TEXTILE CONSERVATION PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

Abstract

It is probably that textile conservation has been carried out for nearly as long as textiles have been used by man. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that textile conservation in the past was far from the basic scientific rules that are common and known today. Textile conservation science is a multidisciplinary science which includes various branches of sciences such as chemistry, biology, physics, humanities, historian, applied arts, etc. To succeed in conservation of textile artifacts, it is necessary to follow the advances in all of these branches. Nowadays, there are advanced developments in all of these sciences. The most common conservation processes of a textile object include cleaning, stabilization, restoration, exhibition and storage. This paper aims to introduce several practical experiences in textile conservation field and present new suggestions on the future of textile conservation in Egypt. It may raise awareness and promote further opportunities for the collaboration of all scientists from all branches of sciences and make use of all developments in textile conservation field. This study recommended future works on exploring non-invasive techniques for the investigation and conservation of textile artifacts.