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State of the art: non-invasive interrogation of textiles in museum collections

Contribution and context: This paper appeared in a special issue of Microchimica Acta guest edited by M. Trojanowicz on ‘Analytic Microtechniques in Archaeometry’. Microchimica Acta is an International Journal on Micro and Trace Analysis. Microchimica Acta is a peer reviewed scientific journal published by Springer Verlag, with specific focus on micro and nano-scale analytical chemistry. It was pre-published on-line December 2007, and in its final form January 2008, with Richardson as primary researcher. The journal currently has a Thomas Reuters impact factor of 3.03 (previously published by the Institute for Scientific information).

Research imperative and process: The paper demonstrates the application of near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy as a noninvasive tool for the investigation of textiles within heritage collections. Applied widely within industry and manufacturing, NIR spectroscopy offers the possibility of identification and condition monitoring of materials through non-destructive means. However, this technique has been largely overlooked by the fields of conservation, conservation science and art history, and this paper serves to illustrate its ready application to works of art and artifacts. The research presented within the paper highlights the benefits that this analytical technique can bring to the study of heritage collections, removing the need for invasive materials analysis, and proving an invaluable tool for collections care.