Antje Zygalski

M.A.

Faculty of Cultural Sciences

Cologne Institute of Conservation Sciences

Campus Südstadt
Ubierring 40
50678 Köln
Mailing address

+49 221-8275-5954
antje.zygalski@th-koeln.de

Website in the social network for researchers "Academia.edu"

+Projects / Cooperations

2011 to 2015: "Conservation-Restoration of the Archaeological Collection of the Heinrich Schliemann-Institute, Rostock, Germany" (Position, independent: Conservator-Restorer for wood-based Egyptian objects)
TASKS INCLUDED: Investigating/reconstructing the object condition histories alongside the object histories; Defining conservation concepts (in cooperation with the collection manager); Remedial Conservation; Defining object representation concepts, incl. object mountings (in cooperation with the collection manager); Planning and Producing object mounts (in cooperation with metall-workers); PROJECT OUTCOMES: e.g. Publications (see "Publications" for details and links to "2019, A coffin lid of an unidentified person", "2016, Conservation of Egyptian artefacts at Rostock University") and New Exhibition Installation (opening on 2026-06-02)
Outcome Example: Exhibition Installation
2015 to 2023: «Mission Archéologique dans la Nécropole Thébaine» of the Universites Brussels and Liège, Belgium (on-site 2016-2022; Positions, independent: Head of Conservators Team for mobile finds, Object-Technologist, Cons.-Rest., Preventive Cons.)
(Burial Assemblages of approx. 35 persons, buried in Thebes/Sheikh Abd el-Qurna, New Kingdom; robbed in antiquity, leading to destroyed objects, missing object elements and mixed up fragments) TASKS INCLUDED AS TEAM MANAGER: developing health and safety guidelines (e. g. PPE) and organising needed equipment; developing standardised workflows; planning of investigations, treatments, tools, materials etc. for each season (depending on the economic factors of human/time/financial resources); developing standardised documentation methods and terminology for wood-based objects types and object elements; supervising conservators (including cons. students) TASKS INCLUDED AS OBJECT-TECHNOLOGIST: Fragments hazard assessment; Fragments investigation preparation; Fragments investigation (identification of original object class and object type, identification of the specific object, fragment relocation within the particular object = object recovery); Visual objects reconstruction; Objects investigation; Objects dating by the method “Technical dating”; TASKS INCLUDED AS CONSERVATION SCIENTIST, CONSERVATOR-RESTORER, AND CABINETMAKER: Conceptualising, Testing, Evaluating and Optimising materials, tools and processes for treatments applied to objects composed of different material combinations and with different damages, like: Mechanical stabilisation/strengthening; Material consolidation (material internal cohesion); Elements and layers gluing (material external adhesion); Mechanical and chemical cleaning; Reconstructing objects in ancient techniques (by reproducing missing elements/fasteners, and reassembling objects); TASKS INCLUDED AS PREVENTIVE CONSERVATOR: Storage planning, installation and administration; Developing packaging standards, organising equipment and packaging material, producing packaging; Developing inspection standards (for finds condition changes between seasons); Implementing Integrated Pest Management and Climate Measurement in finds spot and storage tombs/rooms; PROJECT OUTCOMES, e.g.: Publications (see "Publications" for details and links to "Forthcoming, Box with sliding lid", "2024, Einblick in die restauratorische Arbeit", "2024, Behältnismöbel mit offener Schwalbenschwanzverbindung", "2023, Verpackungsimprovisationen für Insektenfallen", "2022, The case of active Termite Infestation", "2021, Präventive Konservierung auf ägypt. Grabungen")
Insight into Project Process (Object Recovery)
2015 to 2020: “Wooden joining techniques and wood species of ancient Egyptian coffins” (project due to excavation tasks; Position, independent: Object-Technologist for wood-based Egyptian objects)
TASKS RELATED TO JOINING TECHNIQUES INCLUDED: Personal investigation of coffins: Investigating approx. 150 coffins in European and Egyptian museums, Identifying original joining techniques (contact surface types and fastener types) - after differentiating original wooden elements and modern additions; Non-personal investigation of coffins: Researching investigation results upon joining techniques in coffins, Evaluating results for completeness and correctness (method: Information Criticism); based on reliable investigation results: Developing a typology and a chronology of construction systems (board construction, dug-out construction etc.) and original joining techniques; TASKS RELATED TO WOOD SPECIES INCLUDED: Developing an identification key of wood species used in ancient Egyptian wood-based objects, Personal investigation of coffins: Investigating approx. 150 coffins in European and Egyptian museums, Identifying original wood species - after differentiating original wooden elements and modern additions; Non-personal investigation of coffins: Researching investigation results upon wood species in coffins, Evaluating results for completeness and correctness (Information Criticism); based on reliable investigation results: Developing a database of identified wood species, Extracting statistics of wood species used in different functions (e.g. boards, fasteners); PROJECT OUTCOMES, e.g.: Publications (see "Publications" for details and links to "Forthcoming, Product Repurpose and Timber Recycling", "2025, Study of Joint Types")
