Scientific examination of the traditional materials and techniques used in Yuan Dynasty wall paintings

Few publications are available on the materials and techniques used by ancient Chinese artists to create Yuan dynasty (1271-1368) wall paintings. Most of the information that is available appears in Chinese and is not well known by the international conservation community. This lack of knowledge may affect the interpretation and reliability of scientific examinations of Chinese heritage materials. This paper presents the initial findings of a study to compare the results of a literature survey on Yuan dynasty wall painting materials and techniques with the results of scientific examinations of samples collected from murals in a Yuan dynasty Daoist temple at Yaowang Shan (Medicine King Mountain) in Shaanxi Province, China.