Exploring the application of instrumental analysis for the conservation of textiles excavated in Greece

This thesis is one outcome of research aimed to raise the awareness of textiles excavated in Greece.<br/>The inherently sensitive nature of excavated textiles accounts for the rarity and poor condition of the<br/>finds, making them more often than not unidentifiable for the archaeologists, a conservation<br/>challenge and a puzzle for textile historians/curators. Conservators are often the intermediary<br/>between the objects they care for and the people for whom these objects are preserved. Analytical<br/>methods of investigation provide a means of increasing understanding of excavated textiles, and in<br/>this way enhance their conservation. Hence, it was decided to experiment with certain nondestructive,<br/>instrumental analytical methods of investigation, namely stereo, optical and electron<br/>microscopy, coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy (ESEM-EDS), FTIR and Raman<br/>microspectroscopy, and XRF spectroscopy, with the aim of material characterisation and<br/>identification. A survey through the Archives of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture revealed 65<br/>different cases where textiles had been preserved in burial contexts. Four different environments<br/>favorable for the preservation of textiles in Greece were identified and four finds representative of<br/>these conditions were selected and subjected to instrumental analysis. The finds are the main case<br/>study, ‘Argos’ (found in association with copper), and ‘Theva’ (found in a charred state), ‘Kalyvia’<br/>(found impregnated with calcium salts) and ‘Nikaia’ (found in association with copper and in anoxic<br/>conditions). The quality of the results varied according to the type of preservation and the condition<br/>of the finds. The combination of stereomicroscopy, ESEM-EDS, XRF and FTIR gave the most<br/>reliable results. The outcomes of the experimentation formed the basis for the development of<br/>guidelines, designed to help archaeologists, conservators and textile historians/curators to<br/>understand and thereby conserve excavated textiles in Greece.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

Ph.D.

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Southampton

Year dc:date.issued

2009

Author dc:creator

• Margariti, Christina

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Wyeth, Paul