Conserving Vulture Peak | Episode 7: Removing the old restoration

In this week's episode, Hannah and Monique remove the old restoration fabric from the back of the embroidery. In doing so they're revealing the back of the embroidery.
The embroidery dates from China’s Tang dynasty (AD 618-907). It depicts the Buddha preaching at Vulture Peak - in Buddhist tradition a favourite retreat of the Buddha and his disciples, located in what is now north-east India.
It was discovered by archaeologist Sir Aurel Stein (1862-1943) who, while exploring the many caves at Dunhuang, discovered a walled up cave. Behind this wall was a library full of manuscripts paintings and textiles, including this astonishing embroidery.
Watch the rest of the ‘Conserving Vulture Peak’ series here: goo.gl/FXoBK2
The tapestry is part of a collection donated to the British Museum by the archaeologist Sir Aurel Stein (1862-1943).
You can find more information in the collection online goo.gl/7B4W81

[@rameyzamora1018]

OMG this restoration is heaven for me in my OCDness! Not kidding! Thank you.

[@HebaruSan]

It's amusing that the previous restoration effort is itself now of historical interest. They're going to keep some of the threads!

[@abyssaljam441]

If the restoration stitches are so week how is the origonal embroidery so strong?

[@MrCaRolMiLler]

The original embroidery is possibly composed of a handmade silk thread and dyed with natural colorant, which is much more strong and durable that a machine made thread, which sometimes was dyed with a synthetic colorant and made up of more cheap thread. More than once, materials and techniques used in conservations and restorations in previous century, were not very durable or safe for the original piece, manly because they did not know the long term consequences of these materials, like we know today. This is my opinion. I hope it is correct.

[@Rambl3On]

Abyssaljam also the first tie in restoration is to make everything you do easily reversible (as easy as possible, that is). So that could also lead to a short lifespan

[@cumulus888]

Keep up the good work!

[@jenniferblack5005]

So much ASMR with the first girl and scissors omg

[@rafalemiec8683]

I'm still confused as to why isn't this done in a sterile/clean environment. Is silk impervious to bacteria, parasites, parts of skin falling off of hands onto it, skin fat, and such?

[@Honsanmai]

I don't know much about the way silk reacts to stuff the human hand sheds, but out of my limited experience with restoration I can say that you work much less precise when you are wearing gloves and risk making some of the damage you're supposed to repair even worse.

[@jeffreyquinn3820]

One of the conservators briefly mentioned this in an earlier 'chapter' in this series. They said it is best to handle with clean, dry hands. Handwshing with a gentle soap will remove the majority of bacteria. (Assuming your skin isn't dry and cracked.) Silk and skin are both composed primarily of durable proteins and have a pH of around 5 (as much as a solid can be considered to have a pH) which is why they are resistant to bacteria but not mould. Gloves will leave residue behind as well, and while you'd have to ask an organic chemist to be sure, I suspect the chemicals in nitrile or vinyl gloves will break down into acidic and alkali substances.

[@raspberryblood]

I would've ruined it from the start, for sure >.

[@ultimophantom8395]

First!