Page - 162 - in The Vienna Genesis - Material analysis and conservation of a Late Antique illuminated manuscript on purple parchment

162 Alteration study of silver inks on parchment 4). In order to prevent the silver powder from being contaminated with dust particles, the bowl was covered. As soon as the powder deposited at the bottom of the bowl, which could take up to several hours or even a day, the water was changed by pouring it out quickly, so that the powdery silver sediment remained inside the bowl. This process was repeated up to six times13. The final residue was dried in a small porcelain bowl in a water bath, which was heated slowly (Fig. 5). 13 Schreiner and Oltrogge, 2011, p. 107. One could also use a fine cloth as a filter. Those methods work with silver, gold and copper. Fig. 6: Formation of an amalgam with the help of the flame of a Bunsen burner. Fig. 7: Silver powder in a small glass bottle. Fig. 8: Self-prepared bamboo pens, similar to the Late An- tique calamus. Open-Access-Publikation im Sinne der CC-Lizenz BY 4.0