The Carving Technology of the Handle‐Shaped Artefacts from Yinxu (c.1300–1046 bc) in China

The handle‐shaped artefact is a special jade object of the Three Dynasties (c.2000–200 bc ) period. The manufacturing technology and function of the handle‐shaped artefacts are widely questioned. In this paper, two handle‐shaped artefacts from Yinxu (c.1300–1046 bc ) are tested by digital microscope, Raman spectrometer and scanning electron microscope. The results indicate that the handle‐shaped artefacts might be made in four steps, namely rough shape cutting, edge reforming, handle making and single‐side polishing. It also suggests that the handle‐shaped artefacts might be used as sacrificial offerings, but not as hairpins or handles.     

On the Origin of the Green Colour of Archaeological Bone Artefacts of the Gallo‐Roman Period

Recent findings in the city of Reims have lead to the discovery of manufactured bone objects coloured in green throughout their entire volume. In order to discover the intentional nature of the colouration and to propose a colouration mechanism, modern ox bones have been coloured in the laboratory. Bones with a hue similar to that of the archaeological artefacts have been obtained by boiling in an acidic brine in a copper vessel. A combination of infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscope observations did not reveal the speciation of copper, but allowed us to validate the colouration process and to discuss the intentional origin of the colouration.     

干冰清洗技术应用于陶瓷文物清洗的探索研究

在文物修复的过程中,首先的工作就是对器物进行清洗,虽然现阶段清洗工艺的效果不错,但使用的试剂与手段造成污染较大,对人体与环境都会造成损害.因此,寻找新的清洗材料与清洗手段,对于文物修复工作的持续发展非常重要。为此,本研究应用干冰清洗技术,工业级清洗机器对在一件晚清胎质较厚、釉质较好的瓷器上进行了清洗实验,并对清洗工艺进行了实验与评估。实验结果表明,干冰清洗技术应用在清除瓷器表面的环氧树脂及污迹效果显著,可谓立竿见影,对瓷器的釉面未造成损害,并且整个清洗流程非常的环保、无污染,清洗完毕只剩下污迹。虽然深层次的环氧树脂清洗效果不明显,但随着今后进一步改善操作技术与清洗工艺,为最终实现环保而可持续的文物修复流程提供经验。     

A new approach to recording and monitoring wet-preserved archaeological wood using three-dimensional laser scanning

The analysis and preservation of organic materials preserved within wetland environments represents one of the most costly parts of any post-excavation strategy. This paper outlines the application of high-resolution terrestrial laser scanning to one class of preserved material, worked archaeological wood. Scanning allowed the recording of the artefacts in three dimensions and the identification of features such as toolmarks. Features can be measured and volumetrically modelled within the digital environment, which may not always be possible for these often fragile materials using conventional techniques. Repeat scanning of the artefacts provided an opportunity to use comparative analysis software to investigate changes in the morphology of artefacts under contrasting conditions of short-term storage. The results suggest that immersion in water results in the least deterioration, whereas both freezing and air-drying caused distortion and degradation. This paper demonstrates that laser scanning provides a viable alternative post-excavation method for the recording, analysis and long-term ‘virtual archiving’ of organic archaeological materials, which may be more cost-effective in some instances than other methods of preservation.     

Towards the application of desorption electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (DESI-MS) to the analysis of ancient proteins from artefacts

