Search Results (238)

The TaiLing Mausoleum in Western Qing Tombs has great aesthetic value and a rich history. In this study, we conducted an analysis of the materials used in the architectural polychrome paintings of the TaiLing Mausoleum. Optical microscopy (OM), portable X-ray fluorescence (p-XRF), scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDX), micro-Raman spectroscopy (μ-RS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to analyze the paintings of Long’en Gate in TaiLing Mausoleum. The results indicate that the main minerals in the ground layer are quartz, augite, feldspars and illite. The gilding materials employed gold leaf. The red pigment is hematite, and the black pigment is carbon black. The green pigment is emerald green with barium sulfate as an extender. The blue pigments are smalt and synthetic ultramarine. In some areas, emerald green is observed overlaying smalt, suggesting that the paintings at Long’en Gate underwent overlay restoration or repainting from the late Qing Dynasty to modern times. These results can support future conservation of the polychrome paintings at the TaiLing Mausoleum. Full article

Against the backdrop of a gradual shift in the focus of cultural heritage (CH) conservation and utilization toward the integrated system formed by CH and its surrounding environment as well as regional systems, research on the coordinated protection of nature and culture to promote regional high-quality development has become a new trend. However, systematic summaries of the spatial–temporal distribution of CH in cross-regional typical geomorphic units at the river basin scale and their correlation with the natural environment remain insufficient. This study takes 387 Cultural Relics Protection Units in the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River (the Three Gorges region) as the research objects, utilizing GIS spatial analysis technology to examine the impact of the natural environment on CH across different periods and types. The theory of time-depth is introduced to reveal the layering mechanisms and underlying cultural logics. Coupled with the Minimum Cumulative Resistance (MCR) model, this study constructs a cultural corridor network and proposes spatial planning strategies. The findings are as follows: (1) The absolute core area for the distribution of CH across all periods remains the gentle slope zone near the river, characterized by elevations below 500 m, slopes within 25°, and distances from water systems within 1 km. However, the adaptive scope exhibits a diachronic evolution from core accumulation to peripheral expansion. (2) Different types of CH exhibited distinct natural adaptation strategies and vertical accumulation. Settlement Sites in the Before Qin Dynasty Period formed the foundational layer of survival rationality, while Ordinary Tombs in the Qin–Yuan Dynasty Period reinforced sedentism. Ancient Architecture in the Ming–Qing Dynasty Period underwent a transformation from “adapting to nature” to “reconstructing nature” as a product of environmental construction. Modern and Contemporary Significant Historical Sites and Representative Buildings in the After Qing Dynasty Period are characterized by a ruptured insertion on steep slopes, inscribing revolutionary memory onto space. The main stream of the Yangtze River serves as the core area of continuous deposition, while the extremely steep slopes form a distinctive stratigraphic accumulation of precipitous terrain. (3) Based on these distribution patterns, the study further proposes a spatial framework for CH called “One Corridor, Three Wings.” This framework uses the main stream of the Yangtze River as the spatial–temporal axis, linking the four core overlapping nodes of Fengjie, Wushan, Badong, and Xiling, supplemented by three secondary cultural clusters of the red heritage sites in southern Badong, the ancient town along the Daning River in Wushan, and the fortress sites in the Xiling–Yiling area. This research not only reveals the evolutionary path of CH in the Three Gorges region, but also provides a scientific basis for the systematic conservation and differentiated utilization of regional CH. Furthermore, it serves as a planning foundation and strategic reference for planning the Yangtze River National Cultural Park, as well as for the integrated preservation and utilization of river basin CH and linear CH with the aim of coordinated natural and cultural conservation. Full article

