An in situ non-invasive study of two Tibetan manuscripts from the Asian Collection of the Museum of Natural History in Florence

In the complex and multiform panorama of the Asian heritage, Tibetan Buddhist sacred texts are tangible evidence of an ancient religious tradition. The historical value and fragility of these unique and priceless works of art, together with an increased awareness of the importance of preserving our cultural heritage, has prompted the use of non-invasive analytical techniques to the study of these ancient religious items. In particular, the present work aims to characterize inks and pigments of two ancient Tibetan manuscripts part of the collection of the Museum of Natural History, Department of Anthropology, in Florence (IT). A combination of portable microphotography, X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and UV-Vis-NIR fiber optic reflectance spectroscopy (FORS) was used for in situ investigation of all the most significant painted area appearing in the manuscripts. Information about the preparatory substrate, the pigments, and the metal inks were gained. A step forward a better understanding of the working methods applied by the artists was made, thus contributing significantly towards the planning of the most appropriate conservation-restoration procedures.