The conservation of two Indian manuscriptsThe National Archives of Scotland
(NAS) has a rich and varied collection from many countries and cultures including
Chinese, Islamic and Indian. This paper presents the analysis and conservation
of two Indian manuscripts which relate to Mirza Muhammad Akbar Shah, who was heir
apparent to the throne of Delhi. He reigned as Mu'in al Din Akbar the penultimate
Mogul emperor. The manuscripts are known as 'Firman' (decrees) and were created
for the Crown Prince to present to the Scottish Colonel David Ochterlony between
1803-6. The manuscripts are written in Farsee (Persian) and the translation of
these important documents is currently being undertaken by the School of Oriental
and African Studies, London (SOAS).  |  | | Manuscript
NAS ref. GD1/375/3/3/1 before treatment | Manuscript
NAS ref. GD1/375/3/3/2 before treatment |
DescriptionEach
manuscript is comprised of a single sheet of 'laid' handmade Indian paper. As
was customary, the sheets have been highly burnished by constant rubbing with
an agate or other smooth stone. This process was repeated between the application
of gold and pigment to achieve a very smooth sheen.The carbon black ink text
is orientated to the left of the page with three smaller areas of text along the
right side, arranged at angles to the main body of text. The text within the small
box at the bottom right of each manuscript has been translated as 'Identical to
original', suggesting that the original resided in India with Akbar, and Ochterlony
took two copies back to Scotland. Gold has been applied in sheets onto
a painterly gum layer and finished at the edges with gold paint (hal). The 'paint'
would have been made by placing gold leaf into a porcelain dish with honey and
glue, and grinding with the base of the hand for many hours. The powder would
then be washed/strained and allowed to dry. It would be applied with animal glue
and humectants. The gold designs within the vignettes have been further embellished
by small perforations, which Indian artists used to add sparkle to the burnished
gold. AnalysisThe coloured pigments used in the vignettes and borders
were thought to be inorganic minerals which were commonly used in Indian paintings
of the period. The manuscripts were analysed to confirm the materials used in
their construction and identify any previous repairs prior to conservation treatment.
Multi Spectral Imaging (MuSIS®) analysis was carried out in partnership with
Historic Scotland. This non-destructive analysis requires no sampling of the original
manuscript, but utilises different wavelengths and records the absorption or reflectance
of the materials in visible, ultra violet, infra red and false colour infra red
light sources (a spectral range of 320nm to 1550nm).
False colour infra
red photography employs a film that is sensitive to both electromagnetic radiations
both in the visible band and infrared region. The dyes in the film do not correspond
to those of the object so the pigments of the original object appear as signature
colours. The shifts in colour are very specific and can be used to distinguish
between pigments which appear identical in visible light. This process has been
used sparingly in the analysis of artefacts since the 1960's as the film is very
sensitive and unmanageable.MuSIS has developed this principle and incorporates
the qualities of the false colour photography film into a digital format, so that
the colour changes can be easily viewed on a screen. Identification can then be
made against a chart of known colours.
 |  |  | | Visible
light | False colour infra red - the
blue shifts to a strong red, red to a yellow | Infra
red - green foliage absorbs, blue reflects |
The analysis carried
out on the NAS manuscripts ultimately identified 2 different reds, namely vermilion
and red lead. The deep blue areas, which constitute the main body of each vignette
and borderlines, are lapis lazuli. The green was more difficult to identify. The
green within the leaves/foliage and borderlines absorbed very strongly in infrared.
Malachite, verdigris and indigo/orpiment in combination all strongly absorb so
a positive identification could not be made with infrared. Since green in manuscripts
1 and 2 appears blue in false colour. Indigo shifts to a red tone in false colour.
Verdigris and malachite both shift to blue in false colour. The appearance of
the green in visible light (leaf green) infers verdigris, rather than the opacity
and subtlety of malachite. ConditionThe manuscripts were received
to the NAS collection within poor unglazed frames. Poor storage and handling prior
to framing contributed to overall undulations, creasing and substantial areas
of tearing and loss. One of the manuscripts had been especially damaged with losses
primarily on the left side with the appearance of vermin attack. When the manuscripts
were framed, the left edge was 'masked' by the addition of gilded poor quality
paper inserted behind the object. The overall auto-oxidation, acidity and embrittlement
of each sheet contributed to tears and losses where the paper 'shattered'. The
objects could not be handled, and had no internal strength.
 |  | | Detail
of the extent of the shattered bottom edge and creasing manuscript 1 | Main
text of manuscript 1 - vermin attack evident at left edge |
TreatmentThe
two manuscripts were treated in conjunction. Firstly they were surface cleaned
on the back with chemical sponge and grated staedtler mars eraser. The front of
each sheet was lightly brushed taking care not to disrupt media/gold. In order
to reduce planar distortions and improve inter-fibre bonding, the manuscript was
humidified in a goretex chamber monitored at 80% relative humidity) for only a
fifteen minute period. The manuscripts were monitored throughout, and then transferred
to blotting paper, between thin bondina to prevent 'catching'. This was then weighted
lightly under perspex. The blotting paper was changed after 30 minutes. Felts
were not used for the first pressings as it was felt that the support was too
fragile and brittle to be pressed without full support beneath. The first humidification
was very successful bringing the object into plane without pressing out all character.
Following one week under weights the gold and pigments were unaltered. There was
slight improvement in flexibility of the sheet. Edge tears and creases
were repaired using thin kozo (5.5gsm) and gampi Japanese tissues with minimal
dry wheat starch paste on the verso. The papers were applied according to the
grain direction of the sheet and small repairs were weighted locally. Following
all repairs, it was necessary to re-humidify the whole sheet, as even the smallest
additional gampi repairs had introduced slight tensions. The sheet was returned
to the humidity chamber for 30 minutes and placed between blotters under perspex
and light weights overnight. Losses were infiled with British hard wove
brown paper which has been designed to replicate Indian papers. High quality handmade
papers similar to those made in the Indian subcontinent during the early 19th
century are hard to source. Two sheets of paper were sprayed out and laminated
with very thin wheat starch paste to create the correct thickness of infil paper.
This laminate was pressed between felts in the hard bed press overnight. Hard
wove brown is a mix of 'Abakar' (manilla) and cotton, unsized, and hollander beaten
to get a hard finish. The infils were then needle cut and attached with wheat
starch paste. The infils were retouched with Rembrandt Artists quality watercolours
with the addition of gum arabic. The infils were not retouched or prepared with
shell gold. This was researched as a possibility, but the left edge required a
gold 'edge' before a paper perimeter to match the other three edges of the sheet.
This would have appeared optically incongruous and coupled with the difficulty
of application it was decided not to use gold in the treatment of the manuscripts.
The manuscripts were window mounted in 100% rag museum board.  |  |
| GD1/375/3/3/1 after treatment | GD1/375/3/3/2
after treatment |
Manuscripts following treatmentThe
digital images of the manuscripts can be accessed through virtual volumes in the
search rooms of
NAS. | 
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