Search Results (19)

The contribution aims to summarize the huge amount of work carried out by CEN TC 346, the European committee for standardization of cultural heritage, from its establishment in 2004 to the present. A specific European standardization activity in the field of cultural heritage conservation was proposed to ensure a shared, science-based approach in order to guarantee best practices, more effective planning and implementation, and obtaining the best results. The work program was initially based on five working groups which had the responsibility to manage a few standardization projects according to the human resources initially available. Over time, the work program was implemented thanks to the active contributions of European member countries. Notwithstanding, standards were developed according to a need-based approach; it is possible to individuate a certain coherence in their development, very similar to a matrix approach. As a consequence, eight topics were presented and discussed, and four of them were strictly related to the issues discussed in the general document related to the conservation process. The remaining topics dealt with building management for storage heritage collections, monitoring of archaeological deposits for preservation in situ, handling of movable objects and finally the procurement of conservation services and works. The potential direct impact on the environment and also benefits to the sustainability of cultural heritage have been taken into account for each standard proposed. Full article

Cultural heritage is a common good passed down as a legacy from previous to future generations. Its preservation is a strong commitment to humanity. The main motivation for this project is based on this understanding and arose from the need for the proper and scientifically documented recording of cultural heritage (CH), both movable and immovable monuments of ecclesiastical cultural treasures. Despite its significance, the systematic documentation of ecclesiastical heritage remains fragmented, lacking a standardized and scientifically driven approach. This research addresses this critical gap by developing a structured methodology for the recording, organization, and digital archiving of ecclesiastical CH monuments. This was accomplished by codifying the actual recording and documentation needs for the ecclesiastical cultural treasures, with the systematic study of the users’ needs. The study focused on the region of Thrace, encompassing areas of Greece, Turkey, and Bulgaria, where post-Byzantine ecclesiastical treasures are expected to be in abundance. Through the design and implementation of surveys and metadata collection, this project has the capacity to facilitate digital transformation across the interconnected fields of religion, arts, and CH. Stakeholders from diverse backgrounds, both within and outside the clergy community, including owners and end-users connected to ecclesiastical cultural treasures, were actively involved in the process. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the vital role of building distance communication channels and promoting digital transformation across the interconnected fields of religion and cultural heritage. Our emphasis was to actively engage stakeholders from diverse backgrounds to create a practical, user-friendly documentation tool that meets their actual needs. Full article

Since the onset of the Syrian conflict in 2011, millions of Syrians have sought refuge globally, with thousands resettling in the UK. Despite their displacement, Syrians have brought with them a rich array of inherited knowledge and traditions, collectively known as intangible cultural heritage (ICH). The construction of domestic spaces by these settlers and their struggle to feel at home have emerged as important topics in migration studies, particularly when housing issues are considered as a critical aspect of their transcultural social engagement and the evolving boundaries of their identity and belonging. However, the role of ICH, along with the related crafts and movable objects, in the home-making practices of forced migrants remains under-researched. This gap is especially significant given that the UK recently ratified the 2003 UNESCO Convention on the safeguarding of ICH after a decade-long delay. Through in-depth semi-structured interviews conducted in the interviewees’ native Arabic within their home environments and supported by an observational study, this research explores how resettled Syrians in Liverpool integrate traditional ICH practices into their new homes, focusing on the dynamic relationship between the intangible and built heritage. By examining how intangible knowledge and movable objects interplay in creating a ‘Syrian home’, this study contributes to discussions on community engagement and the role of memory in conservation. The findings underscore the importance of ICH in maintaining cultural continuity and identity in the diaspora, providing insights into the inclusive heritage conservation practices in migrant contexts. This research highlights two key insights: first, the essential role that ICH, along with the associated crafts and movable objects, plays in constructing new homes in the diaspora, particularly in how these items serve as the carriers of cultural identity and continuity; and second, the symbolic significance of Syrian homes, especially their interior designs and decorations, as reflections of a blend of sociocultural practices that Syrians are committed to preserving. Full article

