北京大学藏简牍编绳的显微分析

Microscopic analysis of binding thread in bamboo strips collected by Peking University

编绳是简牍文物的重要组成部分,但由于其易于降解,在出土时多已腐朽甚至不存,故而通常不被重视,在文献中迄今亦未见到相关科学分析。北京大学收藏的西汉及秦代简牍中尚留存有编绳残段。为了从科学的角度了解其材质以及劣变状况,并为简牍研究及保护提供参考资料,本研究综合使用形貌、偏光、组织化学等显微分析手段,对这两批编绳样品进行了种属鉴定及成分分析。结果表明,两批编绳样品性质基本一致:其质料均为苎麻,其中纤维素,半纤维素及果胶质已无法检出,木质素和脂蜡质残留,但木质素中的醛基已发生改变。此外,秦简编绳中含有寄生虫卵,可能归属于华支睾吸虫,这符合于当时的流行病学资料以及葬制。

Binding thread is an important component in bamboo strip relics. Because of its unstable properties, when unearthed, the thread is usually heavily degraded, or even missed, and is thus neglected by most research- ers. Up to now no related scientific analysis on this topic can be found in the literatures. However, some fragments of binding threads can be found in the West Han Dynasty and Qin Dynasty bamboo strips collected by Peking Uni- versity. In order to characterize the material and the degree of deterioration of these objects and to provide reference for future research on and conservation of bamboo strips, a variety of techniques such as microscopic analysis of morphology, polarized light microscopy and histochemistry were employed to identify the species and chemical com- positions. The results show that the two batches of binding threads studied are both made of ramie. The cellulose, hemicelluloses and pectin components are almost completely degraded. The lignin and fat/wax are retained, but the aldehyde functional groups in the lignin had changed. Several parasitic ova were found in Qin binding thread. These presumably belong to Clonorchis sinensis, in accordance with the epidemiology archives and burial customs in such regions.