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Abstract Salt efflorescence is one of the critical problems for the preservation of immovable silicate relics. Salt efflorescence mainly comes from continuous cycles of crystallization/dissolution or hydration/dehydration of salts in confined pores in silicate relics. Many protocols have been developed in attempts to alleviate possible salt damages with minor success because of endless water and salt feed from underground. In this study, we propose and design a novel technique for salt damage prevention and protection of immovable relics. Materials with higher water-absorbing ability than matrix are applied to control the water and salt migration direction in simulated sand samples. The distribution of moisture content on the surface of sand is followed by hyperspectral imaging. It appears that water and salt molecules will preferentially transport towards positions containing higher water-absorbing material. Both organic and inorganic high water-absorbing materials show effective in controlling the water and salt migration direction, which provides a new approach for the prevention and protection of salt efflorescence in silicate cultural relics.

Natural disaster risk monitoring is an important task for disaster prevention and reduction. In the case of immovable cultural relics, however, the feedback mechanism, risk factors, monitoring logic, and monitoring indicators of natural disaster risk monitoring are complex. How to achieve intelligent perception and monitoring of natural disaster risk for immovable cultural relics has always been a focus and a challenge for researchers. Based on the analysis of the concepts and issues related to the natural disaster risk of immovable cultural relics, this paper proposes a framework for natural disaster risk monitoring for immovable cultural relics based on the digital twin. This framework focuses on risk monitoring, including the physical entities of natural disaster risk for immovable cultural relics, monitoring indicators, and virtual entity construction. A platform for monitoring the natural disaster risk of immovable cultural relics is proposed. Using the Puzhou Ancient City Site as a test bed, the proposed concept can be used for monitoring the natural disaster risk of immovable cultural relics at different scales.

Gypsification is a common problem in weathered calcareous relics. In previous studies, the solutions of barium hydroxide in water and methanol were used as protectants for gypsification calcareous relics and showed significant differences in permeability. In this study, the underlying reasons for permeability differences between these two solutions were investigated using optical microscopy, ultraviolet–visible spectrophotometry, X-ray diffractometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, the phenolphthalein test and physical property characterizations. The results indicated that the permeability differences were primarily caused by the solutions' reactivity. Specifically, owing to the high reactivity of barium hydroxide in water, it reacted rapidly with atmospheric CO2 and gypsum (the weathering product) to generate barium carbonate, barium sulfate and calcium hydroxide precipitates. These precipitates hindered the penetration of solution into weathered relics. In contrast, barium hydroxide in methanol did not react with atmospheric CO2 or weathered relics, which also kept the solution in a liquid state during the infiltration process. Therefore, the solution of barium hydroxide in methanol exhibited high permeability. Based on the above findings, this study is meaningful for applying barium protectants in the conservation of gypsification calcareous relics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 3D reconstruction and virtual display of wooden furniture cultural relics were investigated using laser scanning and CT scanning techniques. The suitability of different 3D reconstruction techniques and virtual display approaches were considered. The experiments demonstrated that digital models obtained from both laser scanning and CT scanning can be integrated seamlessly into virtual environments created with 3DMAX for exhibition purposes. Additionally, post-processing software, such as PR or AE, can be utilized to synthesize virtual display video. The resulting images exhibit self-adaptation capabilities, with clear and undistorted 3D model and texture image. Moreover, other types of scanned models are suitable for 3D micro-scale model printing, although CT-based models tend to achieve higher printing accuracy compared to those generated by laser scanning technology. However, the precision of 3D printing model is contingent upon factors such as the precision of digital model, the type of printer, and the printing material.

Organic heterocyclic corrosion inhibitors play a crucial role in the non-destructive protection of excavated bronze relics exposed to the atmosphere. However, the current selection of corrosion inhibitors, additives, and dosage requires further investigation. This study involves a comprehensive preparation simulation of electrode materials and atmospheric corrosion electrolytes. The corrosion inhibition performance of 6-thioguanine (6-Tg) and traditional benzotriazole (BTA) inhibitors at pH = 7.5 is explored. Analytical techniques such as potentiodynamic polarization, EIS, XRD, XPS, and SEM-EDS were employed to analyze the characteristics of the research electrode materials. Surface analysis reveals that 6-Tg forms a protective corrosion inhibition film on the surface of the covered patina electrode, influencing the transition of Cu2(OH)3Cl to the more stable Cu2(OH)2CO3 crystal. Electrochemical results demonstrate that, after 600 h in the corrosion solution containing 0.1 g/L of 6-Tg, the corrosion potential and corrosion current reach 0.244 V and 4.9 μA cm−2, respectively. Upon adding 1.2 g/L of NaH2PO4, the polarization resistance and inhibiting efficiencies reach 15.6 kΩ cm2 and 99%, resulting in a synergistic corrosion inhibition effect and passivation potential shift from −0.6 V to 0.2 V region.

