Architectural Terracruda Sculptures of the Silk Roads: New Conservation Insights Through a Diagnostic Approach Based on Non-Destructive X-ray Micro-Computed Tomography

ABSTRACT

This work presents the results of the study of a fragment of architectural terracruda sculpture from the Buddhist archaeological site of Tepe Narenj (Kabul, Afghanistan, fifth-ninth centuries CE) through X-ray micro-computed tomographic analysis. This technique offers great potential for the study of artworks that, due to their nature, condition, or relevance, are not suitable for sampling. The results have provided useful data for understanding the making of the sculpture showing for the first time the relevance of materials of plant origin used in the composition of the clay-based body, a feature that had not been previously highlighted and which appears to be crucial for proposing suitable conservation interventions.

KEYWORDS:

• Conservation
• terracruda sculptures
• X-ray micro-computed tomography
• sculpting technique
• ethnographic data
• clay

Acknowledgements

This research is part of Mònica López Prat's ongoing doctoral research conducted in the Polytechnic University of Valencia in collaboration with the University of Calabria and has been supported by a National Geographic Society Early Career Grant (EC-59568C-19). The activity of Carla Lancelotti has been supported by the Generalitat de Catalunya with grant SGD2017-212. The activity of Alessandra Pecci is part of the activities of the ERAAUB grant SGR 2017-01173. The µTomo experimental station was acquired using PON MaTeRiA project – PONa3_00370 – funds. We gratefully acknowledge Zafar Paiman, who explained the details of his studies in Tepe-Narenj and Susan S. Bean, for always being available to share their knowledge about the tradition of modelling terracruda sculpture in southern Asia, and all the Bengali artists (specially the kumors of Kumortuli) who, in keeping with their ancient tradition, have collaborated to understand the process of modelling terracruda sculptures. Many thanks to all the people and institutions involved in this transboundary east–west research and specially to an explorer met in Samarkand.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Agència de Gestió d’Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca [grant number SGD2017-212]; National Geographic Society [grant number EC-59568C-19].