ANALYTICAL INVESTIGATIONS ON A FIRED STUCCO WINDOW IN THE ISLAMIC ART MUSEUM STORE OF CAIRO, EGYPT

Abstract

The stucco window in this study is kept in the stores of the Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo, Egypt, and bears the number 454/7. This window has been exposed to many damage factors, the most important of which is the fire that broke out in the museum in 2006 AD, in addition to the effect of the water that was used to extinguish the fire. This research aims to study the components of the window (stucco - glass - wood) and identify the transformations resulting from the effect of fire using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy coupled with EDX, X-ray diffraction, and infrared spectroscopy. In addition, the microbiological damage resulting from the moisture that saturates the plaster and wood was investigated.