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The great variety of manuscripts found in the Turfan oasis at the Start of the twentieth Century by Grünwedel and Le Coq reflects the cultural backgrounds of, and communication among, the people who travelled along the network of Eurasian trade routes. Specifically, this Connection is directly reflected by the use and distribution of inks, pigments, and papers. Research is now underway to examine these and a report on the initial findings is given below.
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.
In the majority of cases, the red color of cinnabar on objects of cultural heritage is well preserved, though turning black is often claimed and has been the subject of investigations. To evaluate conditions for the stability of the pigment and understand the reactions, in this paper the problem is approached from various viewpoints. First of all the natural form cinnabarite is compared with the artificially prepared pigment vermilion. This establishes a differentiation of types in terms of quality, depending on structural impurities. With regard to the pigment’s reactions influencing the discoloration, the most commonly mentioned environmental factors, such as radiation or halogens, are evaluated. In relation to various usages, the pigment’s structural stability is then viewed in connection with adjacent pigments, glues, and the substrate, which may lead to a brown or black coloration or even the release of mercury, whereas the color is preserved in most cases when used on lime or in ink and lacquer. Due to the materials’ properties, attention is drawn to the fact that discoloration to a brownish-black is not necessarily a sign of damage and harmful reaction products, but may indicate good preservation of the painted material, provided that the mercury can be bound in the substrate.
The writing materials of the Silk Road book cultures in Turfan – Analysis of inks and pigments
(2014)
Manuscript fragments discovered in the oasis of Turfan and in other sites of present-day China in the beginning of the 20th century by A. Grünwedel and A. von Le Coq, represent one of the most fascinating cultural testimonies of people who both lived there and travelled along the trade routes between East and West. To determine the different materials used for writing and painting the Chinese, Sanskrit, Manichaean, Syrian, Sogdian, Tocharian and Uighur fragments of the Berlin collection, analysis of inks and pigments were conducted using non-destructive methods. The research was funded by the German Research Foundation DFG for a period of three years. The identification of specific techniques of preparation allows manuscript groups and sub-groups to be specified, aiding their cultural assignment. This is important for further cultural studies, for the development of conservation strategies and the identification of forgeries.