Microprobe Analysis of Gilded Silver Threads From Mediaeval Textiles

The determination of the age and origin of mediaeval textiles has usually been done by comparison of the patterns with those of known samples. In this work information has been sought from chemical analysis. The samples investigated were gold-plated silver foils from threads in textiles of the thirteenth century found in Carinthian tombs. These foils are about 20 μm thick with the silver layer about 15 μm and the gold about 5 μm. They were investigated by microprobe analysis and the results compared with the analyses of threads from museum textiles chosen to provide maximum information about origins. The classification made was as ‘Oriental’ or ‘European’ as is also done by historians. Several of the Carinthian threads could be ascribed to one or the other of these two groups. In a few cases the results of the microprobe analyses threw doubt on the usual attributions of the textiles.