Cultural assets are all movable and immovable assets that have been the subject of social life in historical periods, have unique scientific and cultural value, and are located above ground, underground or underwater. Today, the fact that most of the analyses conducted to understand the technologies of these assets require sampling and that non-destructive methods that allow analysis without taking samples are costly is a problem for cultural heritage workers. In this study, which was prepared to find solutions to national and international problems, it is aimed to develop a non-destructive, cost-minimizing and easy-to-use analysis method. Since this article aimed to develop methodology, the materials were prepared for preliminary research purposes. Therefore, it was limited to four primary colors. These four primary colors were red and yellow ochre, green earth, Egyptian blue and ultramarine blue. These pigments were used with different binders. The produced paints were photographed in natural and artificial light at different light intensities and brought to a 256 × 256 pixel size, and then trained on support vector machine, convolutional neural network, densely connected convolutional network, residual network 50 and visual geometry group 19 models. It was asked whether the trained VGG19 model could classify the paints used in archaeological and artistic works analyzed with instrumental methods in the literature with their real identities. As a result of the test, the model was able to classify paints in artworks from photographs non-destructively with a 99% success rate, similar to the result of the McNemar test. Full article

Cultural heritage faces significant threats from environmental challenges and unchecked development. Sustainability has made its way into the field, and there is a growing interest in seeing it thrive. The particular field of the conservation and restoration of tangible movable cultural heritage is also being improved by new concepts and treatment options more aligned with environmental standards. This article investigates the integration of sustainability into the conservation and restoration of this specific cultural heritage by leveraging the SCOPUS and BCIN databases to examine the evolution of scientific content on the topic over the past 24 years. Key trends in research include assessing greener practices in conservation and education and guidance for the promotion of sustainable practices. These themes are also championed by organizations and initiatives that disseminate this message to conservation professionals through effective and less formal communication strategies. The findings emphasize the critical value of bridging the gap between scientific research and practical application, advocating for accessible resources and collaborative efforts to advance sustainable conservation practices. Full article

Wooden Cultural Heritage (WCH) represents a significant portion of the world’s historical and artistic heritage, consisting of immovable and movable artefacts. Despite the expertise developed since ancient times to enhance its durability, wooden artefacts are inevitably prone to degradation. Fungi play a pivotal role in the deterioration of WCH in terrestrial ecosystems, accelerating its decay and leading to alterations in color and strength. Reviewing the literature of the last 25 years, we aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of fungal diversity affecting WCH, the biochemical processes involved in wood decay, and the diagnostic tools available for fungal identification and damage evaluation. Climatic conditions influence the occurrence of fungal species in threatened WCH, characterized by a prevalence of wood-rot fungi (e.g., Serpula lacrymans, Coniophora puteana) in architectural heritage in temperate and continental climates and Ascomycota in indoor and harsh environments. More efforts are needed to address the knowledge fragmentation concerning biodiversity, the biology of the fungi involved, and succession in the degradative process, which is frequently centered solely on the main actors. Multidisciplinary collaboration among engineers, restorers, and life sciences scientists is vital for tackling the challenges posed by climate change with increased awareness. Traditional microbiology and culture collections are fundamental in laying solid foundations for a more comprehensive interpretation of big data. Full article

The protection of heritage sites is one of the keys that our civilisation presents. That is why great efforts have been invested in order to protect and preserve movable and immovable property with a certain historical value, as is the case of archaeological sites scattered throughout the territory of southern Iberia (Spain) in the form of dolmens and negative structures dug into the ground, constituting a good sample of the megalithic culture in southern Spain. To study, manage and preserve these archaeological monuments, considered a set of cultural assets, various techniques and methodologies are required to facilitate the acquisition of three-dimensional geometric information. The Scan-to-BIM approach has become one of the most up-to-date work exponents to carry out these objectives. The appearance of LiDAR techniques, and recently their incorporation into smartphones through integrated sensors, is revolutionising the world of 3D scanning. However, the precision of these techniques is an issue that has yet to be addressed in the scientific community. That is why this research proposes a framework, through experimental measurement, comparison and knowledge of the limitations of this technology, to know the precision of the use of these smartphones, specifically the iPhone 13 Pro, as a measurement element to establish points of control with the aid of photogrammetry by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in archaeological sites. The results demonstrate a residual uncertainty of ±5 mm in the capture of GCPs from the mobile phone’s LiDAR light detection and ranging sensor, and there was a deviation of the measurements in a range between 0 and 28 m of distance between the GCPs of (0.021, 0.069) m. Full article

