**1. Introduction**

The textile materials represented a major coordinated on the evolution of human society both temporally and spatially. The objects made of textile materials have, over time, experienced a great typological, functional and structural diversity, in close relation with the needs of the human society at a certain stage regarding the technological progress achieved and means of processing the textile materials. Therefore, textile objects are part of the cultural heritage, with roles and functions in asserting the specific identity of the place [1–4]. The specificity and identity of the objects made out of textile are derived from the genetic, evolutionary and qualitative features that they incorporate (occupations, customs, technological level achieved, beliefs, superstitions, etc.) [5].

The mutations that have occurred lately against the backdrop of globalization call for sustained efforts to conserve these elements of cultural heritage and local identity. The necessity of their conservation has required the carrying out of numerous specialized studies that have highlighted the anthropogenic and environmental degradation factors [1, 6–8] and their effects on textile, yellowing, decreased elasticity and tear resistance, microflora development [9–15], as well as the necessary measures to prevent their degradation and to conserve them [16–19].

Considering that one of the most objective and important factors with direct effects on the degradation of textile is "time itself", a solution may represent digitization, constituting an informational bridge between past, present and future [20–23]. During the past decades, digitization has become one of the main concerns of cultural institutions and governments all over the world [22] as there is a constant need for preserving cultural heritage in a digital form as well. From a process that transforms a physical object into a digital one [21], digitization became an art itself involving various specialists from different domains having the same aim preservation. But, still the final goal of digitization is not only to turn a material object into bytes, but making it accessible for everyone interested in it, in an online environment [24] as culture is considered a basic human right [25]. Thus, through digitization the past is connected to the future as the digital world may seem a better option for preserving and conservation of the cultural heritage resources. We are living in the "Digitization Age" and our society understood that cultural heritage belongs to the mass and plays an essential role not only for the social and economic development of the present society but for the future one as well.

From all the cultural resources, maybe the most sensitive in preserving are textile [3] as requires certain storage conditions. Temperature, humidity, light exposure and the mycological content in the composition of the materials are few parameters to be analyzed in order to assure proper storage conditions. In this context, digitization seems a better solution for preservation and promotion, their life span will be undeniable higher although it will be in the cyberspace not in the real world.

Among tests, an analysis that can be performed on textile materials for their digitization, the SEM analysis and digital radiography are highlighted practices whose results have a high degree of plausibility.

The scanning electron microscope (SEM) allows three-dimensional views of external morphology of the fibers, in order to determine their level of conservation [26]. SEM is used to identify fibers and to assess the level and type of fiber wear, degradation or structural alteration [27–29]. The environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) can be used to "characterise the surface, interface and dynamic properties of textile materials" [30].

X-radiography and digital radiography uses non-destructive techniques very useful in the study of textile materials, documentation and interpretation in order to conserve valuable objects from cultural heritage [31–33]. The limitation of this method is inaccessibility on a large scale due to the high costs. Another technique for studying old textile materials is the one proposed by Ahmed et al. [34]—laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), which also provides chemical information; also for the determination of the chemical composition of the colors used, we mention the use of X-ray fluorescent spectrometry (Spectroscan Max G, Spectron), with the type of spectrometer being wavelength dispersive [35].

Mannes et al. [36] propose a non-invasive approach for the analysis of fragile materials of cultural heritage, neutron and X-ray imaging. Valuable information about the old manufacturing techniques used in the creation of textile but also about the possible treatments for cleaning and preserving them for a longer period of time can be obtained using all the techniques and X-ray spectroscopy

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*Considerations Regarding the Research for the Conservation of Heritage Textiles in Romania*

methods: scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEMEDX), X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), particle induced X-ray spectroscopy (PIXE) and also Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) [37]. A simple technique that could be encountered for analyzing the colors of the cultural heritage objects is colorimetry (CIELab color system). This technique might be useful when a change in color is desired to be quantified when varying the parameters of the microclimate [38]. Moreover, colorimetry could be a suitable method to determine the change in color when a preservation treatment is tested on a heritage object [39], as the modification of its main features should be avoided. The color of a cultural heritage object is given by pigments or dyes. These substances can be evaluated from the compositional point of view by using infrared spectroscopy (Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy). Usually, this technique requires the use of a potassium bromide pellet, which is a time-consuming and destructive operation [40]. Fortunately, a new version of this technique, called attenuated total reflectance FT-IR, was developed, having the main advantage of its non-destructive fashion, as it allows the measurements to be performed without any previous preparation [41]. ATR-FTIR is a valuable technique when analyzing dyes and pigments because it can offer information about the molecular fragments of this substances [42, 43]. In this way, it is possible to determine what type of dye or pigment has been used in the original process of painting. This information could

