Re: The Vinland Map's Ink

Eric Stevens wrote: 
On 25 Apr 2005 12:38:10 -0700, "Ken Towe" <ken.towe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:


In support of his theory, Enterline wrote this....

"The bible of conservators at that time (1950s) was the 1937 edition of
Plenderleith, which advocated the same treatment for parchment
manuscripts as for paper: regular household bleaching fluid*, sodium
hypochlorite."


I have obtained a copy of Plenderleith (1937). Chapter IV addresses
practical methods of cleaning and repair. It is true that no specific
distinction is drawn (in the 1937 edition) between the methods used for
parchments and papers. However, Plenderleith does indicate that the use
of hypochlorite bleaches will cause problems for iron-gall inks. He
states (page 48) rather specifically: "Any signatures in iron-gall inks
will disappear unless they are protected beforehand." For protection,
he describes a local application of a celluloid solution in 5% acetone
applied to the print while it is dry and removed after the bleaching,
when it is again dry, by an acetone wash. 


Could it be that celluloid is the mysterious material which confused
the C14 dating of the VM until it was removed by an acetone wash?

As I understand it, the 14C dating material was carefully cut from a blank edge of the VM. As the celluloid solution was to have been applied to the print only, it seems unlikely that it would have fortuitously wound up, unremoved, on a random bit of the edge.

<snip>
--
Tom McDonald
http://ahwhatdoiknow.blogspot.com/
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: The Vinland Maps Ink
    ... Enterline wrote this.... ... >I have obtained a copy of Plenderleith. ... >applied to the print while it is dry and removed after the bleaching, ... But not if they had already recognised that the ink was not iron-gall. ...
    (sci.archaeology)
  • Re: The Vinland Maps Ink
    ... Enterline wrote this.... ... I have obtained a copy of Plenderleith. ... applied to the print while it is dry and removed after the bleaching, ... if the ink must be protected during the cleaning ...
    (sci.archaeology)
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