A multi-technique insight into pleated dresses from the Museo Egizio
Borla M. (a), Caponetti E. (b,c), Gulmini M. (d), Mollica Nardo V. (e), Oliva C. (f), Piccirillo A. (g), Ponterio R.C. (e), Saladino M.L. (b,c), Spinella A.(c) & Turina V. (h)
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(a) Soprintendenza Archeologica, Belle Arti e Paesaggio per la Città metropolitana di Torino
(b) Dipartimento Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche, Chimiche e Farmaceutiche - STEBICEF Università di Palermo
(c) Centro Grandi Apparecchiature-ATeN Center, Università di Palermo
(d) Dipartimento di Chimica, Università di Torino
(e) Istituto per i Processi Chimico Fisici, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche
(f) Oliva Restauri - Torino
(g) Centro Conservazione Restauro “La Venaria Reale” - Torino
(h) Fondazione Museo delle Antichità Egizie - Torino
e-mail of the presenting author
The textile collection of the Museo Egizio in Turin holds a large number of pleated linen textiles [1] from tunics dated from the VI to the XII dynasty. The textiles have been already studied during conservation-restoration to highlight weaving and tailoring techniques. On the other hand, the amazing technique for pleating the linen, which has fixed the folds over millennia, still remains a mystery.
Preliminary scientific instrumental investigations performed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier-Tranform InfraRed Spectroscopy (FTIR) suggested the possible presence of organic compounds that might have played a role in keeping the pleats in position [2].
In order to obtain more precise information on the organic component (oils, fats and waxes), the samples were extracted by sonication using deuterated acetone and analysed by high resolution 1D and 2D NMR COSY techniques. In addition, chromatographic techniques coupled with mass spectrometry after solvent extraction at various polarity were applied.
From the analysis of the NMR spectra the samples seem to contain triglycerides (~5% molar), free fatty acids (~65%, both saturated and some monounsaturated), fatty acid esters (wax esters, ~15%) and probably some fatty alcohols (another ~15%). Unknown signals, tentatively attributable to hydroxyl compounds, would support the presence of beeswax, as signals form aromatic components – which are detectable for other waxes - are not present in the spectra.
In addition, micro-Raman, FT-Raman, XRF Spectroscopy and XRD diffraction patterns were performed with the aim to gain information on the nature of the textiles and on the inorganic components like minerals (calcite and earths).
References
[1] Vogelsang-Eastwood G., Pharaonic Egyptian Clothing, Studies in Textile and Costume History, Vol 2, 1993, E.J. Brill, Leiden, New York, Köln, ch. 7
[2] M. Borla, C. Oliva, “Pleated dresses from the Museo Egizio of Turin: study of the technical data of fabrics. Preliminary results”. In A. De Moor, C. Fluck, P. Linscheid (Eds.) Textiles, tools and techniques of the 1st millennium AD from Egypt and neighbouring countries - Proceedings of the 8th conference of the research group Textiles from the Nile Valley, 2015 Lannoo, Antwerp pp. 104-13
Surname N., Surname N., Title, Journal title, Issue (year) pp-pp.
Thank to Apostolos Spyros of University of Crete for its help ion the interpretation of NMR data.
Pleated fragment S 16792 (detail)
Borla et al. X Congresso Nazionale AIAr