Abstract Purpose Paper-based artifacts hold significant cultural and social values. However, paper is intrinsically fragile to microorganisms, such as mold, due to its cellulose composition, which can serve as a microorganisms’ nutrient source. Mold not only can damage papers’ structural integrity and pose significant challenges to conservation works but also may subject individuals attending the contaminated artifacts to health risks. Current approaches for strain identification usually require extensive training, prolonged time for analysis, expensive operation costs, and higher risks of secondary damage due to sampling. Thus, in current conservation practices with mold-contaminated artifacts, little pre-screening or strain identification was performed before mold removal, and the cleaning techniques are usually broad-spectrum rather than strain-specific. With deep learning showing promising applications across various domains, this study investigated the feasibility of using a convolutional neural network (CNN) for fast in-situ recognition and classification of mold on paper. Methods Molds were first non-invasively sampled from ancient Xuan Paper-based Chinese books from the Qing and Ming dynasties. Strains were identified using molecular biology methods and the four most prevalent strains were inoculated on Xuan paper to create mockups for image collection. Microscopic images of the molds as well as their stains situated on paper were collected using a compound microscope and commercial microscope lens for cell phone cameras, which were then used for training CNN models with a transfer learning scheme to perform the classification of mold. To enable involvement and contribution from the research community, a web interface that actuates the process while providing interactive features for users to learn about the information of the classified strain was constructed. Moreover, a feedback functionality in the web interface was embedded for catching potential classification errors, adding additional training images, or introducing new strains, all to refine the generalizability and robustness of the model. Results & Conclusion In the study, we have constructed a suite of high-confidence classification CNN models for the diagnostic process for mold contamination in conservation. At the same time, a web interface was constructed that allows recurrently refining the model with human feedback through engaging the research community. Overall, the proposed framework opens new avenues for effective and timely identification of mold, thus enabling proactive and targeted mold remediation strategies in conservation.

The museum system is exposed to a high risk of seismic hazards. However, it is difficult to carry out seismic hazard prevention to protect cultural relics in collections due to the lack of real data and diverse types of seismic hazards. To address this problem, we developed a deep-learning-based multi-source feature-fusion method to assess the data on seismic damage caused by collected cultural relics. Firstly, a multi-source data-processing strategy was developed according to the needs of seismic impact analysis of the cultural relics in the collection, and a seismic event-ontology model of cultural relics was constructed. Additionally, a seismic damage data-classification acquisition method and empirical calculation model were designed. Secondly, we proposed a deep learning-based multi-source feature-fusion matching method for cultural relics. By constructing a damage state assessment model of cultural relics using superpixel map convolutional fusion and an automatic data-matching model, the quality and processing efficiency of seismic damage data of the cultural relics in the collection were improved. Finally, we formed a dataset oriented to the seismic damage risk analysis of the cultural relics in the collection. The experimental results show that the accuracy of this method reaches 93.6%, and the accuracy of cultural relics label matching is as high as 82.6% compared with many kinds of earthquake damage state assessment models. This method can provide more accurate and efficient data support, along with a scientific basis for subsequent research on the impact analysis of seismic damage to cultural relics in collections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Laser and photochemistry were first used in restoring and transformation of PbS on painted cultural relics. • Targeted fast realization of restoring and transformation of PbS, and without damage to the base color. • Laser catalysis restoration has wide applicability to papers, the silks and other organic materials. Lead white darkening is a common disease in all kinds of painted cultural relics. In this study, a combination of laser and photodynamic technology was used to achieve controlled restoration of lead sulfide at the lead darkening site on the painted layer of cultural relics by laser catalysis with porphyrin to produce singlet oxygen. The chromatic change, micromorphology and chemical composition were systematically studied for a simulated sample with the lead darkening part of the painted layer. The results show that laser catalytic treatment can repair the color darkening that occurs by the PbS formation, while no obvious changes to the pore and microparticle structure of the painted layer and the base. In this study, the pollutant of lead sulfide was proved to be converted into lead sulfate by oxidation, and then was converted to lead white by precipitation, which was the original composition of the pigment. It is also found that the laser catalytic treatment method can effectively avoid basic layer damages of cultural relics, especially for the papers, the silks and other organic materials. This technology not only provides a new approach for the restoration and transformation of PbS on painted cultural relics, but also makes available new applications for the laser and photodynamic technology in the field of cultural relics protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Semi-exposed relics within an air–soil system often have earthworks partially buried, leading to moisture migration and substantial salt accumulation. Salt accumulation threatens relic preservation, but destructive sampling is hindered by conservation concerns. We conducted a case study on salt enrichment at K9901 Armour Pit of Emperor Qinshihuang 's Mausoleum Site Museum. Environmental factors and soil salt characteristics were assessed through sampling and monitoring. A relic-soil coupling system was established with a soil column device containing burned bricks. Using 5-TE sensors, water and salinity movement was tracked, and X-ray diffraction analyzed relic salt crystals. The soil column experiment effectively simulated water-salt migration in relics. Salts, like Cl−, NO3 −, SO4 2−, Na+, and Mg2+, concentrated on the soil surface during evaporation. Simulation linked specific salt species to relic ailments. Salt solution from soil migrated to bricks, forming CaSO4 crystals. Results highlight coupling's role in salt-related deterioration and the need to protect it for optimal relic preservation. Findings impact semi-exposed relic conservation, revealing salt accumulation processes and their impact on historical artifacts.

