Facing death: A multidisciplinary analysis of a Romano-Egyptian mummy mask at the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen

Funerary masks played a crucial role in ancient Egyptian burial practices, as part of the rituals to ensure a success‑ful afterlife. This study presents the first comprehensive analysis of a gilded mummy mask from the Roman periodin Egypt from the collections of The Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen. Portraying a young female, the maskbelongs to a distinctive group of mummy masks, whose origins can be identified to be coming from the Dakhlahand Kharga oases. The construction of the mask (plaster, textiles) and the constituents of its polychromy (pigments,binding media) was analysed using various non‑ and micro‑destructive methods: imaging, cross‑section analysis,optical microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy coupled to energy‑dispersive X‑ray spectroscopy. Additionally, samples were taken for palaeoproteomic analysis with liquid chro‑matography–tandem mass spectrometry. A wide range of pigments such as yellow and red ochre, carbon‑basedblack, and Egyptian blue were identified, reflecting common materials in polychromy in Egypt during the Romanperiod. Notably, indigo was detected, suggesting its usage in mixtures to render purple hues. Analysis of adhesivesand media identified plant gum and collagen‑based animal glue. Proteomic analysis identified Equus asinus (donkey)as the predominant protein source for the collagen‑based glue. The results shed light on the materials and tech‑niques employed in ancient polychromy in Egypt in the Roman period, further enriching our understanding of artisticpractices at the time.