Minimum invasive sampling method using hollow punch for tropical wood identification on Indonesian cultural heritage

The collection of wood samples is an important step, especially for the identification of wood in cultural heritage. Furthermore, in wood sampling, it is preferable to avoid any damage to minimize destruction to the objects. This study aimed to observe the effectiveness of the minimally invasive sampling method using a hollow punch for wood identification on wooden cultural heritage, such as the Panji mask (Java). The materials used as a testing model were three tropical wood species. Sampling was conducted with various diameters of hollow punch at transverse, tangential, and radial sections. The anatomical structures were compared to the features according to the IAWA list of microscopic features for hardwood identification. The result showed that the most effective method was to take samples using a 1.5 mm diameter of hollow punch at the tangential section of wood.