Unravelling the Conservation History of Silk Faced Ancient Dunhuang Manuscripts in the British Library

Abstract

ABSTRACTSilking, a conservation technique which involved gluing silk gauze over the face of a manuscript, was popular in the mid-twentieth century, especially for treating early paper-based documents. The method is now little used, and the question as to whether silking interventions should be reversed is controversial, given that is resource-intensive’ work, and there are few scientific studies as to the long-term consequences of the technique. This article analyses silk and adhesive samples removed from manuscripts in the Stein Collection in the British Library via infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy to unravel the historic background of the silking conservation technique, which is not documented, and evaluate the overall integrity of the silk-faced manuscripts. From a scientific perspective, this work offers informative suggestions for the long-term conservation of unique manuscripts.