Analisi di un ambiente umido confinato, finalizzata alla conservazione: i graffiti di Grotta Romanelli

ItGrotta Romanelli (Castro-Le) è una delle principali stazioni italiane del paleolitico superiore. Il sito, che si ritiene essere stato frequentato anche da Homo neanderthalensis, ha restituito, tra l'altro, materiale paleontologico, paletnologico, una pietra dipinta, arte mobiliare e parietale graffita riferita al paleolitico superiore. Lo scavo di trincee interne, per lo studio stratigrafico, e lo svuotamento della maggior parte dei depositi, avvenuti tra gli ultimi anni del 1800 (STASI) ed il 1970 (CARDINI), ha messo a nudo la gran parte delle pareti della grotta. In questi ultimi anni, l'esposizione all'aria, la costituzione litica e le caratteristiche ambientali, hanno favorito l'insistente proliferare, sulle superfici graffite ed a danno di queste ultime, di specie biologiche aggressive. L'assenza di interventi di manutenzione e difesa, protrattasi per circa 200 anni, sta provocando il lento ed inesorabile deterioramento dei graffiti.Il presente lavoro, dopo aver brevemente presentato l'ambiente ed i contenuti di grotta Romanelli, propone una prima analisi degli agenti aggressivi presenti sulle pareti interne (Licheni), finalizzata alla conservazione dei materiali lapidei di supporto e quindi dei graffiti stessi.EnThe Romanelli cave (Castro-Le) is one of the main italian sites of the superior paleolithic era. It is believed to have been frequented by Homo neanderthalensis, and among other finds there are paleonthological and paletnological material, a painted stone, mobiliar art and pariethal graffiti from the superior paleolithic era. The escavation of internal trenches in late 1800 by STASI and in 1970 by CARDINI has freed most of the walls of the cave. Now the exposure to air, the lithic consistency and the environmental characteristics have favoured the prolification of aggressive biological species on the graffiti with the risk of ruining them. The lack of maintenence and defence is causing a slow and unrelenting deterioration of the graffiti. This study, after a brief description of the environment and contents of the Romanelli cave, proposes an analysis of the aggressive agents present on the internal walls (lichens) finalized to the conservation of the stone walls and hence of the graffiti

An enhanced procedure for the analysis of organic binders in Pompeian's wall paintings from Insula Occidentalis

Abstract Quantitation of paint powders of ancient wall paintings is often hindered by the calcite contamination during samples withdrawal. To overcome this problem, a new approach was explored based on the mechanical pulverization of the paint powder followed by the evaluation of its true concentration, namely binders, pigments, and decaying compounds, from the comparison of the calcite FT-IR peak area at 2510 cm−1 with that of the corresponding underlying calcite used as calibrator. After extraction of the pulverized paint powder with polar and nonpolar solvents, liquid chromatography, gas chromatography with flame ionization detection, and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry were used to estimate the free amino acids, and fatty acids profiles. Compared to our previous investigation, the results obtained showed a better yield of the extracted organic materials as mg/kg of powder and also a qualitative improvement of the lipids profile

Golden folder from the Wall Mosaic of S. Giovanni in Fonte. Remarks and Scientific Analyses on the Constituent Materials

For conservation and restoration actions to be effective and respectful of cultural instances, it is crucial to acquire the knowledge framework of the examined monument by following a method which allows systematically collecting all the information needed to define its state of conservation. Managing complex data about a cultural asset requires a methodological guide that enables to coordinate information from multidisciplinary skills systematizing it and highlighting relations and connections between the various levels of knowledge. Based on such considerations, a study on the mosaics of the dome of the baptistery of San Giovanni in Fonte was carried out. The dome is located down the right nave of today's Basilica di Santa Restituta and is attached to the Cathedral. Its mosaics are considered as one of the most important expressions of paleo-Christian art in Italy, as a rare example of wall mosaic decoration still existing in the south of the country. At the ridge of the octagonal-based dome, on a starry sky background, stands out the "Chrismon", i.e. the monogrammatic cross symbolizing the glorious Christ with the letters alpha and omega hanging from his arms. Based on a previous methodological study, in this paper we present new results, which, placing particular attention to the dome of the baptistery, focus specifically on a micro sample, called "cartellina d'oro", belonging to the mosaic of vault and more specifically to the monogrammatic cross, placed in the center of the dome. The availability of innovative analytical measures, allowed to carry out further laboratory investigations, in order to deepen the existing knowledge about the Byzantine mosaic and thus be a useful tool to go back to the artistic techniques used in paleo-Christian era

Scientific investigation on Pompei's plaster to characterize the painting technique, the remaking and the protection or restoration layers

The multidisciplinary pathway necessary to reconstruct all aspects for a possible approach to historical, artistic and architectural artifact, must create appropriate synergies in order to allow appropriate coordination, correct and integrated, of all various information coming from different areas of expertise, used anyway to define the precise state of preservation of the artifact concerned. To allow greater understanding of the work, the use of tools and techniques commonly used by the restorer and lab technician, facilitate the exchange of information and interpretation of the data collected, helping the interpretation of historical and scientific data according to their experiences and technical expertise. According to the above, it's therefore proposed a study aimed at diagnostic understanding of a work of Pompeian style, not yet investigated. The scientific investigations used, refers specifically to the painting materials and their stratigraphic articulations, related to the painting technique, the remakes, the layers of protection or restoration performed during its lifetime, as well as the alterations due to several factors, both environmental, both resulting from conservative practices. The data collected are of notable importance because, besides contributing to the identity work reconstruction, give new information on the procedures carried out by the culture of the time, to protect their cultural heritage

Commissioning and first tests of the MAGIC telescope

Major Atmospheric Gamma Imaging Cherenkov telescope is starting its operations with a set of engineering runs to tune the telescope subsystem elements to be ready for the first physics campaign. Many technical improvements have been developed and implemented in several elements of the telescope to reach the lowest energy threshold ever obtained by an Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescope. A general description of the telescope is presented. the commissioning of the telescope´s elements is described and the expected performances are reviewed with the final detector set-up