Technical Analysis of King Tutankhamun's Costume

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K01127
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 03060:Cultural assets study-related
• Research Institution: Saga University
• Principal Investigator: Ishii Mie 佐賀大学, 芸術地域デザイン学部, 准教授 (30555008)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 河合 望 金沢大学, 新学術創成研究機構, 教授 (00460056) ; 西坂 朗子 東日本国際大学, エジプト考古学研究所, 客員教授 (30454193) ; 塚田 全彦 東京藝術大学, 大学院美術研究科, 教授 (60265204)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: ツタンカーメン王 / 服飾品 / 材質技法 / 染織品保存修復 / 画像復元

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, nine items of clothing belonging to King Tutankhamun, which are being jointly conserved with the Grand Egyptian Museum Conservation Center, were observed and recorded in detail with a high-definition digital microscope, and three-dimensional image reconstructions were created. Visible, ultraviolet, and infrared multispectral photographs were taken of some items which were dyed. In addition, full-scale models of tunic, head covering, undergarments, and socks were created and worn on the human body to study how they were worn. Since it was unable to travel to Egypt due to the global pandemic, the 3D image reconstruction was made by remote meetings with Egyptian collegues.

Free Research Field

染織品保存修復科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ツタンカーメン服飾品の材質技法研究は、素材の著しい劣化で触れることが困難な遺物を、高精細デジタルカメラによる両面の全図、保存修復時の調査における詳細な高精細デジタル顕微鏡画像を使用し、３次元のデジタル復元画像は、劣化の著しい服飾品の元の姿を想起させる成果物で、全点が世界で初めての試みであり、その学術意義は大きい。本研究の成果はこれまであまり研究されてこなかったツタンカーメン王の服飾研究を進展させ、王の人物像やライフスタイルの研究など、さらなる研究が期待される。