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It's All a Matter of Time: Exploring the Past, Present...
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It's All a Matter of Time: Exploring the Past, Present and Future of Artworks through Dating, Authentication, Material Characterization, Monitoring and Restoration

A special issue of Heritage (ISSN 2571-9408).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2025 | Viewed by 5084

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Letizia Bonizzoni

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Guest Editor
Dipartimento di Fisica Aldo Pontremoli, University of Milan, Via Celoria 16, I-20133 Milan, Italy
Interests: archaeometry; X-ray fluorescence; chemometric analyses; provenance study; pigment characterization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Valeria Comite

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Dipartimento di Chimica, University of Milan, Via Golgi 19, 20133 Milan, Italy
Interests: interaction between air pollution and surfaces; formulation of hydrophilizing protective coatings; archaeometry characterization and study of degradation of materials of historical and artistic interest
Dr. Anna Galli

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Dipartimento di Scienzza dei Materiali, University of Milano-Bicocca, Via. R. Cozzi 55, I-20125 Milan, Italy
Interests: physics applied to cultural heritage; archaeometry; TL dating; OSL dating X-ray fluorescence; ancient material characterization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Rosina Celeste Ponterio

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche—Istituto per i Processi Chimico-Fisici, V.le Ferdinando Stagno d’Alcontres, 37I-98158 Messina, Italy
Interests: archaeometry; vibrational spectroscopy; instrument development; SERS nanomaterials; neutron studies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The concept of dating has taken on new meanings that go beyond the temporal location of the cultural asset, including aspects of technological evolution, the genesis of the creative process and the evolution and deterioration of the works themselves, both in terms of their material composition and the artist’s intention. Artworks can be seen as witnesses of their own time that tell their own story of identity and culture as they allow us to connect with the past, reflect on the present and build a perspective for the future. Only careful time management can help to preserve and conserve works through monitoring and restoration measures.

This Special Issue aims to gather together papers from the 2024 National Conference of the Italian Archaeometric Society, but the ultimate goal is to open up, through original research articles and review papers, to the worldwide community and provide insights into the new frontiers of dating in the widest possible sense. Absolute dating techniques such as radiocarbon, thermoluminescence and dendrochronology—among the first scientific applications in the field of historical, artistic, and cultural heritage—but also analytical techniques for the study of cultural heritage that provide information related to the passing of time, such as degradation processes and the evolution of the materials used, are suitable topics, as detailed below.

This Special Issue will welcome manuscripts that link the following themes:

  • Absolute and relative dating: methodologies and examples of application of dating techniques;
  • Indirect dating and authentication: historical contextualization and verification of temporal compatibility;
  • Materials over time: technology, degradation, and conservation: the evolution of materials over time and their degradation, and processes and protocols for monitoring the state of conservation;
  • Historical reconstructions and stratigraphy: reconstruction of changes and historical phases, analysis of provenance, contextualization in space and time;
  • Evolution of diagnostic techniques over time: technical and technological evolution of analytical methodologies applied to cultural heritage;
  • Temporal data processing and analysis techniques: algorithms, methodologies, and the application of machine learning and artificial intelligence in the processing and analysis of data series that evolve over time;
  • Communication and use of cultural heritage: methods and examples of cultural communication of the past to future generations.

Dr. Letizia Bonizzoni
Dr. Valeria Comite
Dr. Anna Galli
Dr. Rosina Celeste Ponterio
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Heritage is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • dating
  • authentication
  • conservation
  • degradation
  • archaeometry
  • material characterization

