Heritage, Volume 6, Issue 2 (February 2023) – 80 articles

The Alice Springs sculptor Patricia Elvins created a number of busts of Indigenous Australian men, women, and children, which were distributed as casts for the gift and souvenir market. Produced between the early-1960s and the early-1990s, these varnished casts exist with four different artists’ signatures, representing collaboration with different production potters who produced the casts. Macroscopic analysis shows significant differences in weight between casts of the same bust. CT scanning was carried out to understand the make-up of these casts and to illuminate differences in production techniques. The scanning revealed that all figurines were cast, but that casting techniques varied not only between production potters but also among figurines of the same potter. It revealed differences in the densities of the casting material, both between and within specimens, suggesting that production was not standardized but occurred in smaller batches, possibly on demand of low-volume sales stock. The study has shown the potential of non-destructive CT scanning to go beyond this and serve as a tool to examine the casting process itself as well as to contribute to an understanding of the nature of the plasters used. Full article

Traditional conservation efforts have not improved conditions in most historic Tunisian cities. However, the changes adopted at the international level in historical urban conservation, based on urban vitality and regions’ sustainability, open horizons to new approaches of reading. Testour, a Moorish city of northern Tunisia, presents one of the historical centers most anchored in identity and the least studied. Our study aims at initiating a new transdisciplinary reading approach that provides a link between time, spaces, actors, culture and sustainability. To do so, we followed a methodological process with a gradual logic that led to a comprehensive management project. This approach presents a set of analytical methodological procedures, which consider historicity in conjunction with a global diagnostic of the landscape in favor of the evaluation of historic centers. This method enabled us to establish a new map showing the structural and functional evolution of Testour throughout history, identifying the valuation indicators and the attributes of global management. This work presents a new reading grid of Testour, including the structural, functional, values and heritage attributes. Full article

This paper discusses colorants found in Tumulus MM, the tomb of King Midas or his father, at Gordion, the capital of the Phrygian kingdom. Chromophores, colorants, and auxiliaries are preserved largely independent of the textiles they once colored. The Tumulus MM textiles are now fragmentary due to the degradation processes that occurred inside the tomb chamber. For DHA 26 (Vienna, Austria, 2007), we discussed a group of golden-yellow fragments from Tumulus MM that appeared to be tabby cloth but were skeletal lattices of goethite, αFeOOH (yellow ochre), as identified by FTIR, with SEM/EDS, XRD with molybdenum Kα radiation, NIR, and Raman spectroscopy. The “dyeing” has been replicated using a patented method; originally it may have involved a controlled redox reaction, based on our preliminary experiments. Amidst the goethite lattices, some skeletal fragments were green, with near-black lines within the yarn spiral, identified as indigo by FTIR at the time. Other masses with colorations of red, orange/brown, and purple with deep red veins did not yield identifiable inorganic coloration profiles with SEM/EDS. A purple fragment (2003-Tx-6 Front) was assayed by ICP-MS for mordants and for bromine, but neither could be found. Recently, direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry (DART-MS) enabled us to successfully detect organic colorants. For one fragment, indoxyl, isatin, indigo, and leuco-indigo were identified. One striated red-to-brown mass (2003-Tx-3) contained alizarin, purpurin, xanthopurpurin, lucidin, and other madder substituents; it also contained indigo/isatin but neither indoxyl nor leuco-indigo. Other beige-brown masses like 2003-Tx-5 sometimes contained alizarin, xanthopurpurin, rubiadin, and lucidin but rarely purpurin or indigo-related compounds. The purple (2003-Tx-6) shared the madder analogues with browner hues. The versatility appears related to that found in Anatolian pile carpets and flat weaves. Our new analyses confirm that the Phrygian textile colorists were indeed superb, versatile dyers. Full article

