An investigation and identification of polysaccharides isolated from archeological specimens

Polymeric compounds have been isolated from archeological specimens (fragments of Central Asian paintings of the 2nd-19th centuries). A comparison of their IR spectra with the spectra of plant gums has shown that they are polysaccharides which have remained undestroyed for up to 1800 yr. In some cases it has been possible from the IR spectra and composition of the extracted polysaccharides to provisionally identify sourcherry or apricot gum, of which these polysaccharides were components.