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The library of the remote monastery of Qäqäma Maryam Kidanä Mehrät in Däg'a Tämben (Tagray, North Ethiopia) was investigated by the team of the project Ethio-SPaRe in June and November 2012. A preliminary study of the library showed that the collection was extended and profoundly renovated in the nineteenth Century, in the course of the revival the monastery had during the reign of King Yohannas IV (1872-89). The shaping of the collection was apparently linked to the figure of the powerful abbot, Gäbrä Giyorgis, who donated dozens of books of diverse provenance, which he himself gathered or received as gifts.1 As the result, the extensive library contains a huge amount of information, but its heterogeneity poses a very serious challenge to the researcher.
Confronted with indications that the SNML could be a forgery, we reviewed data from our previous analyses again and supplemented it with additional readings. Again, we were short of time. During the first measurement campaign we employed X-ray fluorescence analysis to identify specific trace elements and thereby characterize different writing and drawing materials. In the new measurement campaign, we once again carried out an extensive X-ray fluorescence analysis. In addition, this time we also employed reflection infrared spectroscopy and confocal microscopy.
As with earlier measurement campaigns, we were determined not to take samples. Throughout the process, we have continued to regard the object in question as unique, and as such not to he physically altered in any way. Throughout the analysis, however, it has been clear that non-destructive testing provides less comprehensive results than methods that require testing physical samples. The examinations described below were carried out not only on the SNML, but also on reference objects. The most important of these in this framework was the SN Graz, which is generally accepted as authentic. The following illustrates the results of the analysis in detail.
The majority of the objects found in the textiles collection at the German Historical Museum in Berlin have been treated with different biocides at various points in the past. Prior to this study, the presence of organochlorinated pesticides in rooms and storage cabinets had already been proven in an analysis of air samples that employed gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy. To estimate the risks these toxins pose to both collections and museum staff, we conducted a field study with the help of a portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. In this study, we present an attempt at a reliable quantitative analysis. In addition to chlorine, other potentially hazardous elements such as lead, arsenic, and mercury were found in the majority of the objects. In some cases, however, it has to be taken into account that the detected elements might have originated from manufacturing processes rather than biocide treatments. Such knowledge is a crucial prerequisite to proper risk prediction.