Chromotope, the 19th Century Chromatic Turn, is a multidisciplinary ERC research programme that focuses on the “chromatic turn” of the 1860s in France and England, following the invention of the first synthetic dyes. This project, based on a partnership between Sorbonne University (PI: Charlotte Ribeyrol), Oxford University, and the Conservatoire national des arts et métiers (Cnam), investigates how this turn led to new ways of thinking about colour in art, literature, history, and science throughout the second half of the 19th century. One of the key aims of this research is to reappraise the role played by the Cnam in the dissemination of knowledge about synthetic dyes, from the creation in 1852 of the first chair in dyeing and printing until the Interwar period, when a collection of dyes including more than 2500 references, obtained from major European firms, was formed. A full inventory based on the description of each container has just been made together with a bibliographical research. Nevertheless, 2% of the containers are unlabeled and the reattribution of their composition is the main goal of our study. In order to set an appropriate analysis protocol to identify these orphan containers, a preliminary work was conducted on a random selection of identified dyes. For this purpose, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy were used on 13 samples from different dye classes. The relevance of this protocol will be discussed for the identification of unknown compounds. Full article

One of the main research questions regarding archaeological molluscan purple pigments and dyes is whether it is possible to determine which malacological species produced these colorants. For this determination of the zoological provenance of the pigment, a multicomponent analysis must be performed, which can only be obtained from the HPLC technique—the optimal method for identifying all the detectable colorants in a sample. In order to find any trends in the compositions of the dye components from various species of purple-producing sea snails, a statistical formulation is needed. Though principal component analysis (PCA) is a powerful statistical tool that has been used in the analysis of these components, it is based on an algorithm that combines all the componential values and produces new two-dimensional parameters whereby the individualities of the original dye component values are lost. To maintain the integrity of the dye compositions in the purple pigments, a very simple formulation was first published in 2008 and applied to a limited number of samples. This property is known as DMI (short for Di-Mono Index), and for each sample, it is simply the ratio of the peak area of DBI relative to that of MBI, evaluated at the standard wavelength of 288 nm, which has been used for such peak calculations. Currently, considerably more modern and archaeological pigments have been analyzed via HPLC; thus, in the current study, the DMI has been expanded to characterize these purple pigments. Furthermore, a ternary diagram comprising the blue, violet, and red components that can be found in purple colorants is presented for both modern and archaeological purple pigments from the three Muricidae species known in antiquity to produce purple pigments. This triangular diagram is intuitive, retains the integrity of the original dyes, and is presented here for the first time. Both the DMI and the ternary diagram can discern whether a Hexaplex trunculus species or perhaps the Bolinus brandaris or Stramonita haemastoma species were used to produce the pigment. Further, these two representations can also determine whether the IND-rich or the DBI-rich varieties, or both, of H. trunculus were used to produce the purple pigment, either as a paint pigment or as a textile dye. Full article

Today, dismissed mines are considered significant local tangible and intangible cultural heritage elements and they are more and more often at the core of dedicated enhancement processes, being sometimes inscribed in the UNESCO list; included in geoparks; transformed worldwide into industrial museums; or reused. Italy has a peculiar approach to the topic even if it has been underestimated, and research in the field might be improved. Which models should be looked at? Is it possible to identify some basic criteria to look at to obtain positive results? If yes, where should one start? Our proposal is that the application to the newly born class underground built heritage (UBH) can provide instruments for their historical functional classification and introducing several criteria for their interpretation and reuse could eventually support future enhancement projects in this specific sector. This methodology has been already applied worldwide to this category of good, giving positive results and motivating the authors to continue the research following this hypothesis, with the aim of creating a framework of good practices to be used as a reference for new projects. This paper summarizes the authors’ research in this direction. After the introduction of the academic scenario and the UBH theoretical approach, this study proposes the results from applying this new methodology to several worldwide case studies from Greece, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Poland in order to evaluate best practices and/or unsuccessful stories. This study, based on data collected during onsite inspections by the authors within several international financed projects, consists of two steps. In the first, a general overview of all the aspects connected to the historical and contemporary reuses of dismissed mines under analysis was carried out, proposing a reclassification on the basis of the UBH methodology. The second section is dedicated to a new case study: Valle Imperina dismissed mines complex. This section includes an analysis of tangible and intangible values connected to the site and that of the state of the art of the corresponding enhancement. At the end, an evaluation of its potentialities and some critical issues was conducted. Full article

