Abstract

This paper presents the framework and results of analysis of the building materials used in traditional Chinese copper halls. The analysis of the Kunming copper hall (KCH) is presented as a typical example. First, the historical building structure of the KCH is investigated. Results of X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry are presented and analyzed according to the units of each building component. The results indicate that the different components in the same building were cast out of different alloys such as bronze, brass, and red copper. Furthermore, the XRF results are loaded into the geographic information system (GIS) to examine the relations between the building components and their materials. The GIS analysis indicates that the different alloys were deliberately chosen according to the function of each piece in the structure. Finally, the reason and significance of this phenomenon is discussed from the perspective of architectural history and the history of science and technology.

Abstract

Lope de Vega’s autographs allow us to approach the genesis of a play, analyse the cross-outs, changes and additions of the playwright and understand his modus operandi. Moreover, these documents also contain annotations and corrections of other agents involved in the Golden Age Theatre market that could substantially modify the text. On many occasions, the philological and codicological analysis only allows making hypotheses about what happened and does not offer reliable solutions to questions about the composition of theatrical text. Through this paper, we present the results of the analysis of several of Lope de Vega auto-graph manuscripts done with techniques and instruments related to photography and spectroscopy ranging from spectral photography to X-ray fluorescence. We shall demonstrate that the application of these techniques to the study of manuscripts from the Spanish Drama of the Golden Age will also make it possible to obtain information that is relevant to and valuable in delving into the development and circulation of a particular work, but also in gaining a much more complete understanding of the formation of Spanish classical theatre.