Textile and dye analysis – An overview of scientific research at the British Museum – Dr Diego Tamburini

Speaker: Dr Diego Tamburini, Scientist: Polymeric and Modern Organic Materials, Department of Scientific Research, The British Museum

Synopsis: Identification of colouring materials used for textile dyeing is challenging, due to the variety of natural sources used by humans throughout history, and complicated by the invention of synthetic dyes. Comprehensive molecular databases are needed for accurate identifications, and these need reliable reference materials. Mass spectrometry emerges as the state-of-the-art technique in this field. I will showcase the potential of mass spectrometry techniques, especially high-pressure liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry, for dye analysis. A selection of case studies from the British Museum’s collection will highlight the challenges of archaeological and historical textile analysis in a museum context.

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