TAA i.3.13.5

the sink. Repeating this work about 3 weeks ago I made some

further experiments with another fragment and found this semi-

transparent residue to be leather or at least the skin of an

animal. This skin had been embedded in the white powder which

seems to be nothing but pure calcium carbonate free from any

calcium sulphate and mixed with glue or gelatine, not albumen.

The authorities in the Egyptian Department have never heard of

leather or skin being used in this way and all the pieces of

gilt gesso which we have so far got from them are much thinner

than that from the shrine. If this is really a new discovery

could you let me have some small pieces of the gilt gesso

from each of the shrines to test in the same way. When one thinks

of it, it is easy to see why the damp skin was so used, especially

if the gesso was to be thick and receive deeper markings. We

have made microscopic sections of the leather and might, even with

the small pieces which we have be able to identify the kind of

animal from which the skin was obtained.

                       I enclose a tiny specimen for your inspection

which has been treated with a dye dissolved in spirit. This

colours the gesso but not the leather.

                               Yours very truly,

                                               Alexander Scott

                              See note upon Chemistry by Plenderleith

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