This research investigates the colonnade of Tomb 7 at the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Tombs of the Kings in Paphos, Cyprus. Specifically, a multi-drum column located at the south-east corner of the tomb is examined from both geometric and structural perspectives. Being the only standing element to support the entablature on that side of the tomb, the column is crucial for maintaining the structural stability of the monument. Numerical structural analyses are performed on the column via the finite element method (FEM), supported by close-range recording techniques—particularly terrestrial laser scanning (TLS)—to generate finite element (FE) models. Several modelling strategies capable of converting point cloud data into reliable structural models are developed and compared with the aim of identifying the most effective and cost-efficient approach. Each method is analyzed in detail to evaluate its workflow, assumptions, strengths, and limitations in the context of heritage structures with complex irregular geometries. Linear static and dynamic analyses are performed on five different FE models to assess the column’s mechanical response and to understand how differences in geometric representation affect the structural behaviour. The results indicate that all approaches adequately capture the general structural response. The comparison of the different modelling strategies highlights the trade-offs between geometric accuracy, computational efficiency, and practical usability. These outcomes indicate the potential and the current limitations of exploiting point cloud data for structural analysis and contribute to the development of more robust and accurate scan-to-FEM methodologies for the conservation and assessment of cultural heritage structures. Full article

This article presents a comparative analysis of divine kingship in two foundational Bronze Age civilizations: the Ur III Dynasty of Mesopotamia (ca. 2112–2004 BC) and the Shang Dynasty of China (ca. 1600–1046 BC). While both polities strategically adopted royal deification to consolidate authority within their territorial states, the underlying motivations, manifestations, and historical consequences diverged profoundly. In Ur III, king Šulgi’s self-deification was a deliberate political instrument, carefully constructed to centralize power and legitimize military expansion. This consolidation was performed explicitly through the use of the divine determinative in royal inscriptions, the establishment of state-sponsored cults with temples and statues for the living king, and the composition of royal hymns. In stark contrast, the kingship of the Shang Dynasty was a combination of divine power, clan power and military power. His authority was mediated through a monopoly on divination and ancestral communication, and expressed implicitly through ritual bronze vessels, royal tombs, and a cosmology that positioned the king at the center of the world. This study concludes that these distinct models—Ur III’s politically performative divinity versus Shang’s religio-kin-based sanctity—not only addressed contemporary crises of legitimacy but also predetermined subsequent political evolution, foreshadowing the Zhou Dynasty’s concept of virtuous governance and explaining the ultimate transience of divine kingship in both regions. Full article

This study reinterprets a selection of elite tombs at the Majiayuan Cemetery (4th–3rd centuries BCE) as belonging to Xirong ritual specialists. Analysis reveals a stratified ritual system: beaded caps served as widespread elite cosmograms, while specialized, hip-suspended bronze mirrors were restricted to a few. Situating these objects within broader Inner Asian traditions demonstrates the caps connected wearers to the spirit world, and that the mirrors functioned as active spirit-conduits, marking their bearers as specialized mediators. Examination of the material evidence further reveals Xirong ritual as a purposeful synthesis, selectively adapting imported and local mirror technologies to serve a coherent local cosmology. Mortuary parity between these specialists and martial elites—sharing high-status goods like chariots—indicates spiritual authority was a foundational pillar of Xirong power, valued equally with martial prowess. This interpretation of the Xirong places them as agentive architects of a hybrid ritual system and as vital cultural intermediaries on the Warring States frontier. Full article

In recent years, digital technologies have become increasingly prevalent in the field of heritage protection. In addition to geomatic techniques like laser scanning (LiDAR) and Structure-from-Motion (SfM), geophysical methods, especially Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR), offer added value for investigating protected buildings and objects. Additionally, chemical analysis (e.g., X-ray fluorescence, XRF) and mineral magnetic methods can be utilized to investigate specific research topics. All these methods are completely non-invasive and leave the heritage site untouched. Furthermore, they are cost-efficient and fast to use. Within this paper, we want to present an integrated study of a medieval sarcophagus in Bamberg Cathedral. The geophysical surveys via GPR and magnetic susceptibility (MS) measurements should answer open questions regarding the construction and internal layout of the sandstone sarcophagus, dated to the Early or High Middle Ages. The susceptibility data indicated an inner lead coffin in the lower part behind the stone slabs due to an unusual diamagnetic response in these parts. In contrast, the GPR data gave no such indication and revealed that the interior is too small for a direct burial of the bishop. Hence, an additional XRF survey was conducted to help solve this contradiction. The latter data indicate that the lead could be due to remains of a former painting on the sarcophagus with colours containing lead white pigments. Due to the porous sandstone, the moist environmental conditions, and the high weight of the lead elements, these could have accumulated at the bottom of the sarcophagus, creating the diamagnetism detected by the magnetic susceptibility measurements. Full article

