Fiber Analysis

Inductive inference is basic to forensic science. The forensic scientist logically infers ion on cause, history, individuals or place involved in a human event from items at a crime scene. Many times this involves hypothesis testing-These analyses can on the items themselves or on the form and,/or the pattern they present. Examples of the md application of forensic science analyses to archaeological samples will be presented. studies involving a shroud, scrolls and population shifts will be used to illustrate the ion contained in microscopic detail and the use of the habitual nature of some such as sewing, the spiruring of threads and writing. A sub theme of tion, the understanding of disparate requirements and capabilities and the need for integrated and step-by-step approach encompassing the archaeological and the scientific be stressed.

Syoku-han (蜀版) is the oldest tripitaka printing, the printings propagated to around countries, e.g. Korai (高麗) and Japan.  Korai also started to make their own tripitaka in 1011 AD (顕宗二年) and completed in Kenso (顕宗, 1010 AD 〜 1031 AD) era, which is called Shocho-ban (初雕版), the first edition.  Unfortunately, in 1232, the first wood blocks were burnt down by the Yuan (元)’s attack.  However, new wood blocks were remade from 1236 to 1251, which is called Saicho-ban (再雕版), the second edition. In this study, we describe paper analysis for Kyo-gire (経切) which has description ‘高麗版 大般若経第九十二’.  It also has a Chu-dai (柱題) ‘大般若第九十二　第二十二張　月’.  Firstly, by paleographic and codicological features, the cut paper has features of Korai Saicho-ban (高麗再雕版), that is 14 characters per line, 2 horizontal guide lines on the top and the bottom, and the unit character ‘張’ for paper in Chu-dai.  Next, by visual check and microscope analysis, we could see that fibre direction has only on the printing side, and could find many mulberry fibres.  Finally, we show, by radio carbon dating, the cut paper was made in the late 13th century.  From the above results, the cut sutra can be identified as 高麗再雕版 from the late 13th century.

The coating technique, supposedly invented by Chinese papermakers no later than the 3rd century AD, greatly improved paper sheets' qualities of color, texture, writability, and printability. Alongside the dispersal of papermak-ing and surface-treatment techniques beyond China, coated papers were manufactured and used in many other regions of the world. Understanding the manufacture of coated papers, therefore, is crucial for perceiving how surface treatments were developed to meet the need for paper with enhanced properties. However, the characterization of coating and coating pigments on ancient Chinese papers has long remained an unsolved issue, and previous studies on this topic have often produced inconclusive results. To explore a non-invasive methodology that can more reliably characterize coated papers and the coating pigment on them, this article presents the results of a pilot study that applied micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) and Raman spectroscopy to samples of three Qing Dynasty (1644-1911 AD) papers and two handmade papers manufactured in China in the 1990s. Micro-CT revealed the coating layer(s) on Lajian (waxed coated paper) and Lengjinjian (gold-dusted paper) of the Qing Dynasty and characterized the modern raw xuan and bamboo papers as uncoated. Raman spectroscopy, together with handheld X-ray fluorescence analysis, identified the mineral-based pigment in the coating layer, suggesting the use of lead white or kaolin as the coating pigment. Additionally, Raman analysis confirmed the use of other mineral pigments (red lead and cinnabar), beeswax, and organic dyes (gamboge, kermesic acid, and possibly purpurin) in the manufacture of Lajian and Lengjinjian papers. The combination of micro-CT and Raman spectroscopy, it is therefore suggested, is a practical, more reliable approach for non-invasive investigation of coating and coating pigments on ancient Chinese paper specimens.

The fiber-cutting process used for hemp and ramie fiber is also known to have been used in old papermaking processes. In this process, fiber was cut into lengths of a few millimeters using a knife. This fiber-cutting process, called setsu, is described in Engishiki Vol. 13, a collection of historical Japanese regulations compiled in the 10th century. An analysis of the paper used in the Shosoin treasure documents collection from the 8th century—one of the oldest such collections in Japan—revealed that the fibers used were cut into lengths of a few millimeters. However, whether a similar fiber-cutting process was used for old Chinese paper is unknown. In this study, the surfaces of paper used in the Dunhuang manuscripts from the Pelliot and Stein collections were observed by a nondestructive microscopy method. Cut fiber bundles were found in six documents dating from the Early or High Tang Dynasty as well as in three undated documents estimated to be from the Sui or High Tang Dynasty, according to a codicological study of the Dunhuang manuscripts. All the documents were written on kozo paper instead of hemp or ramie paper. The mean length of the cut fiber bundles was approximately 3 mm with a range of 1.7 to 3.4 mm. These results show that the same type of fiber-cutting process was used as in the old kozo papermaking processes. In addition, because the two documents from the Sui Dynasty are older than any old Japanese paper, these results suggest that the fiber-cutting process came to Japan from China.