Search

Yingpan, Xinjiang, was an important site on the Silk Road of China. A large number of precious objects with exquisite patterns have been excavated from this site, and they provide valuable physical evidence for the study of the cultural exchanges between China and the rest of the world. The conservation methods applied to a pair of cloud pattern-painted boots excavated in Yingpan, Xinjiang, are introduced in this paper, and the various factors influencing the repair process are explained. The results show that an oil-in-water emulsifier with contaminant removal and antibacterial functions effectively softened the hardened and deformed ancient leather. The use of near infrared spectroscopy (NIR) to evaluate the dosage of the softening agent can prevent excessive use of softening agents on historical leathers. A silk crepeline method was used to influence the physical reinforcement of the boots without affecting their appearance. It improved the fiber strength of the ancient textiles. This article is a good reference for conservators seeking to repair ancient leather products with textiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mineralized textiles often unearthed along with metal objects, are textile residues in which the fibers are partially or completely replaced by minerals. Some textile fragments with intact fiber shapes but mineralization on the surface of a ring-shaped iron sword, had recently been found from Maoling Mausoleum in Shanxi province, China. In this study, three-dimension microscope, scanning electron microscope-energy disperse spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and Raman spectroscopy were used to observe the morphology of fiber and analyze the mineral element information, and two immunology testing techniques would be used to determine whether the textile fragments included the silk protein. The results showed that the hilt string imprint (sample A) was a twill braiding with cinnabar remaining on the surface and the blade textile imprint (sample B) was a tabby fabric, and these fibers were mineralized by iron ions to form a cavity structure. The morphology of sample B was similar to that of mulberry silk with a smooth surface and a triangular cross section. At the same time, silk protein was successfully detected in a few milligrams of sample B using fibroin polyclonal antibody by Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunofluorescence method (IFM). Thus, it can be inferred that the iron sword was covered or wrapped in silk at that time. This research provided a technical support for the identification of silk residues in mineralized textiles, which is of great significance for the study of early organic fabrics. • Mineralized samples were found on the surface of a ring-shaped iron sword. • Morphologies of mineralized fabrics were observed with microscopic techniques. • Silk protein was detected in mineralized sample using two immunological methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Maritime Silk Road was the major trade route between eastern and western civilizations in the Middle Ages. However, hardly any silk products have been found along the transoceanic trade route. Thus, the extrasensitive detection of silk relic traces has tremendous importance in research regarding the Maritime Silk Road. In this study, an electrochemical immunosensor based on a tailored monoclonal antibody and gold nanoparticles using the layer-by-layer self-assembly method was devised. The fabricated immunosensor demonstrated preeminent performance in the analysis of silk fibroin, with a linear detection range of 0.01-100 ng mL -1 and a detection limit of 3.8 pg mL -1 . In particular, the performance of the immunosensor was excellent in the analysis of ancient silk samples, especially in the qualitative and quantitative detection of soil samples extracted from Nanhai No. 1 shipwreck archeological sites. The proposed electrochemical immunosensor proves the existence of silk products on the Maritime Silk Road and demonstrates enormous potential for studying the formation and development of the ancient transoceanic trading route.

We report the preparation of a specific fibroin antibody and its use for the identification of unearthed ancient silk relics. Based on the 12-amino-acid repeat sequence "GAGAGSGAGAGS", which is found in fibroin of the silkworm Bombyx mori, a specific antibody against fibroin was prepared in rabbits through peptide synthesis and carrier-protein coupling. This antibody was highly specific for fibroin found in silk. Using this antibody we have successfully identified four silk samples from different time periods. Our results reveal, for the first time, a method capable of detecting silk from a few milligrams of archaeological fabric that has been buried for thousands of years, confirming that the ancient practice of wearing silk products while praying for rebirth dated back to at least 400 BCE. This method also complements current approaches in silk detection, especially for the characterization of poorly preserved silks, promoting the investigation of silk origins and of ancient clothing cultures.