Greek Papyrus – Yungjin Shin Conservation Portfolio

Treatments at the Morgan Library & Museum

Title: Amherst Greek Papyrus

Author: Unknown, Greek

Published/Created: N/A

Owner: Morgan Library & Museum, Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts

Dimensions: H 22.8cm x W 14.9cm

Description & Condition

Before its acquisition by J.P. Morgan in 1912, the papyrus was part of Lord Tyssen-Amherst’s collection, which included significant theological and classical Greek fragments from various periods in Egypt.

The papyrus was housed between two glass sheets held together by strips of brown leather and an unknown adhesive along the edges. It was secured to the back glass with small pieces of tape at the four corners. The surface appeared matte, opaque, and stained with an uneven ground. The recto contained black ink text, cut off on the right side, suggesting it was part of a larger piece. The verso had a short inscription near the center-right edge.

The papyrus was in poor condition, with extensive vertical losses and splits, likely caused by rolling. The edges were irregular and tattered, and a narrow vertical abrasion near the right edge had removed the top layer of the papyrus, resulting in text loss.

Treatment Note

The goal of the treatment was to stabilize and rehouse the papyrus for long-term preservation and accessibility. First, the papyrus was released from its glass package. After confirming that the media was not friable and was insoluble in a 50:50 water-ethanol mix, the papyrus was blotter-washed in the solution to stabilize both the papyrus and the media. The dampened blotters were replaced periodically until no yellow discoloration was released. The small tapes were removed carefully while damp.

The papyrus was dried between thin felts under light weight for several days. Losses and tears were reinforced using acrylic-toned Japanese tissues and wheat starch paste. The losses were minimally filled and mended to stabilize the piece. Once mending was complete, the papyrus was humidified and flattened. A window mat was cut to size, and the papyrus was hinged on all sides. It was then housed in an Optium and Plexiglas package for safe storage and display.

This treatment was carried out in consultation with Reba F. Snyder, paper conservator.