Costurando a memória: o acervo têxtil do Museu Arquidiocesano de Arte Sacra de Mariana

Abstract

This goal of this paper is to study, uncover and catalogue the textile archive of the Museum ofthe Archdiocese of Mariana, this being the first step in the preservation of its history which isrichly illustrated through the threads of its textiles. Values and heritage are safeguarded andare here re-woven for the preservation and exhibition of pieces that were part of the sacredceremonies of the region. Through the construction of the processes of coordinatedinvestigation, the archive is fully explored, leading to theoretical foundations in diverse areas,and resulting in a wealth of results, as well as reinforcing the inter-disciplinary approachnecessary to the arguments directly related to preventive preservation. Typologies, rules anduses applied to the sacred garments since the Council of Trent (1563) were utilized. Analysisof their state of preservation led to the identification of the causes of their degradationassociated to production and to the internal and external characteristics of the environment inwhich they were stored and exhibited. The fabrics and trim were analyzed in comparison tothe history of the fabrics and to the principal italian textile archives. In conclusion, thearchive is singular and can be compared with great European archives, where the samematerials can to be encountered.