Insight into Project Process
2018 to 2021: „KunstModell. Objekte von den Ufern des Nils in den Sammlungen von Hannover und Hildesheim“ (Position, employed and independent: Object-Technologist for wood-based Egyptian objects)
TASKS INCLUDED: Object information research: Developing and implementing a standardised system for information research and evaluation (by the method: "Information Criticism", part of the method of "Source Criticism"); Object investigation: Developing and implementing a standardised system for object investigation, composed of a) Hazard assessment, b) Investigation preparation, c) Investigation/ reconstruction of the objects condition histories alongside the objects histories from the time of production till the time of investigation (for defining the object corpus for the Egyptological research); PROJECT OUTCOMES, e.g.: Online Exhibition of Project Objects (see: "https://kunstmodell.de/"), including audiovisual guidance by the modern Object-Pasticchio resulting in the Hannover Offering Bearer (see "https://kunstmodell.de/theben/#abspann", Chapter "Noch ein Wort zu unserer ortskundigen Begleiterin ..."), Online Catalogue of Project Objects (see "https://kunstmodell.de/pdf/"), Publications (forthcoming)
Insight into Project Process
2019: "Achmim – Ägyptens vergessene Stadt" (Position, independent: Object-Technologist for wood-based Egyptian objects)
TASK: Formulation of research questions that can be posed to the wooden supports of coffins in a funded research project and answered with the aid of technical investigations of the objects; Requirements included, for example, cost-saving and non-invasive investigation methods and techniques (the research questions were defined through the exemplary investigation of the inner coffin of Penju from Akhmim, Roemer- and Pelizaeus-Museum)
Example outcome: Presentation of answerable questions
2021 to 2023: “Conservators and Archaeologists”, Objects of the Museums Hildesheim (DE) and Mallawi (EG), students of the Universities of Hildesheim (DE) and Minia (EG) (Position, independent: Object-Technologist)
TASKS RELATED TO KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER: Giving a Lecture about “Basics in art-technological investigations”, Giving a Workshop about “Investigating a wooden support: Wood classification and wood resource identification” (training object: Inner Coffin of Penju, dated to the 22nd/23th Dynasty); TASKS RELATED TO OBJECT INVESTIGATIONS: CT-scanning supervising and CT-investigation, object preparation (of wood-based objects for investigations carried out by students), Reconstructing an Object Condition History (of a stone object), Reconstructing a Conservation History (of a metal object); PROJECT OUTCOME, e.g.: Publication (see "Publications" for details and links to "2025, Mallawi Museum Nr. 570", "2025, Mallawi Museum Nr. 558", "2025, Roemer and Pelizaeus Museum PM 384")
Insight into Project Process
2022 to 2023: „The Ankh-Hor Project. TT 414 in Asasif revisited.“ by the University of Munich (Position, independent: Object-Technologist for wood-based Egyptian objects, Conservation Scientist)
TASKS INCLUDED AS OBJECT-TECHNOLOGIST: Fragments hazard assessment; Fragments investigation preparation; Fragments investigation (identifying found materials and layouts, their present condition, former condition changes and causes for condition changes like modern coffin opening, modern fragment storing, modern pest infestation and modern C/R treatments); Visual objects reconstruction; TASKS INCLUDED AS CONSERVATION SCIENTIST, CONSERVATOR-RESTORER, AND CABINETMAKER: Evaluating and Optimising former C/R materials, tools and processes for treatments applied by former Conservators and Conservation students; Inventory and Optimisation of C/R-Equipment on-site; De-Restoration and Re-Treating of already treated fragments, Treating not yet conserved fragments, e.g.: Material consolidation (material internal cohesion); Elements and layers gluing (material external adhesion); Mechanical and chemical cleaning; Reconstructing objects in ancient techniques (e.g. reproducing missing elements or fasteners, reassembling objects incl. integrating reproductions); PROJECT OUTCOMES, e.g.: Publications (see "Publications" for details and links to "Forthcoming, The Ankh-Hor Project - A Conservator's Perspective", "2024, The Coffin of Istemkheb - Pigment Discolouration")
Insight into Project Process
2023 to 2024: not possible to be named yet (Position, independent: Consultant, Object-Technologist for wood-based Egyptian objects)
TASK AS CONSULTANT for the preparation of a grant application upon investigating a wooden coffin: Defining an investigation concept for the wooden support of the anthropomorphic coffin (case+lid), by a) Defining research questions that can be posed, b) Defining possible investigation methods and techniques that can be used to answer the questions, c) Defining scientists with needed competences upon possible investigations for reliable results, d) Evaluating and selecting methods/techniques and scientists based on defined requirements (e. g. non-invasive or minimal invasive investigation techniques, accessibility to and availability of preferred techniques, interest and availability of preferred scientists, possibility of cost calculation), e) Sorting the chosen investigations in chronological order to define a reliable investigation sequence, f) Defining the documentation methods of the investigation results.
2021 to 2025: Optimizing Object Storing, of the City Museum of Cologne (Position, independent: Project-Manager, Team-Leader, Preventive Conservator)

