Characteristics of Traditional Persian Lacquered Bindings and Specific Deterioration Issues

Abstract

Abstract Throughout history, bookbinding incorporated advancements in techniques, usage of a wide range of materials, and application of imaginative designs. Lacquered bindings are just one of several technical breakthroughs attributed to Persian artisans. They consist of a sophisticated structure of numerous layers. This study explores each layer and their materials and methods, including motifs used from the Safavid to Qajar periods. Moreover, various treatments used for each layer during manufacture as well as various methods for preparing paper pasteboards, including marqaš, ṭalāyi, tah ṭalāyi, zarak, dūdī, and abrī have been investigated through literature research and reconstruction. The intricate layer combinations used in Persian lacquered bindings cause several simultaneous chemical processes. Chemical, physical, and biological degradation are significantly influenced by raw materials and the original manufacturing process. Separation of layers, softening, yellowing and loss of transparency, cracking, hazing, and pigment as well as metal corrosion brought on by internal and external deterioration factors including light, temperature, and relative humidity will also be covered in this study.