On Thurday 19 May 2022 at 4:30pm CET, we invite you to a lecture by Dr Hassan Ebeid (Project ISLAPAP) a Marie Curie Fellow from the University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology. The lecture titled ”Understanding Islamic Paper – Materials and Techniques” is part of the MCI – Topics in Museum Conservation and is organsied by the Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute. The lecture will be dilevered via ZOOM.
Our knowledge of historic paper is dominated by research on Western papermaking techniques. However, the process of papermaking in the Islamic cultural realm has not been historically reviewed or scientifically examined yet. This presentation
specifically focuses on material science research of both actual manuscripts and reference material collections and archival research on papermaking recipes from medieval and early-modern art technological sources and treatises.
Historic materials are characterization usually with non-destructive scientific analytical methods such as near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy accompanied by multivariate data analysis, colourimetry for measurements of colour, Fourier Transform Infra-Red analysis (FTIR) for the identification of functional groups, and Scanning Electron Microscopy/Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (SEM /EDX) for fibres surface morphology. This study adds examining the manufacturing, colouring, sizing, polishing, and resulting durability in typical Islamic papermaking practices to develop preventive conservation advice. The findings will be useful to global libraries and archives hosting Islamic paper collections.
The event is organsied by the Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute and is part of the MCI – Topics in Museum Conservation.