+Publications

Forthcoming. The Ankh-Hor Project: from excavation to full documentation – A conservator’s perspective.
ZYGALSKI, ANTJE; BUDKA, JULIA
In: Proceedings of the 13th International Congress of Egyptologists, Leiden, NL.
Forthcoming. Ancient Egyptian Wood-based Object Life Cycles: A Contribution to the Study of Product ‘Repurpose’ and Timber ‘Recycling’ with a special focus on Coffin Life Cycles.
ZYGALSKI, ANTJE
In: Proceedings of the „Coffin in Context” Conference, Cambridge, UK.
Forthcoming. Ancient Egyptian Wood-based Objects Conservation: The complete Conservation/Restoration Process applied to ON-SITE conservation (exemplified by a box with sliding lid; 18th dyn.; SAeQ, TT C3; MANT-project)
ZYGALSKI, ANTJE
In: Proceedings of the “PTAH” Conference, Luxor, EG.
2025. Ancient Egyptian Wooden Objects Production: Contribution to the study of joint types by presenting the cabinetmakers description system (exemplified by the object type of coffins)
ZYGALSKI, ANTJE
In: AMENTA, A.; IOB, A. (eds): Proceedings Second Vatican Coffin Conference, 6-9 June 2017, Volume 2, Città del Vaticano: Edizioni Musei Vaticani, S. 771-794.
Link to Table of Content of Volume 2
2025. A New Kingdom Royal Statue Head in the Nemes Headdress with Double Crown (Mallawi Museum, inv. no. 570, stone). Conservation (Object Condition History from Production till Today).
ZYGALSKI, ANTJE
In: BRANDL et al (eds): Ancient Egypt in the Museums of Mallawi and Hildesheim. Training Students of Conservation and Archaeology, Heidelberg: Propylaeum, S. 136-147.
Link to Catalogue (open access)
2025. Anonymous Late Period Pharaohs in the Khepresh. A Discredited Ruler? Statue Head of a King in the Khepresh (Mallawi Museum, inv. no. 558, stone). Conservation (Object Investigation).
ZYGALSKI, ANTJE
In: BRANDL et al (eds): Ancient Egypt in the Museums of Mallawi and Hildesheim. Training Students of Conservation and Archaeology, Heidelberg: Propylaeum, S. 176.
Link to Catalogue (open access)
2025. Anonymous Late Period Pharaohs in the Khepresh. An Enigmatic Bust: Bronze Head of a King in the Khepresh (Roemer and Pelizaeus Museum, PM 384). Conservation (Object Conservation History from Acquisition till Today).
ZYGALSKI, ANTJE
In: BRANDL et al (eds): Ancient Egypt in the Museums of Mallawi and Hildesheim. Training Students of Conservation and Archaeology, Heidelberg: Propylaeum, S. 186-193.
Link to Catalogue (open access)
2024. Einblick in die restauratorische Arbeit an Holzobjekten auf universitären Grabungen in Ägypten: Das Beispiel der „Perwer-Truhe“ des MANT-Projektes.
ZYGALSKI, ANTJE
In: Restaurator im Handwerk, 2024, Ausgabe 1, S. 6-10.
Link to Reading Sample
2024. Antike ägyptische Holzobjektproduktion: Behältnismöbel mit offener Schwalbenschwanzverbindung im MANT-Projekt.
ZYGALSKI, ANTJE
In: Restaurator im Handwerk, 2024, Ausgabe 3, S. 38-41.
Link to Reading Sample
2024. Der antike ägyptische Sarg der Istemkheb (30. Dyn.; Asasif, TT 414; Ankh-Hor Projekt): Pigmentverfärbungen.
ZYGALSKI, ANTJE
In: Weyer, Angela; Schädler-Saub, Ursula (Hrsg): “Aus Rot wird Schwarz – und dann? Pigmentveränderungen an Kunst- und Kulturgut.“ Interdisziplinäre Tagung des Hornemann Instituts der HAWK, 09. November 2023, Berlin: Hendrik Bäßler Verlag, S. 171-174.
Link to Table of Content
2024. The Ancient Egyptian Coffin of Istemkheb (30th Dyn.; Asasif, TT414; Ankh-Hor Project, Reg. 657): Pigment Discolouration.
ZYGALSKI, ANTJE
DOI (Digital Object Identifier): 10.5165/hawk/536
Link to Contribution (open access)
2023. Verpackungsimprovisationen für Insektenfallen.
ZYGALSKI, ANTJE
In: Verband der Restauratoren (Hrg): "Ich packe meinen Koffer und nehme mit ...". Nr. 4.
Link to Contribution (open access)
2022. Preventive Conservation on Egyptian Excavations – Agents of Deterioration 5 “Pests”: The case of active termite infestation.
ZYGALSKI, ANTJE

