The Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology (University College, London) contains a large collection of encaustic wax on wood portraits from a Roman-period cemetery at Hawara in Egypt. They received some early conservation treatment during or shortly after excavation, usually consolidation with modern wax, softening the ancient wax with heat or facing with paper. Some of the portraits were cleaned during the 1970s and early 1980s, using solvents such as Shellsol T (a mixture of aliphatic hydrocarbons) or white spirit. Water-soluble dirt was removed with aqueous solutions of Synperonic NDB, a non-ionic detergent, or Vulpex, a potassium oleate soap. Fragmentary areas were consolidated, usually with polyethylene glycol. The authors have found that cleaning the portraits mechanically with a polished scalpel blade removes the early conservation wax and the ancient burial debris which overlie and are sometimes intermixed with the pigmented wax, while avoiding many of the problems associated with solvent cleaning. Consolidation of loose or detached paint with a solution of Paraloid B-72 in acetone has proved satisfactory.