The mummies of Kha and Merit: embalming ritual an restauration work

The bodies of both Kha and Merit were wrapped in a wide linen sheet stitched along the bottom; but Merit had a second funerary sheet and a painted mask. The condition of the textiles was very poor due to both age and long display. There was a general lack of strength and elasticity in the fibers which were fragile, very brittle and partly covered by dust.

In order to consolidate the textile of Merit, it was necessary to temporarily remove the mask and second sheet, which were conserved separately. After vacuum cleaning the mummies, consolidation was achieved by sewing a dyed nylon net around the bodies.