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 9680 KiB  
Article
Fission Track Dating of Obsidian Samples from Lipari Neolithic Settlements
by Maria Clara Martinelli, Letizia Bonizzoni, Mauro Coltelli, Marco Manni, Arianna Pefano, Massimo Oddone and Alessandra Guglielmetti
Heritage 2025, 8(2), 69; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage8020069 - 13 Feb 2025
Viewed by 724
Abstract
The present work describes the first results of the project “Lipari Obsidian and Neolithic Human Communities in the Aeolian Islands”, which aims to study the connection between obsidian sources on the island of Lipari and Neolithic populations on the Aeolian archipelago in Italy. [...] Read more.
The present work describes the first results of the project “Lipari Obsidian and Neolithic Human Communities in the Aeolian Islands”, which aims to study the connection between obsidian sources on the island of Lipari and Neolithic populations on the Aeolian archipelago in Italy. Obsidian is a natural volcanic glass used to produce chipped tools; in the Neolithic period it was the sharpest known material and its trade played an important role in the Mediterranean area. It is thus of particular interest for tracing prehistoric trading patterns. Indeed, Lipari obsidian has a wide distribution and has been found even in southern France, Dalmatia, Sicily and mainland Italy. To reach the project goal, we considered both raw materials from different obsidian geological samples and artefacts from Neolithic settlements on the Aeolian islands, and performed fission-track dating (FT), a radiometric technique that can be used for uranium-bearing minerals and glasses. The preliminary results facilitated the age determination of geological samples, which we could relate to the different eruption phases. Archaeological samples were also dated; their link with the studied volcanic deposits and lava flows made it possible to shed some new light on raw material procurement and on the ability of the Neolithic populations to move from their locations, with particular attention to the consequences of environmental features on the first human settlements on the Aeolian islands. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue It's All a Matter of Time: Exploring the Past, Present and Future of Artworks through Dating, Authentication, Material Characterization, Monitoring and Restoration)
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11 pages, 26172 KiB  
Article
Radiocarbon Ages of a Possible Titian Painting
by Claudio Tuniz, Fabio Marzaioli, Filippo Terrasi, Isabella Passariello, Giuseppe Porzio and Paolo Molaro
Heritage 2025, 8(2), 63; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage8020063 - 7 Feb 2025
Viewed by 614
Abstract
A radiocarbon study of a painting that might have been made by Titian or Tintoretto or by their workshops is presented. It could be the lost Titian self-portrait or, more convincingly, the sitter might be the Venetian Andrea Cappello, elected Procuratore de Supra [...] Read more.
A radiocarbon study of a painting that might have been made by Titian or Tintoretto or by their workshops is presented. It could be the lost Titian self-portrait or, more convincingly, the sitter might be the Venetian Andrea Cappello, elected Procuratore de Supra in 1537 AD. Due to the variability in the concentration of atmospheric radiocarbon during the reference period, the calibrated 14C ages of the painted canvas are 1450–1530 and 1540–1635 AD (2 σ), while those of the wooden frame are 1504–1597 and 1616–1657 AD (2 σ). They are also consistent with previous analyses based on scanning macro X-ray fluorescence. These results, combined with stylistic, considerations suggest that the painting was made in the first half of the 16th century by Titian or his workshop. Circumstantial evidence that the painting was executed between 1523 and 1528 is also discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue It's All a Matter of Time: Exploring the Past, Present and Future of Artworks through Dating, Authentication, Material Characterization, Monitoring and Restoration)
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16 pages, 2347 KiB  
Article
X-CT Reconstruction as a Tool for Monitoring the Conservation State and Decay Processes of Works of Art and in Support of Restoration and Conservation Strategies
by Laura Guidorzi, Alessandro Re, Francesca Tansella, Luisa Vigorelli, Chiara Ricci, Joseph Ryan and Alessandro Lo Giudice
Heritage 2025, 8(2), 52; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage8020052 - 27 Jan 2025
Viewed by 915
Abstract
X-ray Computed Tomography (X-CT) is now an established technique for the investigation and diagnostics of Cultural Heritage. Its advantages include non-invasiveness, non-destructiveness, and the possibility of exploring the inner parts of an object without any modification. X-CT is often employed to investigate the [...] Read more.
X-ray Computed Tomography (X-CT) is now an established technique for the investigation and diagnostics of Cultural Heritage. Its advantages include non-invasiveness, non-destructiveness, and the possibility of exploring the inner parts of an object without any modification. X-CT is often employed to investigate the construction methods of complex artifacts made with different parts or materials, but it is also able to support the analysis, intervention, monitoring and enhancement processes of artworks, creating digital models that can aid in the conservation and restoration procedures. In this work, several case studies are presented in which the CT technique has been decisive in identifying the effects of time and the events that occurred during the object’s life influencing its state of conservation. These range from large objects, such as an 18th century CE writing cabinet or an ancient Egyptian wooden coffin, to very small artifacts, like Mesopotamian lapis lazuli beads or fragments of Roman colored glass. Additionally, the results obtained by µ-CT investigations on the conservation state of a bronze arrowhead uncovered from the Urama-chausuyama mounded tomb (Japan, Kofun period, end of the 3rd century CE) are presented here for the first time. Lastly, the versatility of the technique when applied with different setups is highlighted. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue It's All a Matter of Time: Exploring the Past, Present and Future of Artworks through Dating, Authentication, Material Characterization, Monitoring and Restoration)
