Tauseretempernesu aka Tentuseretenpernesu papyrus – Luxor 1
tA-wsr.t-m-pr-nsw (T-n.t-wsr.t-n-pr-nsw)
Ranke I, pg. 355, 23
Also known as Tenetwesretenpernesu, Tjentuseretenpernsu, Tjentoeseretenpernsoe, Tentuseretenpernsu, Tauseretempernesu
Provenance Bab el Gasus, Daressy A.2, no shabtis known
Mistress of the house, Chantress of Amen
Totenbuchprojekt Bonn, TM 134556
Upper one. This papyrus has been on display on the 1st floor of the Luxor museum since it opened in 1975, but has been removed since 2021 for research into accelerated decay. See Luxor 2
Book of the Dead papyrus for Tentuseretenpernesu
Length 121.5 cm, height 21.5 cm
Ref. No. S.R.VII.10253 (on loan) Luxor Museum J.24, Luxor 1, Type BD.III.1a Niwinski
Photo and panorama view VB 2021 (quality remarks)
Similar to what I have observed with the Luxor 2 papyrus, this papyrus also appears to have suffered significant deterioration. This decline is unlikely to be a result of exposure to light or its display conditions within the Luxor Museum, both of which are generally considered to be appropriate for preservation.
Rather, it is probable that the the cause is the process of remounting the papyrus onto a new backing prior to its transfer to the Luxor Museum in 1975. It is possible that the backing material, or the adhesive used to affix the papyrus, reacts differently to fluctuations in humidity and temperature compared to the papyrus itself. This differential response over 50 to 70 years may have led to notable losses in the papyrus’s original clarity, color saturation, and sharpness. The accompanying photo illustrates the papyrus as it appeared in its original frame from the Cairo Museum.
Photo © Totenbuchprojekt Bonn, TM 134556
Quality of the papyrus prior to 1975 in its original frame from the Cairo Museum