Mass spectrometry analysis of textile used in decorating the coronet of Empress Xiao of the Sui Dynasty (581-618 A.D.)

A well-decorated female coronet with some recognizable imprints of textile was excavated from the tomb of Empress Xiao of the Sui Dynasty in 2013. Mass spectrometry was employed to analyze the residual protein extracted from the soil underneath the coronet since no macroscopic form of textile existed. A dedicated method was applied and modified, and the results of mass spectrometry analysis and database search indicated that the residues should belong to ancient silk fibroin after excluding the possibilities of modern contamination. This research provided evidence for the use of silk in decorating the coronet of Empress Xiao, which provided reliable basis for its restoration work.