But without a doubt, the best way to conserve historical textiles is to keep them in an interior environment that is less harmful for them. The great diversity of the buildings in which they are exposed (museums, traditional constructions, private collections, etc.) determines a great variety of indoor microclimate conditions, which could have repercussions on the degree of conservation of textile collections. Thus, of a major importance is both the determination of the state of conservation of the textiles, and the establishment of the influence that the microclimate from

In this context, the present study aims to highlight some methodological aspects and the results obtained following their implementation in a series of researches carried out on three structural elements defining for the Romanian society, in which different collections of textiles are kept: wooden church "Saint Martyrs Constantin Brancoveanu and his sons", The Museum House from Sălacea and National Archives of Romania—Bihor County Service from Oradea Municipality (**Table 1**). About the three locations where the research was carried out, we can say that they are representative regarding the Romanian rural communities, offering different environment conditions, including the anthropic impact with implications in manifesting in a form or another the negative effects of the textile objects hosted. Nevertheless, in order to diversify and deepening the obtained results by the research team from University of Oradea and collaborators, in the last part of this chapter a new case study regarding a traditional women's shirt over 100 years old from a private collec-

This paper aims to analyze from the point of view of approach, methodology and research object, three case studies already carries out regarding the current state and the conservation conditions of some textile collections from three buildings in Bihor County, Romania (**Figure 1**) serving different purposes. These three collections have been extensively examined in numerous specialized papers, some

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.91393*

be very helpful when choosing the restoration materials.

the different storage spaces exerts on them.

being already published and some being in print.

tion, has been conducted.

**2. Case studies**

#### *Considerations Regarding the Research for the Conservation of Heritage Textiles in Romania DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.91393*

methods: scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEMEDX), X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), particle induced X-ray spectroscopy (PIXE) and also Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) [37].

A simple technique that could be encountered for analyzing the colors of the cultural heritage objects is colorimetry (CIELab color system). This technique might be useful when a change in color is desired to be quantified when varying the parameters of the microclimate [38]. Moreover, colorimetry could be a suitable method to determine the change in color when a preservation treatment is tested on a heritage object [39], as the modification of its main features should be avoided.

The color of a cultural heritage object is given by pigments or dyes. These substances can be evaluated from the compositional point of view by using infrared spectroscopy (Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy). Usually, this technique requires the use of a potassium bromide pellet, which is a time-consuming and destructive operation [40]. Fortunately, a new version of this technique, called attenuated total reflectance FT-IR, was developed, having the main advantage of its non-destructive fashion, as it allows the measurements to be performed without any previous preparation [41]. ATR-FTIR is a valuable technique when analyzing dyes and pigments because it can offer information about the molecular fragments of this substances [42, 43]. In this way, it is possible to determine what type of dye or pigment has been used in the original process of painting. This information could be very helpful when choosing the restoration materials.

But without a doubt, the best way to conserve historical textiles is to keep them in an interior environment that is less harmful for them. The great diversity of the buildings in which they are exposed (museums, traditional constructions, private collections, etc.) determines a great variety of indoor microclimate conditions, which could have repercussions on the degree of conservation of textile collections. Thus, of a major importance is both the determination of the state of conservation of the textiles, and the establishment of the influence that the microclimate from the different storage spaces exerts on them.

In this context, the present study aims to highlight some methodological aspects and the results obtained following their implementation in a series of researches carried out on three structural elements defining for the Romanian society, in which different collections of textiles are kept: wooden church "Saint Martyrs Constantin Brancoveanu and his sons", The Museum House from Sălacea and National Archives of Romania—Bihor County Service from Oradea Municipality (**Table 1**). About the three locations where the research was carried out, we can say that they are representative regarding the Romanian rural communities, offering different environment conditions, including the anthropic impact with implications in manifesting in a form or another the negative effects of the textile objects hosted. Nevertheless, in order to diversify and deepening the obtained results by the research team from University of Oradea and collaborators, in the last part of this chapter a new case study regarding a traditional women's shirt over 100 years old from a private collection, has been conducted.
