Next Article in Journal
Restitution of the Sensory Urban Ambiences of a French Colonial Urban Fabric in Algeria: A Case Study of Didouche Mourad Street, Skikda
Next Article in Special Issue
Investigation on the Chemical and Physical Characteristics of Ancient Tower Bricks from Shaanxi and Sichuan Province, China
Previous Article in Journal
Spatial Augmented Reality Storytelling in Arts and Culture: A Critical Review from an Interaction Design Perspective
Previous Article in Special Issue
Deciphering Photographic Papers: Material Insights into 20th-Century Ilford and Kodak Sample Books
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
Heritage
Volume 9
Issue 1
10.3390/heritage9010021
heritage-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
Article

The Role of Metallography in the Study of Archaeological Metal Votive Statuettes from the National Archaeological Museum of Campobasso

by
Camilla Criaco
1,
Davide Delfino
2,
Roberto Spotorno
1 and
Paolo Piccardo
1,3,*
1
Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, Università di Genova, 16146 Genova, Italy
2
Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Campobasso, Parco Archeologico di Sepino-Direzione Regionale Musei Molise, 86100 Campobasso, Italy
3
Archéosciences Bordeaux, UMR 6034, Université Bordeaux Montaigne, CNRS, F-33607 Pessac Cedex, France
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Heritage 2026, 9(1), 21; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage9010021
Submission received: 3 November 2025 / Revised: 1 December 2025 / Accepted: 8 January 2026 / Published: 9 January 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Heritage Materials Matter: Recent Perspectives in Diagnostics and Conservation)
Browse Figures
Versions Notes

Abstract

This study presents the first metallurgical analysis of twenty-five votive statuettes of Hercules from the National Archaeological Museum of Campobasso, Molise, Italy. These artifacts, which have previously been unexamined from a metallurgical perspective, were analyzed to understand their composition, manufacturing techniques, and current state of preservation. All the samples were first analyzed in situ using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and then were sampled to conduct microstructural analyses on polished cross-sections by optical and scanning electron microscopy. The statuettes revealed a ternary Cu-Sn-Pb alloy, consistent with historical alloying practices and manufacturing techniques typical of the period. The study highlights a homogeneous biphasic microstructure with dispersed lead nodules within the bronze matrix. The corrosion products on the surface have peculiar colors and textures due to both the finishing process and the alteration accord over centuries of abandonment, aiding the understanding of the material’s behavior over time. The compositional results confirm the usage of materials and techniques in line with other coeval artifacts.
Keywords: bronze; metallography; compositional analyses; reproduction; corrosion; votive statuettes; Italic archeology bronze; metallography; compositional analyses; reproduction; corrosion; votive statuettes; Italic archeology

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Criaco, C.; Delfino, D.; Spotorno, R.; Piccardo, P. The Role of Metallography in the Study of Archaeological Metal Votive Statuettes from the National Archaeological Museum of Campobasso. Heritage 2026, 9, 21. https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage9010021

AMA Style

Criaco C, Delfino D, Spotorno R, Piccardo P. The Role of Metallography in the Study of Archaeological Metal Votive Statuettes from the National Archaeological Museum of Campobasso. Heritage. 2026; 9(1):21. https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage9010021

Chicago/Turabian Style

Criaco, Camilla, Davide Delfino, Roberto Spotorno, and Paolo Piccardo. 2026. "The Role of Metallography in the Study of Archaeological Metal Votive Statuettes from the National Archaeological Museum of Campobasso" Heritage 9, no. 1: 21. https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage9010021

APA Style

Criaco, C., Delfino, D., Spotorno, R., & Piccardo, P. (2026). The Role of Metallography in the Study of Archaeological Metal Votive Statuettes from the National Archaeological Museum of Campobasso. Heritage, 9(1), 21. https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage9010021

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop