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Tutankhamun: Anatomy of an Excavation
The Howard Carter Archives
Photographs by Harry Burton
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Carter No.: 332

Handlist description: Chariot

Card/Transcription No.: 332-03


332 Chariot

Experiments to soften raw hide on wheels and to make it pliable. Tried: - Caster oil: castor oil + benzine: castor oil + turpentine Glycerine: glycerine + water Duroprene Canada balsam in xylol Celluloid in acetone and in amyl acetate - both weak & strong solutions All results unsatisfactory. Tried: - Water and water + gelatine Both rendered the hide pliable. The best conditions, working on small fragments of the hide, were obtained by using very hot water (practically boiling) with 1% of gelatine dissolved in it; the solution being left in contact with the hide for 10 to 15 minutes (in some cases 10 ms were sufficient but in others 15 ms gave better results). The hide becomes somewhat translucent and when dry becomes hard & brittle again. But remained yellowish & translucent. The drying may be delayed by adding 5% of glycerine to the gelatine solution.

xx When more material is available for experiments a mixture of alcohol and glycerine might be tried for soaking; also caster oil dissolved in alcohol.

N.B. The experiments were made on the hide at a stage before it had become black and disintegrated - nothing has been found to recover the black which is largely dissolved by hot water.

Card no. 332-03 relating to Carter no. 332
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Tutankhamun: Anatomy of an Excavation
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