Ballast is essential for vessels to lower their centre of gravity, improve stability, and ease their motion during sailing. During the modern period, heavy materials used for ballasting ships were an issue of particular concern for both authorities and ship owners, subjected to increasing control, regulation, and standardisation. These items represent a very common find in wreck sites and deserve special attention, as their characteristics, distribution, and provenance can deliver critical information for assessing where the vessel was ballasted, sailing routes, ship tonnage, and site formation processes. This article is centred on pig iron ingots, introduced in the early 18th century in sailing warships and shortly thereafter in sizeable merchant vessels, a type of ballast which is frequently overlooked in archaeological research. In particular, specimens retrieved from the Chilean Navy armed transport Infatigable (1855) were analysed through macroscopic and physicochemical characterisation using LM, SEM-EDS, WD-XRF, and IGF. The results obtained indicate the ingots were manufactured with cast iron of different quality, suggesting they may have come from different production centres. The investigation resulted in a better understanding of ballasting practices on a South American navy ship in the early post-independence period and provided new data for discussions of off-site and non-nautical technological issues, such as the materials, knowledge, and techniques associated with the production of pig iron in the mid-19th century. Full article

The State of Michoacan has a wide and rich architectural heritage which is represented by different vernacular typologies which employ different materials and techniques according to the local resources. However, this wide knowledge and cultural heritage are disappearing, with several monuments and buildings being abandoned due to new dynamics and social changes. The traditional techniques have been substituted for modern and industrial construction systems since they are associated with obsolete ways of life. Through international cooperation for development and research projects, many activities were carried out to analyze the durability of local materials and vernacular constructions of the state. The main ones included the architectural survey and inspection of these buildings, photographic and drone surveys, characterization in the laboratory and oral interviews with local users. During the field work, these interviews with the local population, the creation of multimedia content and the use of audiovisual methods had crucial importance in the documentation of this local knowledge and culture, being great methods for scientific communication and dissemination. The main product is the documentary Xirangua, which means ‘roots’ in the Purépecha language, the main indigenous ethnicity in the state. This documentary explores the traditional architecture and construction of Michoacan, showing the reality within the loss of this vernacular heritage and portraying the importance of its conservation through the perspective of the local population, users and artisans. The use of these audiovisual techniques has demonstrated to be a suitable option to promote and preserve cultural heritage and educate, include the local actors in the process, and make the general public aware of the current issues, with this being one of the first works which explores this approach. Full article

The Ribadeo shipwreck, identified as the San Giacomo di Galizia, lost in 1597 at Ribadeo, Galicia, Spain, is a unique example of a late 16th century Spanish warship. Brought to Ribadeo in the winter of 1597, this ship was salvaged, all the crew saved, and its remains abandoned. It was found in November 2011 during dredging operations, and it has been studied since. Excavated slowly at the pace allowed by the conservation budget, this site is revealing its secrets as the excavation progresses. This paper is an introduction to the ship’s history and a first report on the archaeological excavation of its hull remains. Full article

This paper discusses and underlines the importance of investigations on post-medieval shipwrecks, particularly for wrecks where archival documentation is also available, in relation to gaining a better knowledge of tin-glazed tableware produced in Montelupo (Florence, Tuscany). The case of the Mortella II wrecks is interesting in this sense and also shows how an exact dating of the wreck can allow for a revision of the chronologies of the ceramic classes found on board. In the case of the majolica of Montelupo, the revision of the dating of these ceramics with great diffusion (Europe, Americas, Africa) has major repercussions on international archaeological research. This paper presents a preliminary study of the Montelupo tin-glazed tableware found in the 2021 excavation researches conducted on the Mortella II wreck. The interest in the pottery recovered is high, for several reasons: (A) The dating of the wreck to 1527, clarified thanks to the discovery of a written document related to the sinking of the two Genoese “twin” ships off Saint-Florent (Haute-Corse), which are conventionally defined as Mortella II and III. (B) The almost exclusive presence of Montelupo majolica, a ceramic class among the most important between the 16th and 17th centuries, with a very wide dispersal throughout in the Mediterranean and Europe, as well as internationally. (C) The variety of decorations of the majolica of Montelupo documented thus far in the wreck (at least nine) makes this first sample a reference site for the study of this ceramic class in the first quarter of the 16th century, especially for the precise date of closure for the context (1527). Full article

