Scanning electron micrographs of transverse sections of degraded wood.

A and B) Cell walls degraded by Type II soft rot from AMC 2013 field coffin sample 7. Secondary cell walls are degraded with most cells having only the middle lamella remaining. Although the wood structure can still be seen, the thin cells walls remaining are weak and fragile. C) Wood from coffin (AMC2013, Unit 28, Feat. 14, Burial 26.4) showing cells with Type II soft rot with degraded secondary walls and a thin middle lamella remaining as well as some cells with less severe attack that have some of the fiber secondary walls still present. D) Wood section from a box found in the Weni tomb (AMC01 level 1). The degraded cells walls caused by the soft rot have little strength and often break or collapse as seen in this micrograph. Scale bar in A = 250μ and B, C and D = 50μ.