WASHINGTON, Sept. 13 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers say a new method to date silk will improve authentication and dating of silk artifacts held in museums and collections around the world.
Scientists at the Smithsonian Institution said the new method uses the rate of the natural deterioration of the silk's amino acids to determine its age.
Smithsonian researchers used samples taken from a series of historically well-dated silk artifacts to create a chart of amino-acid levels against which other silks fabrics can be dated, a release by the institution said Tuesday.
Among the artifacts examined were a man's suit coat from 1740 from the Museum of the City of New York and a silk Mexican War flag from 1845 from the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.
The new technique produces results in about 20 minutes and requires the destruction of only about 100 micrograms of silk fiber.
Previous dating techniques using carbon 14 measurements required the destruction of so much material it was prohibitive for most fine silk artifacts, researchers said.