The paper presents the first archaeometric results on a selection of ancient Roman coins (antoniniani) from a treasure found in the Roman necropolis area of ancient Cumae (Southern Italy) during archaeological campaigns by the Centre Jean Bérard. A multi-analytical approach consisting of non-destructive techniques (stereomicroscopy, FESEM-EDS, pXRF, Raman, μ-CT) was implemented on the better-preserved coins of the treasure in order to investigate the chemical composition of the alloy. Chemical analysis showed that the Roman mint prepared the metal with an argentiferous lead–bronze alloy. A group of coins presents a low content of the precious metal, which is in agreement with the financial crisis of the Roman Empire of the third century. Another group of two coins shows a higher silver content, which is in agreement with their issue or with the Mediolanum mint standards. In addition, the external layers of corroded coins were analysed to explore the state of conservation of the patina and to identify the corrosion products. Some typical corrosion patinas due to post-depositional conditions were identified. The mineralogical characterisation of the corrosion products enables us to implement adequate conservation strategies, and the presence of more aggressive patinas suggests immediate interventions. Full article

Recognizing and defining behaviors is among the most challenging objectives of writing narratives about the past, especially when direct testimony and the evidence of agents’ actions are long lost. Typically, archaeologists look at material remains to reconstruct daily activities, while historians read and interpret documents that articulate how agents interacted with their surroundings. Following an interdisciplinary approach combining archaeology and history, the purpose of this paper is to reconstruct how different types of agents co-existed on board Portuguese ships in the Early Modern Age, and how those relations can be interpreted as a household. These ships sailed across different oceans with different purposes and destinations, carrying people, animals, and things, all of which had a level of agency. All these agents led to the development of specific relations and ways of being, characterizing the particular dynamics and associations during voyages. Full article

In the present work, a method is proposed that combines spectrofluorimetry with multivariate analysis (cluster and principal components) to non-invasively investigate natural dyes used, mainly in the form of lakes, in illuminations. First, a consistent number of mock-up samples of red and purple lakes (from brazilwood, madder, kermes, cochineal, lac dye, folium and orcein) were prepared following the recipes reported in ancient treatises, then the experimental conditions for their non-invasive investigation were optimized by benchtop instrumentation and transferred to a portable microprobe suitable for in situ analyses. For all the coloring materials examined, it was thus possible to obtain a satisfactory grouping of samples containing the same dye. The analytical protocol was finally extended to the characterization of dyes in the Crescenzago choir books, illuminated manuscripts dating back to the end of the 15th century. Full article

This paper looks at key elements of global culture that are driving a new paradigm shift in museums causing them to question their raison d’être, their design and physical space, recognizing the need to accommodate visitor interaction and participation, and to reprioritize institutional outcomes and goals reexamining their priorities. As heritage sharing in online spaces reaches across national, political, and social boundaries on platforms and networks, this has been driven by museum engagement with Internet life during the pandemic. Museum relationships and interactions with communities both local and global continue to challenge core values and precepts, leading to radical changes in how museums define their roles and responsibilities. In this new cultural landscape, museums are responding to human digital identity in a tidal wave of human interactions on the Internet, from social media to online sharing of images and videos. This is revealing shared perspectives on cultural conflict as being tied to freedom of expression of one’s heritage embedded in digital identity. Full article

Crowdsourcing has been widely used in cultural heritage research, but mainly from an institutional perspective. Research into items of material culture often requires the researcher to examine specimens held in private hands. The dispersed nature of such holdings, primarily as collectable and, thus, tradeable objects, requires different techniques for identification and access than that for items held in museum collections. Crowdsourcing data from online discussion groups and online marketplaces, coupled with snowballing, represents a very powerful tool. This paper discusses the relevant parameters and provides a protocol for the systematic compilation of items held in private hands. Full article

This collaborative multidisciplinary pilot project involving the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), the Ashmolean Museum, and Newham Borough of London, examined the composition of a selection of eighteenth-century porcelain objects by two of London’s first porcelain manufacturers, Bow and Chelsea. As the first science-based public engagement project to be piloted by the V&A, it succeeded in bringing together young Londoners and their communities to investigate local histories of scientific and artistic innovation through the analysis and remaking of eighteenth-century porcelain. Scientific object analysis informed activities with local sixth-form students, revealing the intimate link between art and science, and showcasing the V&A Science Lab as a national hub for heritage science. Public outreach activities, including an exhibition at Stratford Library and workshops for Newham Heritage Month also provided hands-on learning, including curatorial and object-handling experience, and the embodied practices of remaking. Ultimately, this project stimulated new ways of engaging with ceramics collections and explored how the creativity and ingenuity of eighteenth-century ceramics pioneers can provide inspiration for the next generation of makers. Full article

