Card/Transcription No.: 540-4

Note. 540 Lid of Casket.

Basic-wood of soft reddish brown (?) wood.

Overlaid with slabs of ivory = the panels carved in bas-relief
and stained, these have been nailed (copper) to the basic wood
causing the ivory to crack badly; the long strips of ivory are
quite plain and bent to fit the round part of the lid. Glue
has been used as an adhesive in every case.

Borders:     
Around panels: dark blue faience, calcite, ivory and ebony -
the faience and calcite have a stucco or plaster backing.
Edges of lid = long strips of ivory and ebony, with small
cubes of ivory and ebony forming a chequer border. The longer
strips of ivory measure 66.0 cms. in length and 4.0 cms.
broad, and about 3 m/ms in thickness.

A great deal of shrinkage has occurred in both the ivory and
ebony and particularly so the basic-wood; causing large
cracks, warping which makes the joinery appear to be rougher
than it really was, although the fitting is not so good as in
other examples found in the tomb. The nailing the panels to
the basic-wood prevents any really satisfactory restoration as
to remove them would injure the ivory.