Abstract Underwater pottery relics salvaged from shipwrecks are vulnerable to physical, chemical and biological corrosion. In this study, the microscopic morphology and structural composition of glazed pottery fragments excavated from the South China Sea as well as purple clay teapot samples from the Yangtze River Estuary II shipwreck were analyzed by means of optical microscopy, scanning electron microscope equipped with energy dispersive spectrometer, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier infrared transform spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. According to the research results, the corrosion products deposited on the surface of the glazed pottery fragment from the South China Sea mainly included FeOOH and MnO2, whereas those on the surface of the purple clay teapot fragment from the Yangtze River Estuary II shipwreck primarily incorporated FeS2 and FeS. According to the corrosion phenomenon, it was speculated that the underwater pottery relics were mainly corroded by different microorganisms in the underwater environment, including manganese-oxidizing bacteria, dissimilatory metal-reducing bacteria and sulfate-reducing bacteria. As the corrosion process of these cultural artifacts was described and related models were established, this study provides valuable reference for the disease removal and protection of pottery relics.

To develop an environment‐friendly detergent for textile relics adsorbing soil/rust stains, the relationship between surfactant types and concentrations, the nature of additives and the type of textile (e.g., cotton, linen, silk or wool) were systematically investigated. Results showed that the detergent formulations of sodium montmorillonite (5 g/L) as additives were overall the best options for soil stains removal on textile relics. Specifically, the most suitable surfactant for cotton, linen, silk and wool textiles relics adsorbing soil stains was rhamnolipid (8 g/L), tea saponin (6 g/L), tea saponin (8 g/L), alkyl glycosides (10 g/L), respectively. The detergent formulations of ascorbic acid (5 g/L) as additives were more beneficial for rust stains peeling‐off from the surface of the textile relics regardless of the type of surfactant and textile relics. But the optimal surfactants for different textiles relics were different. In detail, the most suitable surfactants for cotton, linen, silk and wool textiles relics adsorbing rust stains were separately rhamnolipid (10 g/L), Tea saponin (8 g/L), Tea saponin (6 g/L), Alkyl glycosides (6 g/L). This indicated that the washing effect of detergent formulation was related to the types of stains and textile relics' fiber. These findings not only demonstrated the necessity for developing detergent formulations for different textile relics, but also illustrated the complexity and diversity of the textile relics' stain‐washing work. Moreover, this work also assists understanding of the washing mechanism of textile relics and help the department of textile relics protection to properly wash textile relics and extend the life of textile relics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semi-exposed relics within an air–soil system often have earthworks partially buried, leading to moisture migration and substantial salt accumulation. Salt accumulation threatens relic preservation, but destructive sampling is hindered by conservation concerns. We conducted a case study on salt enrichment at K9901 Armour Pit of Emperor Qinshihuang 's Mausoleum Site Museum. Environmental factors and soil salt characteristics were assessed through sampling and monitoring. A relic-soil coupling system was established with a soil column device containing burned bricks. Using 5-TE sensors, water and salinity movement was tracked, and X-ray diffraction analyzed relic salt crystals. The soil column experiment effectively simulated water-salt migration in relics. Salts, like Cl−, NO3−, SO42−, Na+, and Mg2+, concentrated on the soil surface during evaporation. Simulation linked specific salt species to relic ailments. Salt solution from soil migrated to bricks, forming CaSO4 crystals. Results highlight coupling's role in salt-related deterioration and the need to protect it for optimal relic preservation. Findings impact semi-exposed relic conservation, revealing salt accumulation processes and their impact on historical artifacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Gypsification is a common problem in weathered calcareous relics. In previous studies, the solutions of barium hydroxide in water and methanol were used as protectants for gypsification calcareous relics and showed significant differences in permeability. In this study, the underlying reasons for permeability differences between these two solutions were investigated using optical microscopy, ultraviolet–visible spectrophotometry, X-ray diffractometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, the phenolphthalein test and physical property characterizations. The results indicated that the permeability differences were primarily caused by the solutions’ reactivity. Specifically, owing to the high reactivity of barium hydroxide in water, it reacted rapidly with atmospheric CO2 and gypsum (the weathering product) to generate barium carbonate, barium sulfate and calcium hydroxide precipitates. These precipitates hindered the penetration of solution into weathered relics. In contrast, barium hydroxide in methanol did not react with atmospheric CO2 or weathered relics, which also kept the solution in a liquid state during the infiltration process. Therefore, the solution of barium hydroxide in methanol exhibited high permeability. Based on the above findings, this study is meaningful for applying barium protectants in the conservation of gypsification calcareous relics.