In recent years, interest in geoheritage among scientists and the broader public alike seems to be growing. However, concern for geological heritage is relatively late, compared to that of living heritage. Actions for protections have long remained marginal. The increase in the number of views on this notion has gone along with a reflection on its meaning and a multiplication of the number of laws to accommodate situations and be able to take into account the diversity of possible cases. In this paper, after a historical review, we propose a synthesis of this notion of geoheritage, as it is currently underway in France. We support our point on specific examples, and especially those that have an echo at the international level: in stratigraphy, for example, with the list of stages based on French localities, as well as in petrography and mineralogy with the lithotypes or minerals whose name is linked to the territory. Finally, we deal with the legal aspects, which apply to objects (movable geoheritage), geosites, especially with recent developments because of these texts, and databases that govern the operation and current development of geoheritage. Full article

This paper analyzes flood impact on the historical objects and cultural heritage in Southern and Eastern Serbia. The basic research problem is the lack of systematized databases regarding the flood impact on the cultural heritage, in addition to the lack of official manuals or other types of educational material dealing with the management of the assets with monumental properties in flood situations. The goal of the paper is to indicate this problem to the professional and wider public through systematization and classification of the observed damages on the buildings. The paper first provides a brief overview of the development of flood protection throughout history with particular reference to the research area. In addition, the history of floods in Serbia is also analyzed in order to point to the frequency and scale of this problem in the researched area. Through the research of archival materials in the appropriate institutions as well as direct recording of assets in the field, the degree of flood impact on historical objects in the territories of Southern and Eastern Serbia is determined. It refers to both declared cultural monuments and those that are still undeclared but possess certain monumental properties. Only the material damages on the immovable cultural assets have been analyzed. The protection of the movable cultural assets has not been taken into consideration, although it represents a very important aspect of every flood damage. A classification of the damages observed on these types of buildings, which occur as a direct or indirect consequence of floods, has been carried out. Examples of structural damage are presented in the paper (such as fissures, cracks, bucklings and collapse of parts or overall objects). Examples of the damages that do not threaten the stability of buildings are also presented. Here, they are divided into two groups—moisture-induced damages and biodegradation. The paper also gives examples of the damages induced by direct or indirect impacts of floods. It is from these examples that general lessons can be drawn, namely those that would be applicable to the endangered categories of cultural heritage. The classification is conducted for the purpose of better planning of preventive or rehabilitation strategies and measures for the preservation of architectural cultural heritage. Recommendations for dealing with heritage assets in the case of floods are also given. Full article

Analytical techniques play a fundamental role in heritage science. Among them, Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) and X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) techniques are widely used in many laboratories for elemental composition analysis. Although they are well-established, a strong effort is put on their upgrade, making them suitable for more and more applications. Over the years, at the INFN-LABEC (the laboratory of nuclear techniques for the environment and cultural heritage of the Italian National Institute of Nuclear Physics), the INFN-CHNet group, the network devoted to cultural heritage, has carried out many technological improvements to the PIXE and XRF set-ups for the analysis of works of art and archaeological finds. Among the many, we recall here the scanning external microbeam facility at the TANDEM accelerator and the MA-XRF scanner. The two instruments have shown complementary features: the former permits quantitative analysis of elements heavier than sodium, which is not possible with the latter in most of the case studies. On the contrary, the scanner has the undeniable advantage of portability, allowing it to work in situ. In this framework of technological developments in heritage science, INFN, CERN, and OPD are jointly carrying on the MACHINA (Movable Accelerator for Cultural Heritage In-situ Non-destructive Analysis) project for on-site Ion Beam Analysis (IBA) studies on cultural heritage. Full article

Revealing precious hidden features by a completely non-invasive approach is one of the crucial issues in the Heritage Science field. In this regard, concealed fresco paintings still represent an analytical challenge. This paper addresses the specific issue in wall painting diagnostics by the photoacoustic (PA) imaging technique, already proven to be efficient in revealing underdrawings and internal stratigraphy in movable paintings on paper and canvas. A newly set-up reflection PA prototype was applied here for the first time to probe the charcoal, graphite and sinopia hidden sketch drawings in concealed (gypsum, limewash, overpainted) wall paintings. The results presented here push forward the frontiers of the PA imaging technique and point to its potential effectiveness of revealing hidden underdrawings in historical wall paintings with complex stratigraphy. Full article

