2025/05/16 by Diego Tamburini, Joanne Dyer, Caroline Cartwright +7 · 1 voice
Arts and Humanities · Computer Science · Earth and Planetary Sciences · #Archaeology and ancient environmental studies #Cultural Heritage Materials Analysis #Image Processing and 3D Reconstruction
paper · pdf · doi:10.1038/s40494-025-01751-6
openalex publication_date 2025/05/16 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/25
Three textiles from the British Museum collection found at the site of Cave 17, Dunhuang, dating to the 8th - 9th century CE were studied to physically reconstruct them using original materials and weaving/dyeing techniques. Non-invasive analyses initially included digital microscopy, broadband multispectral imaging, fibre optic reflectance spectroscopy and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. Scanning electron microscopy coupled to energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and high pressure liquid chromatography - diode array detector tandem mass spectrometry were then employed to identify the fibres, mordants and dyes. Dyes included sappanwood ( Biancaea sappan ), safflower ( Carthamus tinctorius ), smoketree ( Cotinus coggygria ), Chinese cork tree ( Phellodendron chinense ), pagoda tree ( Sophora japonica ), gromwell ( Lithospermum erythrorhizon ) and indigo. Turmeric ( Curcuma longa ) was identified for the first time in Dunhuang textiles. The identification of larkspur ( Delphinium semibarbatum ) also reinforced the Central Asian production of the samite textile in MAS.858. Identifying light sensitive dyes was key information in the reconstruction process.