The artistic exchange during Buddhism’s early transmission represents a vital field within Silk Road art studies. When Buddhist art first entered China during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25–220), many artistic elements originating from Indian and Central Asian traditions manifested via a highly fragmentary mode of dissemination. As a result, prior scholarship on Buddhist art in the Han Dynasty has predominantly focused on case studies of individual motifs such as Buddha images, lotus patterns, lions, and elephants. These studies form an essential foundation for the present research. This paper observes that Buddha images from the Han period were not always disseminated as isolated icons but were frequently closely associated with octagonal columns and arches/lintels. Tracing their origins reveals a connection to the “column–arch–Buddha” narrative motif found in the architectural art of Indian and Central Asian Buddhism. This motif extended eastward through the Western Regions (Xiyu 西域, present-day Xinjiang 新疆) and ultimately reached the core territories of the Han Empire, undergoing various transformations—including deconstruction, reassembly, and translation—in the process. Understanding these combinatory modes and their underlying intent is crucial for comprehending the essential nature of the early interaction and fusion between Buddhist art and Han Chinese civilization. Full article

Regarding the functions of Cave 285 at the Mogao Caves 莫高窟 during the Western Wei period, scholars have generally considered it a meditation cave. The main chamber has four small chambers each on the southern and northern walls, believed to serve as meditation spaces. However, a close examination of the architectural features of these eight small chambers reveals that they may have had another purpose, fundamentally different from meditation. Close visual analysis shows that the lintels of each small chamber are adorned with honeysuckle patterns, between which stand two birds forming paired bird images, with considerable variation in the types of birds. The lintel imagery of the eight small chambers in Cave 285 differs from the honeysuckle and lotus-rebirth themes commonly emphasized in the lintel designs of the main niches of contemporaneous caves that highlight the significance of the Pure Land of the Buddha. It also does not align with the flame-pattern-dominated designs seen in other niches on various faces of the central pillar during this period. This indicates a difference in symbolic meaning. At the same time, the paired birds or individual birds appear in depictions of the Pure Land on the truncated-pyramidal ceilings of caves from the same period, alongside images of honeysuckle, lotus-born beings, celestial beings, winged deities, jewels, and animals. Similarly, paired birds (such as parrots, vermilion birds, phoenixes, and bluebirds) found on the walls, heavenly gates, and screens of the Wei and Jin dynasty tombs in Dunhuang symbolize the deceased’s ascension to immortality. The frequent appearance of paired birds on lintels, doors, door frames, and walls outside the doors of tombs from the medieval period signifies the deceased’s ascension to immortality. Considering the funerary nature of the eight small chambers in Cave 285 and the symbolic meaning and development trajectory of paired birds in tombs and caves during the medieval period, the eight pairs of birds on the lintels of these small chambers were meant to aid the deceased’s soul in its ascension to immortality and rebirth in the Pure Land. Full article

This article reexamines the gold necklace excavated from the Sui-dynasty tomb of Li Jingxun (李静训, 600–608 CE), shifting attention from stylistic attribution to ritual function and funerary context. While previous studies have emphasized Persian, Byzantine, or Indian influences, this study situates the necklace more plausibly within the Iranian–steppe cultural sphere and the Turkic–Sogdian exchange networks active along the Silk Roads in the late sixth and early seventh centuries. Through analysis of its segmented structure, polyhedral gold beads, pearl rondelle, nicolo intaglio clasp, and gemstone arrangement, the article identifies close technical and visual parallels in Central Asia and the wider Iranian world. The necklace is interpreted as an apotropaic object likely worn in life and placed in the tomb to extend its protective and guiding functions after death. Attention to bodily use, clasp orientation, and associated grave goods—especially a stemmed cup with Eurasian ritual associations—clarifies how the necklace operated within a Buddhist burial setting timed to Lichun 立春 (Beginning of Spring). Situating the object within the Li family’s Xianbei 鲜卑 background and documented connections with Sogdian communities, this study demonstrates how foreign ornaments were actively understood and integrated into Sui aristocratic funerary practice, rather than adopted as passive luxuries. Full article