The growth of green energy technologies within the frame of the 7th Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) along with the concern about climatic changes make nuclear energy an attractive choice for many countries to ensure energy security and sustainable development as well as to actively address environmental issues. Unlike nuclear equipment (immovable goods), which are often well-catalogued and analyzed, the design and manufacturing codes and their standardized materials specifications can be considered movable and intangible goods that have not been thoroughly studied based on a detailed evaluation of the scientific and technical literature on the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) materials behavior. The aim of this work is the analysis of historical advances in materials properties research and associated standardized design codes requirements. The analysis, based on the consolidated U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.99 Rev.2 model, enables determination of the best materials options, corresponding to some of the most widely used material specifications such as WWER 15Kh2MFAA (used from the 1970s and 1980s; already in operation), ASME SA-533 Grade B Cl.1 (used in pressurized water reactor-PWR 2nd–4th; already in operation), DIN 20MnMoNi55 and DIN 22NiMoCr37 (used in PWR 2nd–4th) as well as ASTM A-336 Grade F22V (current designs). Consequently, in view of the results obtained, it can be concluded that the best options correspond to recently developed or well-established specifications used in the design of pressurized water reactors. These assessments endorse the fact that nuclear technology is continually improving, with safety being its fundamental pillar. In the future, further research related to the technical heritage from the evolution of materials requirements for other clean and sustainable power generation technologies will be performed. Full article

The benefits of Building Information Modelling (BIM) accrue from the needs of the interoperability of applied technologies. This scope is strongly related to heritage buildings. Protection plans encompassing phases of heritage conservation, interpretation, intervention and dissemination could lead to a sustainable model through a TeamWork-HBIM project. This work develops a step by step semantically enriched 3D model, from accurate data acquisition to the creation of a container of artistic assets. TeamWork-HBIM acts as a database for movable assets, i.e., parametric objects (GDL) with graphical and semantic information, which are valid for recording, inventory and cataloguing processes. Thus, heritage properties were created and used to create recording and inventory sheets related to movable assets. Consequently, a parametric object was edited in the HBIM project, so a new category called “Heritage Furniture” was available. Data from the monitoring of the artistic asset were included in that category. In addition, the specialist technicians from the TeamWork-HBIM team catalogued a dataset related to artistic, historical and conservation properties. Another advantage of the system was the reliability of the structure of the HBIM project, which was based on the actual geometry of the building provided by the point clouds. The information was valid for both modelling works and specialists in virtual monitoring. Moreover, the reliability of metadata was collected in a common data environment (CDE), which was available for everyone. As a result, the Teamwork-HBIM-CDE project meets the needs of private institutions, such as the Foundation of the Church of the Company of Jesus in Quito, related to the sustainability of the historic site. This sustainability is shown by the implementation of a methodology that strengthens the interdisciplinary information flow by including all disciplines of historical heritage. Full article

In the last decades, the interest in the development of protective coatings for movable and immovable Cultural Heritage (CH) assets has decidedly increased. This has been mainly prompted by the raising consciousness on preservation requirements for cultural artefacts and monuments, which has consequently determined the development of new protective products. From acrylic resins used at the end of the last century to the up-to-date biomaterials and nanoparticles employed nowadays, the research has made a giant step forward. This article reviews the progresses, the technical challenges, and the most recent advances in protective coatings for archaeological metal, glass, and stone artefacts. It aims at offering a comprehensive and critical overview of the progressions in conservation science and displaying how research has optimized polymers in order to solve deterioration problems. Attention is given to recently developed materials, hybrid coatings, and corrosion inhibitors. This work seeks to provide a reference point for future research and to offer a wide-ranging introduction on the newly available material technologies to restorers and conservators. Full article

Cultural heritage is a very important element affecting the sustainable development. To analyze the various forms of spatial management inscribed into sustainable development, information on the location of objects and their concentration at specific areas is necessary. The main goal of the article was to show the possibility of using various GIS tools in modeling the distribution of historical objects. For spatial analysis, it is optimal to use the point location of objects. Often, however, it is extremely difficult, laborious, expensive, and sometimes impossible to obtain. Thus, various map content generalizations were analyzed in the article; the main goal was to find the level for which the data with an acceptable loss of accuracy can be generalized. Such analyses can be extremely useful in sustainable heritage management. Article also shows how cultural heritage fits into the sustainable heritage management. The research included non-movable monuments in Poland. The obtained results showed the universality of this type of research both in the thematic sense (can be used for various types of objects) and spatial sense (can be performed locally, at the country level, or even at the continental level). Full article