Natural disaster risk monitoring is an important task for disaster prevention and reduction. In the case of immovable cultural relics, however, the feedback mechanism, risk factors, monitoring logic, and monitoring indicators of natural disaster risk monitoring are complex. How to achieve intelligent perception and monitoring of natural disaster risk for immovable cultural relics has always been a focus and a challenge for researchers. Based on the analysis of the concepts and issues related to the natural disaster risk of immovable cultural relics, this paper proposes a framework for natural disaster risk monitoring for immovable cultural relics based on the digital twin. This framework focuses on risk monitoring, including the physical entities of natural disaster risk for immovable cultural relics, monitoring indicators, and virtual entity construction. A platform for monitoring the natural disaster risk of immovable cultural relics is proposed. Using the Puzhou Ancient City Site as a test bed, the proposed concept can be used for monitoring the natural disaster risk of immovable cultural relics at different scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay examines two shoe soles cut from a Torah scroll which British historian and collector of Judaica Cecil Roth collected in Greece in 1946. As Holocaust relics, the Torah scroll shoe soles are, in turn, sacred and sacrilegious, texts and objects, Greek Jewish and non-Jewish Greek artifacts. Roth's recovery of the shoe soles is compromised by occurring under the auspices of the British Army during the Greek Civil War and in the controversial climate of collecting Judaica displaced by the Holocaust. I discuss the ongoing story of the shoe soles: their separation, their use, and their best location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The museum system is exposed to a high risk of seismic hazards. However, it is difficult to carry out seismic hazard prevention to protect cultural relics in collections due to the lack of real data and diverse types of seismic hazards. To address this problem, we developed a deep-learning-based multi-source feature-fusion method to assess the data on seismic damage caused by collected cultural relics. Firstly, a multi-source data-processing strategy was developed according to the needs of seismic impact analysis of the cultural relics in the collection, and a seismic event-ontology model of cultural relics was constructed. Additionally, a seismic damage data-classification acquisition method and empirical calculation model were designed. Secondly, we proposed a deep learning-based multi-source feature-fusion matching method for cultural relics. By constructing a damage state assessment model of cultural relics using superpixel map convolutional fusion and an automatic data-matching model, the quality and processing efficiency of seismic damage data of the cultural relics in the collection were improved. Finally, we formed a dataset oriented to the seismic damage risk analysis of the cultural relics in the collection. The experimental results show that the accuracy of this method reaches 93.6%, and the accuracy of cultural relics label matching is as high as 82.6% compared with many kinds of earthquake damage state assessment models. This method can provide more accurate and efficient data support, along with a scientific basis for subsequent research on the impact analysis of seismic damage to cultural relics in collections.

