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A pair of Chinese scrolls representing the earth and sky were donated to the Bodleian Library in 1684. They are thought to be ephemeral items printed during the late Ming dynasty. Records indicate that in 1883 the scrolls were trimmed, patched with transparent paper, backed with cloth and mounted in an unsympathetic manner. In this paper, we consider the conservation and preservation measures adopted by the then Bodleian Librarian and reflect on his participation at the St. Gall Conference in 1898. The conservation treatment of the scrolls completed in 2015 was guided by their past repairs, current ethical considerations and scientific analysis. Breaking the strong bond between the transparent paper and the fragile surface of the scrolls required experimentation with the Albertina Compress and Gellan gum. The recreation of functional hanging scrolls involved the use of traditional scroll-mounting techniques and the reinterpretation of the Chinese mounting style from a western conservation perspective. We also discuss the experience gained in treating two artefacts with almost identical problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents information on the conservation of archaeological paper. The author discusses a 1902 excavation by Swedish explorer Sven Hedin in the Gobi desert of Central Asia that resulted in the discovery of Chinese paper manuscripts dated from the 2nd century A.D. and a 1907 excavation by British officer Sir Aurel Stein of a Buddhist monastery library in a rock cave in Dunhuang, China, that included the discovery of well-preserved silk scrolls, paper scrolls, and manuscripts.