The aim of this research work was to conduct a comparative study on the effectiveness of the application of chemical cleaning versus laser cleaning in the removal of surface congruent dissolution products from a potash-lime–silica historical stained-glass sample. EDTA was selected as the chemical cleaning agent. Laser cleaning was performed using a 238 fs pulse UV (343 nm) laser. The comparative cleaning studies were carried out on a stained-glass piece supplied by the Maison Lorin Glass Restoration Workshop from Chartres, France. Given the complex nature, irregular thickness and heterogeneity of the encrustations found on the glass, the two cleaning approaches were carefully performed step by step, while monitoring the process using an optical microscope. Raman spectroscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize the changes induced on the sample surface during the cleaning process. The results demonstrate that the two cleaning approaches were able to eliminate the outer surface dark layer associated with carbon compounds, as well as the external part of the white layer generated by the crystallization of salts, formed with the dissolved elements after a reaction with the air. A comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of each method is also presented. Full article

Miao silver, generally referred to as the unique silver ornaments manufactured by the Miao ethnicity with over 400 years of history, was listed as a Chinese national intangible cultural heritage in 2006. Through primary research methods, including local investigation, interviews, and workshops at Maliao Village in Guizhou, this study found that sizeable industrial production shrank the market needs for traditional Miao silver handicrafts. A growing number of young Miao people pursue higher incomes and leave their hometowns to make a living in cities instead of engaging in Miao silver handcrafting in villages. Based on the difficulties encountered in the inheritance of Miao silver craftsmanship, this project creatively proposed a digital strategy based on the NFT digital twin application to preserve and maintain Miao silver technology in the context of the metaverse era. By conducting design experiments combining digital technology and the traditional Miao silver manufacturing techniques, a collection of NFT digital twins, digital duplications of Miao silver handicrafts that Miao silversmith jointly worked with 3D technologist, was created as a vital research outcome. The results show that this attempt is beneficial to help expand the use scenarios, extend the lifespan, and increase the commercial value of Miao silver. To sum up, taking Miao silverware handicrafts as a research case, this paper dialectically discusses the relationship between industrial manufacturing and traditional handicraft industries, making contributions to the inheritance and development of Miao silver and also putting forward innovative solutions to promote the prosperity of intangible cultural heritage worldwide. Full article

Macroscopic X-ray fluorescence analysis (MA-XRF) is a non-destructive analytical technique that allows for the rapid and thorough investigation of paintings; therefore, it is nowadays increasingly involved in relevant studies. In the present work, a state-of-the-art MA-XRF set-up is utilized to identify the painting materials and techniques and document the state of preservation of an early 19th-century AD Greek religious panel painting (“icon”). The artifact in consideration has received extensive restoration interventions in the past and is considerably decayed; for these reasons, the interpretation of the relevant MA-XRF elemental intensity distribution maps is challenging. In this framework, it is demonstrated how the elemental distribution maps can be explored and interpreted to lead to a thorough investigation of the painting in consideration. In particular, the MA-XRF data interpretation allowed for the identification of the original palette that includes the rather rarely employed–in icon painting-yellow lead-antimonate pigment, led to the spotting of an invisible inscription, to the documentation of the preparation/gesso layer and the preliminary drawing. Additionally, it was possible to discriminate between the original painting and the later interventions, while the collected data revealed that the painting originally had two cross-bars attached to its back. Ultimately, the presented case study can be utilized as a guide for the proper interpretation of MA-XRF data from decayed and altered icons. Full article

In this work, a painted gypsum bas-relief from the facades of the inner courtyard of the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts building was examined using UV and visible light photography and optical and electron scanning microscopy, which showed the heterogeneous layers of white painting on the surface of the bas-relief that covered the historical ones. These undesirable layers should be removed during the restoration work, but it was found that the traditional method of removing surface layers of painting with the help of chemical solvents and mechanical cleaning does not solve the problem to the full extent. A cross-section of all the painting layers was prepared to investigate the stratigraphy of the paint layers. These studies were conducted using optical and electron scanning microscopy in order to determine the structure of the paint layers more properly and study the chemical composition of every layer. After this study, a complex cleaning technique was developed. This technique combines chemical and laser cleaning, making it possible to effectively remove the upper dense layers of paint without damaging the historical paint layers. Full article