With the development of Internet of Things and fuzzy control theory, there are new opportunities for the conservation and utilization of museum artifacts. The traditional way of heritage restoration lacks the overall harmony of heritage restoration, which leads to the stagnation of heritage restoration level. At the same time, traditional heritage conservation is also limited to manual management, which seriously hinders the development of the overall level of museums. Artifacts are of great commemorative and research value and are objects that have been handed down to mankind for thousands of years and have been subjected to the natural environment for a long time before being excavated. Heritage conservation requires not only restoring artifacts to the greatest extent possible, but also securing the environment in which they are displayed and stored to ensure that they can be preserved for as long as possible. But the following problems exist in the conservation of cultural relics (1) the lack of strict standards for the environment in which cultural relics are stored. (2) the professional competence of the staff is not strong. (3) The lack of a strict management system (4) heritage conservation technology is backward. To solve these problems our team constructed a fuzzy control method based on fuzzy control theory to assist in the restoration of cultural relics. The model constructed by fuzzy control theory solves this problem. The fuzzy control theory constructs a model for restoration of cultural relics, taking into account the overall harmony of the relics and the accuracy of the points, which is of great significance for the restoration of museum relics. At the same time through the Internet of Things technology to build a library heritage protection system, the main content of the system is (1) the use of Internet of Things technology to build a security protection system for cultural relics (2) the use of Internet of Things technology to detect the storage environment of cultural relics (3) the use of Internet of Things technology to optimize the management process of cultural relics (4) the use of Internet of Things technology to achieve real-time monitoring of the flow of information on cultural relics. And based on this, suggestions are made to (1) improve the museum heritage protection and utilization system (2) improve the infrastructure of museum heritage protection and build a good environment for heritage storage (3) improve the quality of heritage managers. The model constructed in the article has been tested in practice and is feasible, with certain practical and theoretical values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper presents an innovative health-risk assessment methodology for the preventive protection of metal cultural relics in museums, which is based on the improved rank correlation analysis and AHP fuzzy synthetic evaluation (Relics—AHP—FSE). The approach combines the established ABC method for analyzing the pertinent environmental risk level. In this study, metal cultural relics are introduced as the research subjects. Based on the current scientific knowledge and requirements reported in international norms, a three-level index framework for assessing the health-risk is established in a hierarchical manner, and the quantitative indicators with typical correlations are proposed. The Relics—AHP—FSE approach is applied to the results of the 2022 temporary exhibition “Zhaizi China: Henan Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties civilization exhibition” of Shanghai Museum (China), a renowned institution boasting a significant collection of invaluable relics. In addition, the study accomplishes a scientific and practical health-risk assessment of relics. By utilizing online monitoring data and employing the expert judgment method, this study presents a comprehensive method for assessing the health-risk of metal cultural relics efficiently and conveniently. This cultural heritage protection method is specifically for safeguarding cultural relics exhibited in museums, developed in close collaboration with conservation scientists.

Abstract The environmental monitoring of cultural relics based on wireless sensor networks in museums demands for the transmission and processing of massive data, which in turn leads to problems, such as heavy network traffic, high time delay, and unbalanced node energy consumption. To solve these problems, an energy balanced routing protocol which can minimise the network energy consumption is proposed. The improved swarm intelligence optimisation algorithm which combined particle swarm optimisation with ant colony optimisation is adopted to construct an environmental monitoring system for cultural relics preservation. Simulation results show that the decrease of the path length for data transmission under the proposed algorithm is 2.5% higher than that of other classical algorithms, indicating that the proposed algorithm can effectively reduce the length of network path and improve the transmission performance of network system. In view of optimisation rounds and simulation time, the energy consumption of the network system under our algorithm is 57.5% less compared with other classical algorithms, and the average residual energy variance is 57.1% less. The cultural relics environmental monitoring system based on the proposed routing protocol has better network load balancing performance.

