Piecing together

Because many fragments were out of place and badly damaged, putting the statues back together was difficult and time-consuming.
 Sometimes, the broken edges of two fragments could be easily matched like the pieces of a puzzle. But the edges of many fragments were heavily eroded, and this was not always possible.

In some cases, the reed or twine impressions preserved on the interior surfaces of the statues could be used to determine where joins should be made.
 Once joining fragments were identified, conservators used a special kind of adhesive to reattach them. The adhesive can be removed if any further preservation work is needed in the future.
 Even after many months of careful work, the statues could not be completely put back together. Conservators filled in gaps with a "dough" made of acrylic resin, glass micro-balloons, and cellulose powder. They tinted the new areas with watercolors to help viewers distinguish them from the ancient fragments.

 Left, Two-headed bust no. 4/8 (43k jpg)

Right, areas of tinted "dough" are highlighted (43k jpg)

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