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19 pages, 22875 KiB  
Article
A Semi-Automated Machine-Learning Tool for Assessing Building Phases: Discriminant Analysis of Mortars from the 2022 Excavation at the Sarno Bath Complex in Pompeii
by Simone Dilaria, Caterina Previato, Michele Secco and Maria Stella Busana
Heritage 2025, 8(2), 51; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage8020051 - 27 Jan 2025
Viewed by 961
Abstract
This study presents the results of the analyses of 15 structural mortars from the building at civ. 21, level +0 of the Sarno Bath complex in Pompeii. These samples were collected during recent stratigraphic excavations (year 2022) for detailed in-laboratory compositional characterization, aiming [...] Read more.
This study presents the results of the analyses of 15 structural mortars from the building at civ. 21, level +0 of the Sarno Bath complex in Pompeii. These samples were collected during recent stratigraphic excavations (year 2022) for detailed in-laboratory compositional characterization, aiming to trace the construction phases of the originating walls. The 2022 samples were firstly analyzed via quantitative phase analysis–X-ray powder diffraction. The resulting quantitative mineralogical profiles were then processed alongside those analyzed in previous studies from level +0 structures of the Sarno Baths using multivariate statistical methods, including principal component analysis (PCA) and discriminant analysis, applied to quantitative phase analysis (QPA)–X-ray powder diffraction data (XRPD), to identify and map the construction phases. This approach enabled the correlation of the 2022 samples with previously established construction phases. Polarized-light optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were then primarily used for validation purposes. These methods highlighted the compositional differences between samples and revealed significant features related to the use of specific raw materials. These results confirm the reliability of the semi-automated sample processing proposed in this research, adopting discriminant analysis as a machine-learning-based tool for defining construction phases in Pompeian contexts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue It's All a Matter of Time: Exploring the Past, Present and Future of Artworks through Dating, Authentication, Material Characterization, Monitoring and Restoration)
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27 pages, 12992 KiB  
Article
The Use of Stone Resources in the Roman Architecture of Oderzo (Treviso, Italy)
by Chiara Girotto, Simone Dilaria, Caterina Previato, Jacopo Bonetto and Claudio Mazzoli
Heritage 2025, 8(2), 44; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage8020044 - 24 Jan 2025
Viewed by 990
Abstract
This paper presents the results of the analyses conducted on 46 stone samples collected from Roman buildings in Oderzo, a small town located in the heart of the eastern Venetian plain (29 samples), and from architectural artifacts preserved at the local archeological museum [...] Read more.
This paper presents the results of the analyses conducted on 46 stone samples collected from Roman buildings in Oderzo, a small town located in the heart of the eastern Venetian plain (29 samples), and from architectural artifacts preserved at the local archeological museum “Eno Bellis” (17 samples). The aim of this study is to identify the types and provenance of the stones used for architectural purposes in Roman times in the city of Oderzo (ancient Opitergium). All the materials were petrographically characterized using a multi-analytical approach, including polarized light optical microscopy (PLM). Moreover, volcanic rock samples were analyzed via X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and quantitative phase analysis via X-Ray powder diffraction (QPA-XRPD) to obtain more detailed mineralogical and geochemical characterizations. These methods proved valuable for better determining the provenance of the materials. The results allowed us to determine the quarrying areas that Opitergium mostly relied upon in antiquity for sourcing building materials, as well as the stone trade networks in which the city was integrated. Preliminary findings indicate a higher frequency of stones sourced from outcrops along the Prealpine Arc of north-eastern Italy and Istria, including Aurisina limestone (Trieste Karst), and micritic limestones possibly quarried in the Istrian peninsula for architectural artifacts. Conversely, lithotypes from north-western Prealps appear to have been used less frequently. The volcanic rock samples were entirely sourced from various quarry sites in the Euganean Volcanic District in the Veneto region. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue It's All a Matter of Time: Exploring the Past, Present and Future of Artworks through Dating, Authentication, Material Characterization, Monitoring and Restoration)
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