Heritage, Volume 7, Issue 9 (September 2024) – 11 articles

This paper presents preliminary findings from the ongoing Erasmus+ European project CoVHer, which focuses on the hypothetical virtual reconstructions of lost or unbuilt architecture. This contribution provides a critical assessment of the terminology specific to this field. A significant challenge lies in the absence of standardised terminology for many foundational aspects, which can lead to misconceptions and misunderstandings. The research begins with a comprehensive review of the relevant literature in the field, aiming to identify which terms are most widely accepted and appropriate to use and which are ambiguous or should be avoided. For concepts that lack a clear definition, new terminology is proposed. This paper analyses six key terms: reconstruction, uncertainty, raw model, informative model, digital representation methods, and 3D modelling techniques. Full article

The theme of adaptive reuse, of great topicality for those who deal with built heritage, has its roots in the recent past, dating back to the end of the last century, when the problem of reuse proved to be competitive, for economic and cultural reasons, with respect to total demolition and reconstruction. Since then, various disciplinary and methodological approaches have been confronted with theories and methods of intervention, on an ever-expanding cultural heritage. This article offers a research perspective, with application of a case study of particular relevance to the city of Genoa, Italy. Adaptive reuse, in the text, is specifically dedicated to religious and sacred heritage that has lost its original function but has retained material traces and intangible values. The methodological approach, shared by several European architectural schools, is multi-disciplinary in nature and stems from the need to preserve material traces but, at the same time, preserve the spirit of the place, according to what is defined by the international community. The methodology and results are applied to the enhancement and reuse work for the former Genoa University Library, formerly the church of the Genoese Jesuit College (17th century). Full article

Photographic artifacts carry important historical and cultural information. Materials used in photography at the turn of the XIXth and XXth centuries tend to degrade both over time and if the temperature and humidity conditions of storage are violated. In this connection, the question arises of determining the safety degree and monitoring the condition of photographic materials. Close attention should be paid to photographic materials that become flammable as a result of decomposition. This class of objects includes photographic films based on cellulose nitrate. This study was aimed at examining 100 negatives and stereonegatives from the collection of Karl Kosse dating from 1902 to 1917 as typical examples of these hazard class objects. The degradation of individual negatives was accompanied by a significant change in color—yellowing. The base of photographic negatives (cellulose nitrate and camphor) was determined by Raman spectroscopy, and the presence of a gelatin layer was determined by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. Using chemometric analysis methods based on the RGB components of digital photos of negatives, an approach has been proposed for determining the state of degradation. The use of the support vector machine approach allows for obtaining a decision boundary, which can be later used to analyze a large data array. Full article

Blue is one of the most challenging colors for humans to produce and one of the most important colors in art history. Literature from the Tikuna/Magüta culture, from the Amazon Forest, suggests the use of chemical reactions between the juice of the naīcü fruit and iron to produce a blue colorant still unknown among technical art historians and conservation scientists. Additionally, the coloring materials from the Tikuna/Magüta people were never chemically investigated. Therefore, this manuscript presents the investigation of blue colorants from twenty-two Tikuna/Magüta masks and one stamp used to decorate similar items. Collections from four museums, from the USA and Brazil, were examined, and Raman spectra indicated the presence of Prussian blue, phthalocyanine blue, indigo, ultramarine, crystal violet, amorphous carbon, anatase, and barium sulfate (or lithopone). Although the unknown blue colorant was not detected in this campaign, the authors hypothesize the chemical composition and reactions involved in its production by considering the chemistry of naīcü and anthocyanins. The continuation of this work with community-based participatory research (CBPR) approaches is also discussed, justifying why reproduction was not considered in this work and supporting a more socially responsible and inclusive practice in technical art history and conservation science. Full article

In 2015, hazard mitigation became a top priority on the international agenda, according to the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction. When it comes to architectural heritage, it is crucial to develop tools and site-specific response plans that can help the prompt and effective management of seismic events. The paper presents part of a research study carried out at the University of Parma, aimed at improving emergency strategies for the protection of cultural heritage damaged by earthquakes. Specifically, it analyses first aid and recovery reinforcements, with a specific focus on masonry churches affected by the 2012 quake in the Emilia Romagna region (Italy). The study highlights criticalities and good practices of a site-specific response. It shows that recovery with a sharp separation between emergency and reconstruction activities leads to wasted resources in terms of cost, material, and time. On the other hand, the most effective strategies for the conservation of architectural heritage in earthquake-prone areas have proved to be based on an integrated and shared approach, aimed at balancing safety, conservation, and economic issues. This leads to a broadening of the concept of emergency interventions and, more generally, of structural reinforcement in the field of architectural conservation. Full article

The Ethnographic Museum in Dubrovnik holds an extensive textile collection which includes a number of dresses and costumes from Croatia and neighbouring countries. Until recently, the costumes were displayed on mannequins created by the academic artist Zvonimir Lončarić (1927–2004). His sculptures are expressive forms made of terracotta, fibreglass, wood, metal, acrylic paint and other materials chosen for their visual appeal. Due to their importance, the museum considered the mannequins to be protected works of art in the permanent exhibition; however, they had a harmful effect on the costumes displayed. In 2018, after completing a series of conservation–restoration projects within the collection, it was decided to replace the existing mounts with new, museum-quality mannequins. Two project-based learning workshops were organised, led by a team of textile conservators from the University of Dubrovnik and the Croatian Conservation Institute, in collaboration with the curator of the Ethnographic Museum. This case study highlights the challenges of exhibiting ethnographic costumes by discussing past presentation methods and how new solutions have been implemented in line with the modern conservation–restoration profession. The new solutions take into consideration ethics, decision-making processes, and an understanding of contemporary materials and methodology. Full article

