Chinese scientists claim to have developed a new technology to preserve excavated ancient silk products.

The technology could help restore "rotten" silk relics and preserve their bright colors, according to experts with the Jingzhou Relics Protection Center in Hubei Province, which developed the technology.

China is the birthplace of silk, but little ancient silk is still in existence due to the special qualities of protein-rich silk easily degenerate.

Most silk products in ancient mausoleums were already destroyed by underground water when found. Some silk unearthed in the Mawangdui Relics site in Changsha City in Hunan Province had been deep frozen for almost 20 years.

Some 2,300-year-old silk products from an ancient mausoleum are being displayed in Jingzhou Museum after being treated with the new technology. The silk is still bright and rich in colors.

After over ten years of efforts, experts had tackled some problems involving dehydration, strengthening the fragile textile, repairing and preservation, said Wu Shunqing, a senior academic leader with the research group.

Wu has been invited to help repair silk in many rare mausoleums, including the Mawangdui Relics site.

(Xinhua News Agency November 25, 2003)