All the results of a major scientific analysis commissioned by the Regional Conservation of Historic Monuments of the Direction régionale des affaires culturelles (DRAC) Nord - Pas-de-Calais, on the occasion of a report for obtaining the diploma of Curator of Heritage (National Institute of Heritage) confirms the hypothesis, hitherto debatable in the light of the texts, that the chasuble of Sainte Aldegonde, property of the city of Maubeuge, date of the thirteenth century and comes from a samit, ancient oriental fabric composed of a silk chain and a thread, offered by the emperor Mongol Mongka to the king of France Louis IX.
To this end, an in-depth study was carried out on the basis of samples and analyses carried out by the two laboratories du Ministry of Culture and Communication : the Centre de Recherche et de Conservation des Musées de France (C2RMF) for a carbon 14 dating of the sheet and the Laboratoire de Recherche des Monuments Historiques (LRMH) for the study of the threads and gilding of the chasuble.
The laboratory results confirm the age of the chasuble tissue since the carbon 14 dating performed by accelerator mass spectrometry at the Saclay Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) showed a date between 1230 and 1300 AD.
In addition, the LRMH’s fiber and dye analyses confirmed the age-old technique of weaving with silk threads, and a gold-leaf gilt leather leaf decoration.
Red is obtained with a cochineal dye, a natural dye extracted from certain insect parasites of plants; it is a technique also used for a long time.
This study contributes significantly to the scientific knowledge and dating of the chasuble of Sainte Aldegonde and its place in the history of art in France.
Property of the town of Maubeuge, the chasuble of Sainte Aldegonde, classified as a historical monument since April 15, 1896, is an important piece of the treasure of the church of Saint-Pierre and Saint-Paul.