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This talk will be divided into two parts. In the first part I will present the analytical techniques and the equipment used by the Centre for the Study of Manuscript Cultures that can be applied for the study of decorated papers. The analyses aim to determine the constituent materials of papers, pigments, dyes and metals and the techniques used for their production. I will focus in particular on the kind of information these techniques allow us to gather: through optical microscopy we conduct fibre analysis in order to identify the plant used as raw material in paper production while Reflectography, X-Ray Fluorescence and InfraRed, Raman and Visible Reflectance Spectroscopy are used to study the sizing agents, the pigments, dyes and metals. In the second part I will show some results obtained by the application of these techniques on a few Persianate manuscripts, dating between the 15th and 17th centuries, belonging to the corpus of Ilse Sturkenboom.
The paintings and manuscripts discovered in the sealed ‘library cave’ in Dunhuang, Western China, contain the earliest surviving examples of Tibetan artistic and scribal practice (9the10th centuries AD). Despite their importance, their material characteristics have not previously been studied. The present paper discusses the results of the analysis of paper and pigments in a selection of items across a variety of forms and functions: (i) Buddhist manuscripts, (ii) official letters, (iii) hung paintings, (iv) ritual items, (v) banners, and (vi) stencils and preliminary sketches. The material analysis of these items is presented in historical context, to address three research questions. First, whether there is a correspondence between the materials used in the creation of these objects and their geographical origin. Second, in terms of the choices made in the available materials and techniques, whether there is a detectable correlation between materials chosen and the intended function of the objects. Third, whether the characteristics of the objects analysed here be considered to be part of a broader Central Asian artistic and scribal culture. The authors conclude that a local culture of paper and pigment production can be detected in these results, though further research is needed especially on the geographical origin of raw materials for pigments. The results show that artists and scribes made technological choices in paper and pigments depending on the function of the objects they were creating. Finally, understanding of the broader Central Asian context of these results will depend on future analysis of material from other archaeological sites, and comparison with the results of this study.