This study investigates the materials and techniques used in three Mexican platters, or bateas, from the Victoria and Albert Museum collection. Our analytical approach included the use of non-invasive techniques, such as infrared reflectography, scanning X-ray fluorescence, and digital microscopy, which informed limited but targeted sampling. Traditional pigments were identified, including indigo, carbon black, red lead, lead white, and orpiment, and materials such as dolomite, gypsum, ochres, and clay were also found. A red organic dye was seen but could not be identified. The stratigraphy of the objects was also investigated. The condition of the objects was also evaluated, and the results will be used to inform future conservation decisions. The findings add to the published knowledge of the materials and techniques of early colonial Mexican objects and can be of use in future investigations, facilitating exchanges and collaborations focused on this type of objects, which are rare in UK collections. Full article

To preserve handwritten historical documents, libraries are choosing to digitize them, ensuring their longevity and accessibility. However, the true value of these digitized images lies in their transcription into a textual format. In recent years, various tools have been developed utilizing both traditional and AI-based models to address the challenges of deciphering handwritten texts. Despite their importance, there are still several obstacles to overcome, such as the need for scalable and modular solutions, as well as the ability to cater to a continuously growing user community autonomously. This study focuses on introducing a new information fusion architecture, specifically highlighting the Gateway API. Developed as part of the μDoc.tS research program, this architecture aims to convert digital images of manuscripts into electronic text, ensuring secure and efficient routing of requests from front-end applications to the back end of the information system. The validation of this architecture demonstrates its efficiency in handling a large volume of requests and effectively distributing the workload. One significant advantage of this proposed method is its compatibility with everyday devices, eliminating the need for extensive computational infrastructures. It is believed that the scalability and modularity of this architecture can pave the way for a unified multi-platform solution, connecting diverse user environments and databases. Full article

With the “Talents Internship program” established by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG, Österreichische Forschungsförderungsgesellschaft), 14- to 17-year-old students from various school types visited the Natural History Museum and the Kuratorium Pfahlbauten in summer 2022 to gain practical experience in research. The internship focused on a sustainability approach, discussing recycling methods, the sustainable use of resources and the circular economy in prehistory. The UNESCO World Heritage “Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps” was used as a research area for the project. The project also aimed to make the content developed by the students available to the public as a digital media tool. The pupils brought an illustration of a prehistoric lake shore settlement to life and created an interactive image available at the website of Kuratorium Pfahlbauten. Various scenes of the illustration have been augmented with animations created by the students of HTL Spengergasse in Vienna. Students from federal secondary schools from Vienna (Stubenbastei) and Upper Austria (Traun) researched the information about the objects and wrote texts that, as a description of the animated videos, introduce the users to the prehistoric artifact and explain the recycling process behind it. The students worked independently using the scientific literature, 140-year-old inventory books and 6000-year-old objects from the collection of the Natural History Museum Vienna. The activities and the supporting program within the internship were recorded by the students in blog posts, available at the Pfahlbauten-Blog. The co-creative approach of the FFG Talent Internship made it possible to introduce a group of school students to the process of scientific work and the communication of results. It was honored with the Creative App Award at CHNT 2023. Full article

This paper summarises the research carried out so far on barniz de Pasto objects from the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) and outlines future areas of development for our collection of Indigenous lacquer from Latin America. The V&A was the first UK public institution to identify objects decorated with barniz de Pasto within its collection. Two of these were acquired in 2015 and 2018; others had entered the collection between 1855 and 1902 but were recognised as barniz de Pasto only after 2018. The acquisition in 2015 of a cabinet marked the start of a research campaign to understand the materiality and context of all the museum’s barniz de Pasto objects. The analytical techniques used included X-radiography, polarised light microscopy and digital microscopy, Raman microscopy, X-ray fluorescence (point and scanning), chromatography (py-GC–MS and LC–DAD–MS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray micro-computed tomography. Unexpected discoveries were made along the way, including the characterisation and documentation of mercury white (mercury(I) chloride, or calomel) used as a white pigment, a world first. Gel-based cleaning methods were used to remove a non-original, discoloured, natural varnish covering nearly the entire surface of one of the objects, and the recent overpaint on its lid, revealing original surfaces which had been repaired and drastically repainted in the second half of the twentieth century. Full article

The present study, which is part of a wider inter-disciplinary research project on Medieval Rome funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation, focuses on the archaeometric characterisation of glass tesserae from the apse mosaic of the church of S. Agnese fuori le mura, dated to the 7th century AD and never analysed until now. The main aims of the study are the identification of chemical compositions of glassy matrices and colouring/opacifying techniques by means of the combination of micro-textural, chemical, and mineralogical data. In S. Agnese tesserae, the results show the presence of glassy matrices and opacifiers/pigments, typical of both Roman and Late Antique/Early Medieval periods. The technological features identified (in particular, glassy matrices and opacifiers/pigments) allow us to discriminate not only new-production tesserae, i.e., those probably produced in the 7th century for the realisation of the S. Agnese mosaic, but also those obtained from recycling or re-using previous glass. This testifies to a quite complex “puzzle”, unusual in other glass mosaics from the same city and coeval with S. Agnese, supporting further the potentiality of archaeometric studies on glass to uncover the technical and socio-cultural knowledge that underpins its manufacturing, use, re-use, and recycling in the Early Medieval Rome. Full article