The important commercial center of Constantinople’s Theodosian Harbor was brought to light during the Yenikapı excavations carried out by the Istanbul Archaeological Museums for nine years, starting in 2004. Hundreds of thousands of archaeological finds and the remains of thirty-seven ships sunk in different centuries were discovered at the harbor site. Upon the invitation of the Istanbul Archaeological Museums, Istanbul University undertook the removal, documentation, and construction technology studies of twenty-seven shipwrecks and the conservation work of 31 shipwrecks. Shipwrecks were documented in situ and removed from the site using various methods appropriate to their preserved conditions. Post-excavation documentation, technology research, and conservation procedures of the Yenikapı shipwrecks continue today. This article aims to present a collective evaluation of the lifting and conservation methodology of shipwrecks carried out by the Division of Conservation of Marine Archaeological Objects of Istanbul University. In this context, the relationship between removing ship remains from the excavation site and conservation practices has been analyzed comparatively by referring to display styles. Full article

The paper presents the restoration activities carried out at Tell Mardikh-Ebla (Syria) by the Italian Archaeological Expedition to Syria of the Sapienza University of Rome. In particular, the study focuses on the operations to preserve the mudbrick structures that have specifically suffered from erosion by rain wind which has caused the collapse of sections of walls. The programme of restoration at Ebla sought to clarify and outline a plan of excavated structures with swift, non-invasive, and reversible interventions and reconstructions. The protection of mudbrick buildings is indeed a challenge for archaeologists working in the Near East: mudbricks are extremely fragile both during the excavation and even more so after they have been excavated. Starting from the results at Ebla, the issue of preserving mudbrick structures is far from being completely solved; the lack of any archaeological research at Ebla, because of the political crisis in Syria, heavily affected the site and the restored buildings that have been seriously damaged by illicit digging and the occupation of the archaeological areas. New techniques and solutions are needed to improve the quality of maintenance and the protection of such a fragile heritage. Full article

In order to objectively and quantitatively diagnose the conservation status of painting cultural heritages, a digital image analysis program was used for the digital image of a Korean Buddhist painting. A technical method for diagnosing the conservation status by analyzing the color space of the Buddhist painting and calculating the shape information and damage area was suggested. To verify the applicability of the program, a standard color chart on various ground materials was produced. Color difference values of color information obtained using a color meter and a digital image analysis program were compared. Work efficiency, according to image resolution, was evaluated. It was possible to work efficiently with a size similar to that of an FHD image. Through the comparative evaluation of the individual deviation by the user, the accuracy and temporal advantages of the method using the digital image analysis program could be confirmed. As a result of comparing by color region extraction conditions, it was confirmed that the error range of the measured color information decreased as the 25 pixel diameter circle (average of circled regions of interest) size region and the number of measurements increased. Color space information was adjusted according to the characteristics of each damage type, and the shape of the damage was classified. In addition, the conservation status was evaluated by quantitatively calculating the area of damage with the Intensity Mean of the divided shape image. Full article

A shift from activities under the exclusive responsibility of institutions and experts to those organized and carried out by a growing number of civil society organizations and heritage communities has been seen as a means of democratizing heritage practice. This paper explores an NGO-run project of the Trešnjevka Neighborhood Museum in Zagreb, Croatia in order to expound characteristics of its participative management model, which includes other NGOs, representatives of a museum institution, and neighborhood residents. The museum’s activities published on the official website and social media platforms were thematically analyzed according to layers of cultural participation. The results show a formation of a community of interests within a place-based community whose purpose is to represent heritage values alternative to those of the mainstream institutions. The TNM can therefore be described as a territorialized cause-based project whose management is predicated on value-based participation of different stockholders, while its heritage governance approach resembles both corporatist and service-led approaches. Full article

During forensic archaeological research conducted in 2021 in the Comacchio Lagoon (FE), we detected new data concerning the ancient local hydrography to the west of Argine Agosta, an ancient bank, in Valle Fossa di Porto. A systematic campaign of geophysical surveys for heritage and archaeology was conducted with a hydrographic drone equipped with a single-beam bathymetric sensor echo sounder, sub-bottom profiler, and side-scan sonar. In combination with the indirect non-invasive investigations, systematic surveys of the walkable areas were also completed. These remote-sensing studies have relocated the River Vatrenus palaeo-watercourse, while visual census have brought to light a system of wooden palisades with floors made of wood associated with some scattered finds belonging to the material culture dating back to the Mediaeval and Renaissance periods. A preview of the results of this case study is presented here, contributing to the reconstruction of the ancient landscape and waterscape area of the Valle Fossa di Porto. Full article