Link to unlisted video (open access)
2021. Präventive Konservierung auf ägyptischen Grabungen. Erfahrungsbericht aus der thebanischen Nekropole.
ZYGALSKI, ANTJE
In: THOTs, Infoheft 27 (September 2021) des Collegium Aegyptium e.V., Förderkreis des Institutes für Ägyptologie der LMU München.
Link to Contribution (open access)
2019. A coffin lid of an unidentified person from the Late Period. Observations on wood and construction.
ZYGALSKI, ANTJE
In: Strudwick, Helen; Dawson, Julie (eds): Ancient Egyptian Coffins. Past, Present, Future, Oxford & Philadelphia: Oxbow Books, p. 145-156.
Link to Contribution (open access)
2016. Conservation of Egyptian artefacts at Rostock University: Seven Ægyptiaca from the Heinrich Schliemann-Institut für Altertumswissenschaften.
ZYGALSKI, ANTJE
In: CIPEG e-News, 2016, 6, p. 6.
Link to Contribution (open access)

+Memberships

German Association of Conservators-Restorers (VDR)
Member of Professional Groups: Archaeological Heritage, Furniture and Wood-based Objects, Preventive Conservation; Member of Interest Group: Independent Conservators

Website of VDR
International Council of Museums (ICOM), Professional Group "Committee for Conservation" (ICOM-CC)

Website of ICOM-CC
International Council of Museums (ICOM), Professional Group "Committee for Egyptology" (ICOM-CIPEG)

Website of ICOM-CIPEG
International Association of Egyptologists (IAE)

Website of IAE

+Curriculum Vitae

1998 - 2000	EDUCATION Design and Artistic Techniques (Vocational Baccalaureate Diploma) FOS, Ausbildungsrichtung Gestaltung
2001 - 2004	EDUCATION Cabinetmaker (Journeyman); Cabinetmakers Guild Nuremberg and Schnitger Raumgestaltung (Company) Born2BSchreiner
2004 - 2006	EXPERIENCE Self-employed (full-time)
2006 - 2009	EDUCATION Restorer of Furniture and wood-based Objects, state-certified (Master Craftsman); Profession-Academy for training Restorers of Furniture and wood-based Objects (Goering Institute), Munich Goering Institute
2009 - 2011	EXPERIENCE Self-employed (full-time)
2011 - 2016	EDUCATION Conservation-Restoration of Objects based on Wood and Modern Materials, specialisation: ancient wood-based Objects (B.A., part-time due to self-employment); Cologne Institute of Conservation Sciences
2016 - 2020	EDUCATION Art-Technology and Conservation Sciences, specialisation: Ancient wood-based Objects (M.A., part-time due to self-employment and research projects); Cologne Institute of Conservation Sciences
2020 - 2025	EXPERIENCE Self-employed (full-time)
2025 - currently	EXPERIENCE Scientific Assistant (part-time); Cologne Institute of Conservation Sciences
2025 - currently	EXPERIENCE Self-employed (part-time)
	EXPERIENCE (summary) MEASURES AND TREATMENTS RELATED TO ANCIENT WOOD-BASED OBJECTS: Hazard Assessment, Art-Technological Investigations, Preventive Conservation, Remedial Conservation, Restoration, Woodworking, Reproductions and Models, POSITIONS: Project manager, Team leader, Consultant, Seminar-/Workshop-instructor, Teacher/Speaker; OBJECTS: in museum collections and on (foreign) excavations