Investigation of fiber mineralization using Fourier transform infrared microscopy

The mineralization of cellulose and protein fibers has been simulated in the laboratory using oxygenated aqueous solutions. The mechanism peculiar to a given solution has been shown to depend on the initial metal-ligand bonds formed and on kinetic factors relating to the mineral product formation. These experiments rationalize both the occurrence and the comparative rarity of mineralized organic fibers from archaeological deposits. FTIR microscopy has revealed that traces of organic component can survive long-term burial and, in appropriate circumstances, permit their identification even in highly mineralized samples. Remnant dye on excavated textile has also been identified using FTIR microscopy on a scale far below that which is possible by extractive techniques. A spectral data library of fibers, dyes and mordants has been built into the computer analysis program.