Conservation around the Millennium (Hungarian National Museum, 2001)

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The original gold colour appeared after the untwisting of the metal thread sample seen in picture 6. We scanned the photo taken by an optical microscope and attempted to reconstruct the original colour with the computer program Photoshop 5.1 correcting the surface of the metal thread to the gold coloured spot (picture 7).

We analysed several samples from the metal thread interwoven in the textile illustrated in picture 8. It was found that the blackened layer was silver transformed into silver sulphide. The organic support was made from animal membrane. The stretched membrane was covered with silver foil, then the metal coated membrane was cut into strips of a few tenth of millimetre in width. These strips were wound around a linen core. With considerable modifications of the y curve, the contrast and brightness we reconstructed the silver colour of the metal threads, that is the crescent moons (picture 9).

In the case of the woven border in picture 10, the stretched animal membrane was covered with gilt silver leaves. The narrow strip cut from the metal coated membrane was wound around a linen core.

During the reconstruction, we coloured the patterns made with metal thread to gold colour (picture 11).

Of course none of the reconstructions are totally authentic since the base fabric faded with time, and at the border we could not take samples from all the details of ornaments made with metal threads. It is, consequently, possible that some tiny details were made, for example, with silver thread.

In the case of textiles where the corroded metal threaded parts cannot be cleaned, a tentative colour reconstruction can be made based on visual scrutiny and/or scientific analyses by computer. This enables us to get a better image of the colour pattern of the item.

8. Italian or Spanish textile fragment4 from the 14th century.

9. Colour reconstruction of the metal surfaces of the textile fragment in picture 8.

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