei materiali, in collaborazione con il Vatican Coffin Project, è nato un progetto di ricerca chiamato Faces Revealed volto allo studio dei cosiddetti “sarcofagi gialli”, che nel 2019 ha vinto la prestigiosa borsa di ricerca Europea Marie Skłodowska-Curie (H2020-MSCA-GF 2019: 895130). Il progetto si concentra sulla geometria e sul modellato dei coperchi dei sarcofagi antropoidi, che non erano ancora stati indagati come elementi isolati. L’analisi si avvale dell’ausilio della fotogrammetria e dei modelli 3D che permettono di osservare l’oggetto, “spegnendo” virtualmente lo strato pittorico, e di aggiungere importanti tasselli per la conoscenza del sarcofago, soprattutto in termini di costruzione, produzione e riutilizzo, temi che attualmente sono al centro del dibattito internazionale. Questo articolo intende sintetizzare i primi risultati di Faces Revealed Project ottenuti su un gruppo di undici “sarcofagi gialli” custoditi presso i Musei Vaticani, partner del progetto insieme al Museo Egizio di Torino, la University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) e il Politecnico di Milano.
Faces Revealed Project. Analysis of the yellow coffins in the Gregorian Egyptian Museum
Stefania Mainieri
2023-01-01
Abstract
The Egyptian coffins are complex objects from both their symbolic and religious point of view. During the long history of Ancient Egypt, coffins were subjected to substantial modifications in form, decoration and style, as well as in their traditions and use. For their value, these objects can be studied only with a multidimensional approach: from the materials used for their construction to their ideological and religious value. In this holistic vision of studying materials, in collaboration with the Vatican Coffin Project, Faces Revealed Project was born in 2018 and funded by the European fellowship Marie Skłodowska-Curie (H2020-MSCA-GF 2019: 895130) in 2019. The project focuses on the geometry and the volumetry of the anthropoid yellow coffin lids which are worth being investigated as isolated elements. The analysis uses photogrammetry and 3D models, which allow the observation of the objects, digitally “switching off” the painted layer, and adding important elements to the knowledge of the coffins, especially in terms of construction, production and ancient reuse, themes that are at the centre of the international debate. This article wants to summarize the first results the of Faces Revealed Project on 11 yellow coffins in the Musei Vaticani, one of the partners of the project together with the Museo Egizio di Torino, la University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and the Politecnico di Milano.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
