Card/Transcription No.: 620-4

620 Cake of Green Material

This is in the form of  a thin flat cake, which has been circular
at one time, but when found has a piece broken off and missing.

Diameter: about 5 cms
Thickness: about 0.5 cm

The material is wax coloured by a small amount of a copper
compound.
Although the material is probably beeswax since this is the only
wax known from ancient Egypt, this has not been proved. Many of
the tests made suggest beeswax, but on the other hand the colour
as seen in thin sections is much lighter than is usual with
beeswax unless it is bleached. It has not been possible with the
appliances available to determine the melting point which would
probably be decisive, but this can be done in Cairo if necessary.