Archaeologists Clean Dirty Monuments With Face Packs

Makarand writes "According to this article on indiaExpress.com archaeologists at the world famous Taj Mahal (Agra, India) are using a face-pack consisting of soil, cereal, milk and lime to beautify the monument. This recipe called 'Multani Mitti', which translates as 'mud from Multan,' is based on a beauty formula from the 16th century and contains lime-rich clay found in Multan (now a part of Pakistan) which was used for thousands of years as a face-pack by Indian women. The sticky brown mixture is smeared on the pollution-stained marble surfaces of the monument and washed off with warm water after 24 hours. Scientists from Italy have shown interest in these face-packs to restore their marble statues. The BBC News article says the same thing but has pictures."

Comments

Ahhhhh, this is goood

[PD]

After Natalie Portman has been turned to stone, she will not have to trouble herself with changing cosmetics brands.

Re:Ahhhhh, this is goood

[Anonymous Coward]

In Soviet Russia, dirty monuments clean YOU!

</obligatory>

Good!

[Anonymous Coward]

See, we don't need harsh, toxic chemicals to do all of Man's dirty work.

Bravo!

Re:Good!

[DarthWing]

Ok, I'll bite...

The mud draws out the polluting sulphates and carbonates.

I'd imagine that the active ingredient would be the lime (CaO), which reacts with the pollutants in the following manner:

CaO + XCO3 -> CaCO3 + XO

.

Notice that one of the products, CaCO3, is the chemical formula for marble. In a similar manner, the lime reacts with sulfates to produce CaSO4, which would most likely take the form of gypsum, which I'd imagine would contribute to the bright white finish.

Re:Good!

[Anonymous Coward]

Lime isn't a harsh toxic chemical? It's highly corrosive and damaging or fatal if swallowed or breathed. Please retract your false and annoying statement.

Let the good times roll...

[Hubert_Shrump]

The archaeologists found that Multani mitti, drew black and yellow impurities from the Taj's marble and left its surface gleaming white for the first time in decades.

I can go back on the coffee and cigarette diet!

Watch out for the lawyers...

[Vendekkai]

How soon do you give this before some MNC patents this, and then charges Indians to use it?

India is already fighting several such cases where Indian rice, traditional herb extracts and so on, have been patented.

Re:Watch out for the lawyers...

[pamri]

WTO/WIPO has a provision for countries to patent their products/processes, which are unique to a particular region. If a country fails to patent such a thing(french champagne, medicianal properties of turmeric acc to ayurvedi system, multaani mitti, etc.,). We screwed up only in patenting Basmati Rice, but we are now better prepared to handle unchecked capitalism of the 'texas' variety. ;-)

To be on-topic: Multani-Mitti is a safe, cool(literally) & great way to get rid of those pesky pimples. Heres one such treatment.

In a bieore commercial

[seann]

it features this art restoration expert, using some kind of bieore type strip (professional brand type most likley) to remove dirt and grease from art on a wall.
Rather interesting use I thought...Now I know it's actually real.
People do that.

I read the title too fast...

[idontgno]

Reading the title of the submission, I thought for one mad minute that folks were using the mud pack to cover up the naughty bits on some of the (in)famous erotic art out there. ("Cleaning up"...)

Just silly, I guess.