Parchment in an Armenian Bible and two Gospels by micro-infrared spectroscopy and micro-ATR spectroscopic imaging

Abstract The study of the support of three Armenian manuscripts produced in the 17th century was driven because the possibility of paper support, was considered. The Bible LA 152 and the Gospels LA 193 and LA 253 were made in the Armenian diaspora, in Crimea and Constantinople, respectively. The analytical methods were micro‑Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and micro-ATR spectroscopic imaging, which can identify the main components and their relative proportions. They proved that collagen was present with variable amounts of CaCO 3 in the Bible LA 152, Gospels LA 193, and LA 253. Furthermore, CaCO 3 is dominant in the Bible LA 152. Other compounds were also identified. In the Bible, LA 152 is a Si-O-based compound, and in Gospel, LA 253 is a cellulose-material. The practical application of the research findings have significant implications for future manuscript studies, underscoring the practical aspects of manuscript production and of carrying out conservation treatments.