Two paintings by the Neapolitan Renaissance painter Colantonio were studied with two non-invasive techniques to enrich the technical–scientific documentation. Infrared reflectography (IR) and x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyses were performed on Saint Jerome in the studio and Saint Francis delivering the Rule, paintings preserved in the Museo e Real Bosco di Capodimonte. The IR scanning was performed to look beyond the visible layers of the paint for the preparatory drawings and pentimenti, or changes made during the painting process. The XRF technique was applied in many points to determine the elemental composition and enable the identification of pigments and materials used in paint and in the preparatory layers. Elemental XRF mapping was also carried out on a region of particular interest. Results provide an initial overview and hypothesis of color palette and techniques used by the artist. Full article

The information taken from David A. Scott’s book “Copper and Bronze in Art” was crucial for this research on copper corrosion products in Stuttgart. The examples discussed are: (1) the nature and variability of ‘Black Spots’ (or ‘Brown Fuzzies’), mainly copper sulfides, resulting from the action of sulfurous gases on copper containing materials at different relative humidities; (2) cupric hydroxide occurring during maritime corrosion or by cleaning, patination, and pigment synthesis (Bremen blue) when alkaline solutions are used; (3) the wondrous phenomenon of curly malachite, which does not imply any human involvement; (4) chalconatronite formed by the contact of metal to alkaline surface films on soda glass, providing sodium and carbonate ions; (5) the formation of copper formates in contact with glass by the action of electrolytes from the glass hydrolysis and the pollutant formaldehyde reacting to the formate; (6) syntheses and crystal structure determination by powder X-ray diffraction (no single crystals needed) of various basic copper acetates (‘verdigris’) with the aim to better differentiate between historic production methods. Full article

Char-bending is a term used in marine archaeology literature to describe the process of shaping long hull components (planks, wales, stringers) by bending them over open fire, from Antiquity, up to modern times. Experiments were done on planks of two wood species with different cross-sections. The planks were heated over open fire while monitoring the internal temperature and charred layer thickness on the side of the plank facing the heat source. The results show that in order to reach the temperature inside the wood required for it to become pliable, the formation of a charred layer, an undesirable by-product, is unavoidable. It is explained why char-bending, in almost all cases, occurs on the concave side of the plank. Full article

Early November 1597. After an intense combat with four enemy ships, San Giacomo di Galizia (also known as Santiago), a just over 1000-ton galleon, enters the Ribadeo harbour in a terrible state, where it wrecks. This war vessel had been built in Naples in 1590 and sailed the Mediterranean and the Atlantic until it sank. In late November 2011, during an archaeological survey of the dredge area to improve the navigation of the ports in Galicia, a large ship was found and identified as the San Giacomo, which wrecked 414 years prior to its discovery. Several archaeological campaigns permitted a thorough record of the wreck and the recovery of hundreds of objects which this ship carried on its final journey. These artefacts included ceramics, metalwork, and wood, objects which reflected the activities that occurred on board during its short life. Combining an interdisciplinary approach based on artefacts, documents, and chemical analysis, the aim of this paper is to, on the one hand, attempt to reconstruct the sailing itinerary of the ship over its period of use and, on the other, to discuss how these commodities can help to write new narratives about the activities which occurred on board. Full article

Historic gardens are often seen in the context of botanical heritage, which emphasizes their aesthetic and botanical value. Yet, their architectural importance as an integral part of the architectural heritage of the bastion castle ensemble is ignored. Finding the relationship between the castle and the garden is presently complicated by considerable changes in the townscape since the 17th century and the lack of details on these gardens’ depictions on maps. The paper demonstrates how historical maps, especially military ones combined with modern on-site analyses can reveal the main architectural types of the gardens in the bastion castle ensemble and show their most important architectural features that should be preserved. The results demonstrate three scenarios in the relationship between the garden and the palace component of bastion castle, their main features, and the challenges facing them. This elucidation of the main features can help to conserve and to valorize plans for the gardens in these ensembles. Full article