Heritage textiles:An integrated approach for assessment and future conservation

Abstract

The digital revolution has been present in our lives more and more since the beginning of the third millennium and until now, has affected the way in which cultural heritage is valued, preserved and passed on. In this context, the present study aims to use digital technologies (digital radiography and Reflectance Transformation Imaging) to contribute to assessing the conservation status of a heritage textile fabric; a traditional women’s shirt about 100 years old from Bihor County (ie). The investigations concerned both the fine details that are not visible to the naked eye, regarding the internal structure of the material and external (damaged areas, embroidery with traditional motifs, etc.). The results obtained show high suitability of the methods used for the analysis performed on historical textiles, having major importance in identifying the visual representation of the weave, the fibres and the surface of the fabric, the deterioration and also the current state of preservation and contributing to the identification of optimal restoration-conservation solutions.