Stones, Marbles, Mortars, Ceramics and Pigments in Archaeology: Analytical Techniques for Their Characterization and Conservation

Dear Colleagues,

The building and decorative materials used in antiquity represent a response to the specific requirements and technical needs of the particular historical period in accordance with the processing and production technologies for raw materials of that time. Therefore, the exploitation of mineral georesources is not only linked to their intrinsic characteristics and vocation in use as building materials but also to their local availability in the area. Knowledge of compositional and physical–mechanical aspects is therefore essential for understanding the choices and use of geomaterials in historical construction and their supply in the territory. The study of materials also makes it possible to increase knowledge about a civilization and its experiences, as well as to understand the growth and technological evolution of a human settlement in a particular territory. Microdestructive analytical techniques, in combination with nondestructive techniques, are essential for defining the compositional aspects of the materials used in cultural heritage, particularly their chemical, physical, mineralogical, and petrographic characteristics. In addition to understanding the technical aspects and choices in their use, adopting an archeometric approach in the study of geomaterials makes it possible to define, in particular, the geographical provenance (e.g., ancient quarries) of the raw materials, their degradation at the chemical–mineralogical level, their state of preservation, the techniques used for their extraction and processing, as well as the technological processes for the production of artificial lithoid materials (e.g., pozzolanic mortars, pigments, etc.) and other artifacts (e.g. ceramics, etc.).

For this Special Issue, we welcome submissions of all research aimed at studying the materials of archeological sites or historical–artistic monuments and artifacts in pursuit of the aforementioned scientific–cultural objectives.

Prof. Dr. Stefano Columbu
Guest Editor

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