Influence and Exchange: A Technical Study of Colonial Period Ivories from the Philippines

Summary

This is an abstract from the "From Materials to Materiality: Analysis and Interpretation of Archaeological and Historical Artifacts Using Non-destructive and Micro/Nano-sampling Scientific Methods" session, at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

This paper focuses on the early phases of a technical study of the polychrome and gilding on colonial period ivory sculptures produced in the Philippines and transported into Mexico via an annual trade network known as the Manila Galleons. These ships moved goods to and from colonial ports in Asia, to the Americas, and on to the port of Seville, Spain. It exploited the riches, gold and silver, of the Americas and brought in silks, porcelains from Asia, and a new type of sculpture produced under catholic missionary rule. The Catholic sculptures―usually depictions of Christ, the holy family, and archangels like St. Michael―were all carved in ivory and decorated with gilding and paint. Technical studies of these ivories are rare and questions about where the ivories were decorated have been posed. Were they carved in the Philippines and then painted in Mexico as some scholars have proposed? Minimally and non-invasive techniques of analysis including, XRF, FORS, FITR and Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry were used to characterize materials. This paper will summarize early results of a coordinated effort to study the materials and techniques of the polychrome and gilding materials in order to help identify and support places of production

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• From Materials to Materiality: Analysis and Interpretation of Archaeological and Historical Artifacts Using Non-destructive and Micro/Nano-sampling Scientific Methods   •
• Society for American Archaeology 84th Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM (2019)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 23480