OLTA ÇAKAJ , ERANDA GJEÇI , FREDERIK STAMATI
KEYWORDS : Flag, Albania, µ-XRF, non-destructive in-situ analysis, restoration.
ABSTRACT :
The objects of this study are three flags from the National Historical Museum. The renaissance çeta flag, one-year Independence’s anniversary (28.11.1913) flag and the “Dëshira” (Desire) Albanian society in Sofia flag needed immediate restoration and this process begins with the chemical elemental analysis of the flags’ fabric. To complete this task, for the first time in Albania, a non-destructive in-situ µ-XRF device from the Department of Physics was used. The major elements in these flags resulted Fe, Sb, Sn, Cu, while Zn, Ni and Pb were detected in quantities less than 10%. A distinct element of the “Dëshira” (“Desire”) Albanian society flag’s fringes is Au, giving them the characteristic yellow colour; while the high percentage of Ag in the letters cannot fully originate from the device target, making it a possible element of the sewing threads.