Tanulmányok Budapest Múltjából 31. (2003)

RÉGÉSZETI ÉS RESTAURÁLÁSI ELŐZETES JELENTÉSEK - B. Perjés Judit - B. Kozocsa Ildikó: Egy török kori amulett restaurálása 263-269

EGY TÖRÖK KORI AMULETT RESTAURÁLÁSA The Conservation of an Amulet from the Turkish Period The excavations carried out on Szent György Square in the past few years brought to light which meant a new challenge even for the most experienced restorers. There have been hardly any paper-based finds from before the 18th century due to the temperate, continental climate of Hungary. Even those from that period are not single finds but they were mixed with other materials. We considered all the factors that have contributed to or hindered the survival of the finds from the excavations in 1999. The metal case was damaged on one side leaving the earthly brownish fabric used to fill the interior of the case visible. The brittles are not recent, there are only guesses about the date of its origin. The damaged case was radiographed before the preliminary conservation process. After the textile covering was delicately peeled off the paper underneath was moist but not wet. During the undoing three different parts were discovered. Probably the paper was coated with a certain kind of material to protect it after it had been reeled up. This black substance turned out to be a mixture of iron, copper, magnesium, aluminium, silicon, phosphorus, sulphur, chlorine and calcium. After the opening of the small cylinder the material of the paper manuscript and the dyes could be investigated. The sample was made of harl and flax fibres, medium and short, unsized, unshredded fibres. The ornamental colours of the manuscript are the bright red vermillion (mercuric sulphide), the dark greyish black corroded silver (a mixture of silver sulphide and silver chloride), and the bright gold (gold-foil). The text was written in lamp-black ink. The linen cloth and those parts of the scroll which were in good condition were unfolded millimetre by millimetre, applying a solution of ethanol, then a 3% solution of Klucel M (hydroxi-propil-cellulose) and ethanol. The fixation was carried out with slips of transparent Japanese gauze paper using a 3% solution of Klucel M as glue. The missing parts of the manuscript were completed a year later, and it was necessary to leave both sides of the text visible. The paper used to complete the find was made of hemp and flax fibres, hand-cast in different shades and thickness. The fibres were dyed directly. The completion of the missing paper was carried out on a glass sheet with glow-through lamps on the verso of the manuscript with a minimal superimposition after the careful choice of suitably coloured paper. The fibres were pasted together with a 5% solution of Klucel M, ethanol and 0.5% of Glutofix (hydroxi-ethyl-methyl-cellulose) solved and mixed in water and Klucel. After the pressing the completed manuscript was fastened with another gluing up using a 2% Klucel M-ethanol solution. One of the conical tips of the damaged hexagonal metal case had probably been soldered to the body, then the fabric-coated scroll was placed into the case. At the other end there was a silver foil bent into the case to make it tighter. Two little lugs were found on the separate fragment which made it easier to carry the case round the neck. The third, missing lug had to be replaced. The fragments were assembled and completed with epoxy resin mastic dyed with oxide. The pieces of linen were cleaned, dried on a glass sheet at room temperature, and as they were in pieces, they were sewn together on a creplin base. 269