The heavy military attack and colonial domination during the successive Japanese invasion wars hit the Chinese traditional culture and people the hardest and wreaked havoc on cultural relics, causing a catastrophic and irremediable loss to society. The topic of restitution of looted Chinese cultural relics during these wars arose owing to the long-pending historical issues between China and Japan. However, this issue has never attracted significant attention from the international community. Applying empirical analysis and drawing on the case study, this paper primarily focuses on two typical representative cases of the recovery of looted Chinese cultural relics from Japan, which triggered three significant issues to be addressed: the legal analysis of two recovery cases through litigation and non-litigation relief; proving the legality concerning different ownership rights of the Chinese government and individuals seeking to recover state-owned and privately-owned cultural relics; exploring the legal grounds for recovering state-owned and privately-owned cultural relics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Bronze artifacts often suffer from “bronze disease” due to the presence of chloride ions, which result from copper chlorides forming on their surfaces during storage. Therefore, reinforced protection is essential for these unearthed cultural artifacts, and new materials for the reinforced protection of fragile bronzes are urgently needed. In this study, cuprammonium solvent and nanocellulose (CNC) were utilized as reinforcement materials to protect fragile bronzes. The chemical and aesthetic properties before and after reinforcement were analyzed using ultra-depth field microscopes, SEM-EDX, XRD, and Raman spectroscopy. The results indicated that at a nano-cuprammonium reinforcer concentration of 2.5 mol/L, the optimal reinforcement effect on simulated bronze powdery rust samples was achieved.Mechanical strength increased by an average of 77.59%. The mass growth rate reached 84.8%, while the color difference $$\Delta E$$ Δ E remained below 4.0. Additionally, aging resistance significantly improved, aligning with cultural artifact protection standards.Meanwhile, a compact and stable protective membrane formed on the surface of the bronzes, isolating the bronze matrix from direct contact with the external environment, which delayed bronze corrosion and contributed to long-term stable preservation. Graphical Abstract

Abstract We derive a low-temperature expansion of the formula to compute the average annihilation rate $${\langle {\sigma v}\rangle }$$ ⟨ σ v ⟩ for dark matter in $${\mathbb {Z}}_2$$ Z 2 -symmetric models, both in the absence and the presence of mass degeneracy in the spectrum near the dark matter candidate. We show that the result obtained in the absence of mass degeneracy is compatible with the analytic formulae in the literature, and that it has a better numerical behaviour for low temperatures. We also provide as ancillary files two Wolfram Mathematica notebooks, which perform the two expansions at any order.

Salt efflorescence is one of the critical problems for the preservation of immovable silicate relics. Salt efflorescence mainly comes from continuous cycles of crystallization/dissolution or hydration/dehydration of salts in confined pores in silicate relics. Many protocols have been developed in attempts to alleviate possible salt damages with minor success because of endless water and salt feed from underground. In this study, we propose and design a novel technique for salt damage prevention and protection of immovable relics. Materials with higher water-absorbing ability than matrix are applied to control the water and salt migration direction in simulated sand samples. The distribution of moisture content on the surface of sand is followed by hyperspectral imaging. It appears that water and salt molecules will preferentially transport towards positions containing higher water-absorbing material. Both organic and inorganic high water-absorbing materials show effective in controlling the water and salt migration direction, which provides a new approach for the prevention and protection of salt efflorescence in silicate cultural relics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) is the most commonly used silicon-based reinforcement agent for conserving art relics due to its cost-effectiveness and commercial maturity. However, the resulting silica gel phase is prone to developing cracks as the gel shrinks during the sol–gel process, potentially causing severe damage to the objects being treated. In this study, dodecyltrimethoxysilane (DTMS) was introduced into TEOS to minimize this shrinkage by adding elastic long chains to weaken the capillary forces. The gel formed from the DTMS/TEOS hybrid material was transparent and crack-free, featuring a dense microstructure without mesopores or micropores. It exhibited excellent thermal stability, with a glass transition temperature of up to 109.64 °C. Evaluation experiments were conducted on artificially aged, handmade bamboo paper. The TEOS-based hybrid material effectively combined with the paper fibers through the sol–gel process, polymerizing into a network structure that enveloped the paper surface or penetrated between the fibers. The surface of the treated paper displayed excellent hydrophobic properties, with no significant changes in appearance, color, or air permeability. The mechanical properties of the treated bamboo paper improved significantly, with longitudinal and transverse tensile strengths increasing by up to 36.63% and 44.25%, respectively. These research findings demonstrate the promising potential for the application of DTMS/TEOS hybrid materials in reinforcing paper relics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What sacred objects did the Lusignan kings of Cyprus treasure in their collection of holy items? Certainly, they had fragments of the Holy Cross and saints' skulls, but what about Passion relics such as the titulus placed above the crucified Christ, or the white rock to which the cross was affixed? This study explores overlooked fourteenth-century Franciscan apocryphal stories about the life of Christ and didactic narratives which, among other things, cite Passion relics and their respective proprietors. In the following essay, I will turn attention to relics which, according to these texts, were in the safe-keeping of the kings of Cyprus. In addition to evaluating the reliability of such evidence, I will discuss the nature of the relics, identify the mysterious relic-hoarder king, and seek to uncover a representation of such a relic in the 'Royal Chapel' at Pyrga, Larnaca. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]