Abstract
Extracts from plants have been used traditionally for the preservation of palm leaf manuscripts in India. Although these methods are slowly being replaced by modern chemicals, art conservators still prefer herbal plant extracts as fungicides and insecticides. In this study, several traditional herbal extracts from the state of Odisha were studied using GC-MS and their long-term impact on palm leaf manuscripts was substantiated by visual observation. GC-MS results showed the presence of different herbal plant extracts from walnut fruit, Artemisia oil, cinnamon oil, equisetum stem, circium roots, Rhizophora leaf, tobacco leaf, and beggar-tick plant oil in palm leaf manuscripts. Illustrated manuscripts were also studied using FTIR spectroscopy which showed the presence of starch paste and pectin as binding media mixed in the pigments and writing inks for palm leaf manuscripts.
Zusammenfassung
Analyse traditioneller indischer Insektizide und Fungizide aus Pflanzenextrakten für Palmblatt-Manuskripte
Zur Erhaltung von Palmblatt-Manuskripten fanden in Indien traditionell Pflanzenextrakte Anwendung. Diese Verbindungen werden zunehmend durch moderne synthetische Materialien ersetzt, dennoch werden in der Restaurierung nach wie vor Pflanzenextrakte als Fungizide und Insektizide eingesetzt. In der vorliegenden Studie wurden verschiedene traditionell verwendete Extrakte aus der Provinz Odisha mittels GC-MS analysiert und ihre Langzeitwirkung auf Palmblattmanuskripte untersucht. Es konnten verschiedene pflanzliche Extrakte aus Walnuss, Artemisia-Öl, Zimtöl, Schachtelhalm-Stengeln, der Wurzel von gewöhnlicher Kratzdistel, Mangrovenblättern, Tabakblättern und Blättern von Zweizähnen (Bidens) auf Palmblattmanuskripten nachgewiesen werden. Mittels FTIR Spektroskopie wurden Stärkekleister und Pektin als Bindemittel in der Tusche bzw. in den Malschichten festgestellt.
Résumé
Etude chromatographique des conservateurs naturels utilisés dans les manuscrits en feuilles de palmier en Inde
C’est une ancienne tradition indienne que d’utiliser des plantes traditionnelles pour conserver les manuscrits en feuilles de palmier. Bien que les méthodes traditionnelles aient été progressivement remplacées par des produits chimiques modernes, les restaurateurs d’art préfèrent encore utiliser des extraits de plantes/d’épices indiennes pour protéger les manuscrits. Les extraits de plantes agissent contre les bio-organismes, sont en outre des insecticides très efficaces et ne sont pas toxiques pour les humains. Nous avons étudié les extraits traditionnels d’herbes utilisés dans un manuscript en feuille de palmier illustré provenant de l’état indien d’Orissa au moyen de la chromatographie en phase gazeuse-spectrométrie de masse et leur impact à long terme sur les feuilles de palmier a été évalué en termes de détérioration. La spectroscopie infrarouge à transformée de Fourier du manuscript illustré a permis d’étudier et de comprendre les techniques et matériaux utilisés autrefois en Inde.
About the authors
Dr M. R. Singh is Professor Conservation in National Museum Institute at New Delhi, India. He is the author of four books and around 65 research papers in the field of conservation in various national and international journals.
Ms Deepakshi Sharma is a Research Fellow at National Museum Institute, New Delhi, India. She has completed her masters’ degree in conservation.
Acknowledgements
The authors are thankful to Dr B.R. Mani, Vice Chancellor, National Museum Institute, New Delhi for his interest in this work. The authors are also grateful to scientists at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi for their help in GC-MS analysis and Dr Aditya Kanth, National Museum Institute, New Delhi, for his support and help extended for this paper.
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