Tátrai Vilmos szerk.: A Szépművészeti Múzeum közleményei 94. (Budapest, 2001)
DÁGI, MARIANNA - SIPOS, ENIKŐ: Report on the Conservation of Coptic Textiles in the Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities (1999-2000)
fibres. Soaking in distilled water has the further advantage of freeing up stains and dirt that have deposited to the surface of the fabric, as well as reducing the over-acidity of the material as well. The correction of distortions and the reordering of warp and weft threads are possible only in wet condition. As a rule, most of the Coptic textiles displayed in museums have been handled in this way. 23 In our case, however, cleaning tests showed that the textile fragments are in such a poor condition on that they are quite unable to withstand soaking. Nor could adhesives be removed in every case without damage to the original fabric. For this reason, after the removal of surface dust the method of humidification, which is widely employed in textile conservation practice, was used instead, to soften and improve the flexibility of the fragile, desiccated textile fragments. This technique permits slower and milder moistening of the fabrics, and reduces the danger of mechanical damage caused by sudden swelling to a minimum. 24 After this, where the condition of the object permitted, we cleaned the pieces, carefully swabbing the surface with distilled water and removing the loosened dirt with continuous changes of blotting paper. The textile was arranged while still damp to its wave structure and original shape by pinning or fixing with light weights, depending on the structure and condition of the object. The textiles were dried with cold air. After drying the fragments were placed on linen-covered pieces of acid-free cardboard. Fragments separate but obviously belonging together were attached to the linen bases with a few stitches of fine silk thread. Pieces in a state of total decomposition, or held together only by the adhesive, were also attached to acid-free cardboard. To protect them from mechanical damage caused by movement, their entire surface was covered with silk crepelin: the edges of the crepelin fabric were on the front side sewn the linen covering-fabric; on the reverse side of the cardboard it was glued. 25 The size of the cardboard was in every case fitted to the size of the given object. The fragments were then placed in storage boxes made of acid-free card, to secure a chemically neutral, light-free environment. The card pieces, covered in linen, can be pulled out of the boxes like drawers, without touching the textiles themselves. In this way, the objects can be handled without damage in the future. 23 Stauffer, A., Some comments on the wet cleaning of archeological textiles. International Perspectives on Textile Conservation, Papers from the ICOM-CC Textiles Working Group Meetings, Amsterdam 13-14 Oct. 1994 and Budapest 11-15 Sept. 1995. pp. 159-161. 24 Tímár-Balázsy, A. - Eastop, D., Chemical Principles of Textile Conservation, London 1998, pp. 275-283. 25 Crepelin mounting employed in the following cases: 52.1011. 56.18.A. 75.36.A, 77.5.A. 84.375.A, 97.19.1-2.A, 97.55.A.
