Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-xbtfd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-03T08:53:22.052Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The Grolier Codex: A Non Destructive Study of a Possible Maya Document using Imaging and Ion Beam Techniques

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Jose Luis Ruvalcaba
Affiliation:
[email protected], UNAM, Instituto de Fisica, Apdo. postal 20-364, Mexico, 01000, Mexico, + 52 55 56225162, + 52 55 56225009
Sandra Zetina
Affiliation:
[email protected], Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Investigaciones Estéticas, Mexico DF, Mexico
Helena Calvo del Castillo
Affiliation:
[email protected], Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Fisica, Apdo. postal 20-364, Mexico DF, 01000, Mexico
Elsa Arroyo
Affiliation:
[email protected], Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Investigaciones Estéticas, Mexico DF, Mexico
Eumelia Hernández
Affiliation:
[email protected], Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Investigaciones Estéticas, Mexico DF, Mexico
Marie Van der Meeren
Affiliation:
[email protected], Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, Coordinacion Nacional de Conservacion del Patrimonio Cultural, Mexico DF, N/A, Mexico
Laura Sotelo
Affiliation:
[email protected], Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Centro de Estudios Mayas, Instituto de Investigaciones Filológicas, Mexico DF, N/A, Mexico
Get access

Abstract

The Grolier Codex has been a controversial document ever since its late discovery in 1965. Because of its rare iconographical content and its unknown origin, specialists are not keen to assure its authenticity that would set it amongst the other tree known Maya codes in the world (Dresden, Paris Codex and Madrid Codex).

The document that has been kept in the Museo Nacional de Antropología in Mexico City, after its exposure in 1971 at the Grolier Club of New York, has been analyzed by a set of non-destructive techniques in order to characterize its materials including paper fibers, preparation layer and colors composition. The methodology included UV imaging, IR reflectography and optic microscopy examinations as well as Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) and Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) using an external beam setup for elemental analysis. All the measurements were carried out at 3MV Pelletron Accelerator of the Instituto de Física, UNAM. The aim of this work is to verify if the materials in the Grolier Codex match those found for other pre-Hispanic documents.

From the elemental composition we concluded that the preparation layer shows the presence of gypsum (CaSO4), color red is due to red hematite (Fe2O3) and black is a carbon-based ink. These results agree with previous analyses carried out by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM-EDX) on few samples. However, the presence of Maya Blue in the blue pigment cannot be assured. The examination using UV and IR lights shows homogeneity in the inks and red color but dark areas that contain higher amounts of K in the preparation layer. This paper discusses the results obtained for the UV-IR examinations and the elemental analysis. A comparison with other studies on pre-Hispanic and early colonial codex is presented.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Alcina Franch, J., 1992. Códices Mexicanos, MAPFRE, Madrid, 219220.Google Scholar
2. Coe, M.D., 1973. The Maya Scribe and His World, The Grolier Club, Nueva York.Google Scholar
3. Thomson, E., 1972. A Commentary on the Dresden Codex: A Maya Hierogplyphic Book, American Philosophical Society, Philadelphia.Google Scholar
4. Baudez, C. F., 2002. Arqueología Mexicana, Vol. X, num. 55, 7079.Google Scholar
5. Rodríguez-Lugo, V., Mendoza-Anaya, D., Sotelo, L. E., Microstructural Study of the Grolier Codex by Means of LV-SEM, Acta Microscópica, October, (2001), 252–253,Google Scholar
6. Río, M. Sánchez del, Martinetto, P., Somgyi, A., Reyes-Valerio, C., Dooryheé, E., Peltier, N., Alianelli, L, Moignard, B., Pichon, L., Calligaro, T., Dran, J.C., Spectrochimica Acta Part B, (2004) 16191625.Google Scholar
7. Río, M. Sánchez del, Sodo, A., Eeckhout, S.G., Neisius, T., Martinetto, P., Dooryhée, E., Reyes-Valerio, C.; Nuclear Instruments and Methods B, 238 (2005) 5054.Google Scholar
8. Río, M. Sánchez del, Martinetto, P., Reyes-Valerio, C., Dooryhée, E., Suárez, M.; Archaeometry (2006) 115–130.Google Scholar
9. Matteini, M., Moles, A., 2003. La Chimica nel Restauro, I materiali dell'arte pittorica, Nardini Editore, Firenze.Google Scholar
10. Tirado, R. C. González, Masters Thesis, Monfort University, 1998.Google Scholar
11. Binnqüist, C. López, PhD Thesis, University of Twente, Netherlands. Twente University press, Enschede. 2003.Google Scholar
12. Ruvalcaba, J.L and Tirado, C. González 2005. Análisis in situ de documentos históricos mediante un sistema portátil de XRF in La Ciencia de Materiales y su Impacto en la Arqueología. Vol II, Academia Mexicana de Ciencia de Materiales Mendoza, A.C. D., y, J. Arenas coord., V. Rodríguez, Ed. Lagares, México. p. 5579.Google Scholar