The Operational Chain of Funerary Workshops in Roman Egypt. Preparing the Decoration of the Shrouds
Abstract
The operational chain of funerary workshops in Roman Egypt, as far as the production of Osirian burial assemblages is concerned, has been an elusive subject for researchers due to the general scarcity of the textual sources on the subject. However, the meticulous study of the materials manufactured in these places (which have survived) is providing new data that allow us to gain access to the daily life of the artisans/artists dedicated to making coffins or shrouds for the deceased. The present work analyses the painted shrouds that came from these workshops, reconstructing their work in terms of the preparation of the fabrics as a step prior to their decoration. The initial phase of the operational chain is better understood, opening up new perspectives of research into the economic and technical history of Roman Egypt.
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