Study and analytical investigation of metal threads from Byzantine/Greek ecclesiastical textiles

The study and analytical investigation of metal threads started almost 30 years ago. Several publications exist about the types of threads used for the decoration of textiles as well as about the manufacturing techniques employed for the production of those threads in Western European and Middle Eastern contexts from the medieval period onwards. However, Byzantine/Greek textiles, which are also decorated with metal threads, have mainly been studied from an art historic point of view. Since 2002, a research project about the analytical investigation of Byzantine/Greek metal threads has been conducted at the Institute of Archaeology, University College London. This paper discusses and evaluates the methodology followed during the examination of 290 metal thread samples studied in this project. The main concern was to establish an optimal sequence of scientific methods for obtaining maximum information about the materials and the manufacturing techniques of the metal threads by using as small a sample as possible, and with the least possible damage to the sample. The availability and accessibility of equipment were two other very important issues. Three analytical techniques were chosen as the most appropriate: optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive x-ray spectrometry (SEM/EDS) and electron probe micro-analysis using a set of wavelength dispersive spectrometers (EPMA/WDS). The two first techniques have routinely been used for the study of metal threads, while EPMA/WDS has not been used before and was chosen to enhance the quality of the data obtained. Copyright (C) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.