Georgian Manuscripts from the Graz and Leipzig Collections: Results of Ink Analysis

Abstract

This article presents the results of an ink analysis conducted on the collections of Georgian manuscripts preserved at the Universities of Graz (Austria) and Leipzig (Germany). Notably, this study represents the first systematic ink analysis ever carried out on Georgian manuscripts. It focuses on identifying the composition of red and black inks using a range of analytical methods, including X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Raman spectroscopy, ultraviolet (UV), visible (VIS), near-infrared (NIR), and 3D microscopy. The research was carried out within the framework of the project “The Development of Literacy in the Caucasian Territories” (“DeLiCaTe”) by the laboratory of the Centre for the Study of Manuscript Cultures (CSMC) at the University of Hamburg. The primary aim of the study is to analyze inks from as many manuscripts as possible in order to establish a unified database identifying metals characteristic of specific regions and periods over time. Manuscripts whose date and place of origin are securely identified through colophons play a crucial role in building this database. Identifying inks of the same composition in manuscripts lacking such historical information can provide valuable evidence for determining their origin and, potentially, their date of production.