This study�s aim was to bring to light part of the hidden secrets of some important and valuable historical textiles beautifully adorned with precious metal threads, medieval gold brocaded velvet fragments and court vestments, which are preserved in the treasury collections of some of the most important monasteries and museums in our country. These precious metal thread textiles, includes historical and artistic information, as well as important scientific data regarding the materials and techniques used, their origin, provenience and dating, information that being revealed, have harmoniously blended and intertwined.
In the present study, golden threads from two, apparently identical, medieval epitrachelions considered masterpieces of the Romanian Byzantine embroidery art, were investigated by using Micro-Particle Induced X-ray Emission (micro-PIXE) and optical microscopy. PIXE measurements allowed to accurate identify the elemental composition, distribution of the trace elements, the layered structures (depth profiling) and thicknesses of the gold layer. Useful information for the characterization of the gilded silver threads due to elemental maps concerning the constituent elements spatial distribution in the sample was also obtained.
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