Investigation of Metal Wired Coloured Historical Textile Using Scanning Electron Microscopy and HPLC-DAD

SEM-EDS (scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectrometry) and HPLC (high performance liquidchromatography) with DAD (diode array detection) were used to examine metal-wrapped coloured textiles. The sample was provided from Azerbaijan History Museum. Material included silk and thin wire. SEM micrographs showed that the metal strip had 250 μm width and 6 μm thickness. SEM-EDS results indicated elemental composition of the wrapping: the presence of gold, silver as the components of the gilt metals. Furthermore, sulphur and chlorine were determined as contaminants. EDS analysis also revealed that both sides were gildered. Colouring compounds in the same sample were identified by HPLC-DAD. The major colouring compound found in the red fibre sample in large quantity was carminic acid and fuchsin components. The presence of fuchsin, which is a synthetic dye, dates the sample between the end of 19th and beginning of 20th century. Fisetin, which is a natural dye, was detected in the yellow fibre.