TY - JOUR
T1 - Non-invasive investigation on a VI century purple codex from Brescia, Italy
AU - Aceto, Maurizio
AU - Idone, Ambra
AU - Agostino, Angelo
AU - Fenoglio, Gaia
AU - Gulmini, Monica
AU - Baraldi, Pietro
AU - Crivello, Fabrizio
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - Purple codices are among the most relevant and prestigious book productions of Late Antique and Medieval age. They usually contained texts from Holy Writings written with golden or silver inks on parchment dyed in a purple hue. According to the tradition, the colour of parchment was obtained by the well renowned Tyrian purple dye. From the material point of view, however, very little is known about the compounds actually used in the manufacture of these manuscripts. Presently, the information available is limited to the ancient art treatises, with very few diagnostic evidences supporting them and, moreover, none confirming the presence of Tyrian purple. It is more than apparent, then, the need to have at disposal larger and more complete information at the concern, in order to verify what came to us from the literary tradition only. In this study, preliminary results are presented from non-invasive investigation on a VI century purple codex, the so-called Codex Brixianus, held in the Biblioteca Civica Queriniana at Brescia (Italy). Analyses were carried out with XRF spectrometry, UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectrophotometry, molecular spectrofluorimetry and optical microscopy. The results suggest the hypothesis that Tyrian purple had been used as a minor component mixed with other less precious dyes such as folium or orchil.
AB - Purple codices are among the most relevant and prestigious book productions of Late Antique and Medieval age. They usually contained texts from Holy Writings written with golden or silver inks on parchment dyed in a purple hue. According to the tradition, the colour of parchment was obtained by the well renowned Tyrian purple dye. From the material point of view, however, very little is known about the compounds actually used in the manufacture of these manuscripts. Presently, the information available is limited to the ancient art treatises, with very few diagnostic evidences supporting them and, moreover, none confirming the presence of Tyrian purple. It is more than apparent, then, the need to have at disposal larger and more complete information at the concern, in order to verify what came to us from the literary tradition only. In this study, preliminary results are presented from non-invasive investigation on a VI century purple codex, the so-called Codex Brixianus, held in the Biblioteca Civica Queriniana at Brescia (Italy). Analyses were carried out with XRF spectrometry, UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectrophotometry, molecular spectrofluorimetry and optical microscopy. The results suggest the hypothesis that Tyrian purple had been used as a minor component mixed with other less precious dyes such as folium or orchil.
KW - FORS
KW - Fluorimetry
KW - Folium
KW - Orchil
KW - Purple codices
KW - Tyrian purple
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84884518396&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.saa.2013.07.092
DO - 10.1016/j.saa.2013.07.092
M3 - Article
SN - 1386-1425
VL - 117
SP - 34
EP - 41
JO - Spectrochimica Acta - Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy
JF - Spectrochimica Acta - Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy
ER -