This analysis is a study of a Late Period Egyptian child mummy head (MCCM 1921.56) collected from Egypt during the 1920 Shelton Expedition. The purpose of the study is to derive information on the chemical composition and potential origin of resin collected using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). Samples of the resin-coated wrappings were obtained from the child’s mummy head and prepared for analysis. Solid-state FTIR was performed to obtain a molecular fingerprint. The resin was extracted from the wrappings using dichloromethane (CH2Cl2) and other solvents, which allowed the molecules within to be further studied. CG-MS and NMR spectroscopy studies of the resin complement FTIR analysis as they yield specific identities of substances present in samples. Test data collected is then compared with chemical signatures and compositions of resins known to have been used in the ancient Egyptian mummification process.
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