the Group of experts headed by Dr. Alexandra Hellmann from the Institute of Mediterranean and Oriental cultures, Polish Academy of Sciences first examined Carnacki temple in Egypt by using an advanced method of visible-induced luminescence and found on the decorative elements disappeared over time polychrome.
About the opening of talks Nauka w Polsce. It made the mission, exploring the numerous temples in the city of Karnak. They used advanced techniques that help detect “secret” elements of ancient buildings.
In this case, surveyed the temple of the God Osiris, founded in the late XXV dynasty (VII century BC) during the reign of Pharaoh Taharka. Scientists have always assumed that the ancient Egyptian temples did not look as we see them now.
to verify this, they used methods reflectography infrared, UV-fluorescence photography and infrared induced visible luminescence. The last was the most effective.
Obtained with the help of the data suggests that in ancient times the temple of Osiris was richly decorated. He was full of decorations, now extinct, but the traces of which were discovered in the course of the study. Moreover, the walls of the temple were covered with colorful polychrome.
the Predominant was blue. This pigment was popular in Ancient Egypt. It was made for the technology, which in recent studies were able to recreate. The process was multi-stage, the mixture, including calcium carbonate and silicon dioxide, heated to 800-1000 degrees Celsius.
the Egyptian blue dye is one of the oldest synthetic dyes in the world. Its properties make the dye glow when exposed to the special radiation, even if the naked eye it is not visible. In this capacity, and established new methods of archaeological research.
“As a rule, no polychroma may mean that either the decoration of the Church was not completed, or these decorations were intentionally destroyed, or they just disappeared over time, says Dr. Hallman. – Our findings not only help to better understand the ways of decorating this temple, but also his history.”
Surveyed the property consists of two rooms, one of which symbolizes the world of the living and the other world of the dead. In ancient times adjacent areas was even greater, and the temple was part of the larger ritual complex.
the Egyptian city of Karnak on the East Bank of the Nile, 2.5 km North of Luxor is on the site of Egyptian Thebes. This is one of the world’s largest temple complexes, the area of which exceeds 100 hectares. the Construction of the individual elements lasted from the Middle Kingdom (2055-1650 BC he��.) to the Roman period (30 BC – 395 ad).