The detection and identification of protein residues from archaeological artefacts has been the subject of considerable controversy over the past two decades, this controversy spurring the application of a range of different analytical methods. Part of the debate surrounds the ability of the methods to uniquely identify original proteins. Another is the apparent contradiction between the ease of extraction in the laboratory of residues that have managed to survive in sediment over millennia; some studies use simple solvents including water, whilst others claim that efficient extraction requires the destruction of the artefact.Desorption electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (DESI-MS) offers the potential to directly analyse proteins bound to the surface of artefacts. The method permits desorption of analytes under ambient conditions directly from a wide range of surfaces with little or no sample preparation. This has already led to its application in a range of areas, including forensic analysis of trace levels of narcotic drugs. It does not require destruction of the artefact (e.g. by drilling or dissolution) and can work in concert with other methods (for instance it could be used as a screening tool prior to lipid extraction).Here we report the construction of a DESI-MS interface and consider the potential of the method to contribute to the debate surrounding the preservation of proteins on artefacts. The DESI-MS interface was fitted to a conventional ion trap mass spectrometer and tested using peptides and proteins artificially applied to the surface of flint flakes and potsherd samples. A range of intact proteins was analysed; the DESI interface identified test proteins up to a maximum molecular weight of approximately 20 kDa. Peptides generated from these and larger proteins could be detected using DESI-MS following tryptic digestion in situ. The collected data allowed identification of the originating proteins. The potential applications to archaeological science of this new analytical tool are discussed.     

古代文物丝织品霉斑清除的研究

为了解决故宫博物院库房藏品中部分古代丝织品出现生霉的问题,从对库藏纺织品的病害现状调研入手,了解生霉文物本身的质地、染料成分、以及霉斑形成的环境状况,利用改进的改良型超声清洗方法和弱酸化水溶液,对多件霉变石青色丝织品进行了清洗处理,获得了满意的效果,此法可以在今后的工作中加以推广。     

环十二烷在彩绘织物湿洗中的临时性封护工艺研究

彩绘颜料与织物通过粘合剂相结合的方式决定了彩绘部分的不稳定性,大多彩绘织物都因此经不起湿洗.为此,本实验对环十二烷在彩绘织物湿洗中对彩绘部分的临时性封护加固处理的可行性、效果和安全性进行了研究.通过正交实验法,筛选出了环十二烷的最佳施加工艺条件:双面、刷涂、一遍、环十二烷加热至62℃,并对与环十二烷升华速率相关的环境条件进行了对比研究.实验证明,环十二烷对织物强度以及纤维的微观分子结构等方面没有明显影响,环十二烷在彩绘织物上的应用是安全的.实验启示,本实验的研究思路不仅适用于彩绘织物,对其它类型纺织品文物甚至其它文物如纸张、字画、壁画等的保护修复也有借鉴意义.     

纺织品文物湿洗操作规范初探

湿洗是纺织品文物保护修复中的重要操作之一.湿洗操作是不可逆的,不恰当的选用湿洗或选用不恰当的湿洗方法会给文物造成不可弥补的损失.因此,很有必要制定纺织文物湿洗操作的应用规范.本文认为理解湿洗的利与弊是总结其应用规范的前提,其规范应大体包括湿洗必要性和可行性评估、湿洗方案制定和湿洗操作实施三部分.     

The elemental chemistry of lithic microwear: an experiment

This paper examines the ability of elemental analysis to distinguish microwear traces on stone tools. Our research hypothesised that cleaning procedures of experimental specimens may have heavily influenced previous studies in this area. Experimental flakes are used and cleaned by two alternative methods before laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) is applied to study use-wear chemistry. The results show that elementally recognisable traces remain on stone surfaces even with severe cleaning. Also studied were archaeological sickle blades from two sites in Northern England. The results were counter-intuitive demonstrating that experimentally validated models potentially require extensive modification and clarification before being applied to archaeological material. This research identifies methodological problems and errors concerning cleaning within previous experimental studies and highlights new directions for this quantitative analytic approach in microwear analysis.     

南京堂子街太平天国壁画再保护

为了使已经经历过保护修复的14幅南京堂子街太平天国时期的壁画能够更好地保存和展览,在全面的现场调查和修复资料收集的基础上,对壁画实施了现场预保护、搬迁以及实验室保护修复。采取了比较成熟的保护材料Paraloid B72、Primal AC33对壁画进行加固回贴;并将蒸汽清洗、激光清洗引入到壁画的表面清理中;同时改善了灌浆材料;采用了贴木浆纸、预先刷涂乙醇等改良工艺。在上述措施的综合使用下,壁画再次保护修复后效果良好。此保护修复方法可对类似需要再保护的壁画提供借鉴。