The study aims to reconstruct the life history of an individual whose skeleton was recovered during the excavation of the late medieval Pauline monastery of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Moslavina Mountain, Croatia. The monastery was one of the most important ecclesiastical centres in continental Croatia during the 14th/15th centuries CE and was abandoned between 1520 and 1544 due to fear of imminent Ottoman attacks. The inscription and coat of arms on the tombstone of a tomb located in the chancel, next to the main altar, indicate that the skeleton belongs to Sofia Kaštelančić née di Prata (di Pordenone), a member of Croatian late medieval high-ranking nobility. We conducted a conventional bioarchaeological study, carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes analysis, paleoradiological imaging (CT/CBCT scanning), and three-dimensional facial reconstruction. The skeleton belongs to a middle-aged woman between 40 and 50 years old with an estimated stature of about 161 cm. Numerous pathological changes, such as ante mortem tooth loss, caries, abscess, linear enamel hypoplasia, dysodontiasis, and osteophytosis were observed, with the most notable pathology being the fracture of the right ankle, a fact also confirmed by CT scanning. Carbon and nitrogen isotopic values are consistent with a terrestrial diet based on C₃ plants with no marine input, and the consumption of large quantities of animal-based proteins. Three-dimensional facial reconstruction made it possible for the first time in over 500 years to obtain the approximate physical appearance of the individual. The presented results are consistent with the hypothesis that the skeleton probably belongs to Sofia Kaštelančić. Nevertheless, none of the observed osteological traits are individually or collectively diagnostic of Sofia, so, in the absence of individualising evidence, the identification remains hypothetical rather than demonstrative. Full article

The three-dimensional documentation of hypogean structures poses significant methodological challenges due to the absence of natural light, confined spaces, and the presence of fragile painted surfaces. This study presents an integrated workflow for the survey of the Tomba dell’Orco (Tarquinia), combining terrestrial laser scanning, photogrammetry, and the light painting technique. Borrowed from photographic practice, light painting was employed as a dynamic lighting strategy during photogrammetric acquisition to overcome issues of uneven illumination and harsh shadows typical of underground environments. By moving handheld LED sources throughout long-exposure shots, operators produced evenly illuminated images suitable for feature extraction and high-resolution texture generation. These image datasets were subsequently integrated with laser scanning point clouds through a structured pipeline encompassing registration, optimization, and texture reprojection, culminating in web dissemination via the ATON framework. The methodological focus demonstrates that light painting provides a scalable and replicable solution for documenting complex hypogean contexts, improving the photometric quality and surface readability of 3D models while reducing acquisition time compared to static lighting setups. The results highlight the potential of dynamic illumination as an operational enhancement for 3D recording workflows in low-light cultural heritage environments. Full article

On 1 April 2471 b.C., an impressive, unpredictable phenomenon occurred over the Delta of the Nile: a total solar eclipse, with the totality band almost centred on the sacred city of Buto, and the “capital” Memphis on the verge of the totality. This date is compatible with existing chronologies for the reign of Pharaoh Shepseskaf, who adopted a clamorous symbolic break with respect to the tradition of “solarized” kings started by Khufu. Indeed, his tomb was not built in view from Heliopolis and was not a pyramid, but a kind of unique monument resembling the symbolic shrine at Buto. The aim of the present paper is to investigate in a systematic way the possibility that the origin of this historical and architectural passage, which marks the end of the Fourth Dynasty, can be identified precisely in the 2471 b.C. eclipse, therefore furnishing a new astronomical anchor for the chronology of the Old Kingdom. Full article

The Jingbaoer Grassland Jade Mine situated approximately 20 km northwest of Mazongshan Town in Gansu Province, China, represents an important source of nephrite dating back to the pre-Qin period. In this study, 58 representative nephrite samples were analyzed to investigate their mineralogical and geochemical characteristics using polarized light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). The mine is situated near the contact zone between the Silurian Gongpoquan Group and Devonian granite, with surrounding rocks primarily consisting of Precambrian dolomitic marble. The nephrite displays diverse colors—white, bluish-white, sugar-white, and cyan—with darker tones and abundant manganese-stained dendritic and flocculent inclusions. It shows a relative density of 2.82–2.99, a refractive index of 1.60–1.62, and a vitreous to greasy luster. Texturally, the jade is predominantly composed of micro-fibrous interwoven tremolite, occasionally exhibiting oriented recrystallization textures. Minor minerals include diopside, apatite, titanite, chlorite, epidote, allanite, rutile, and graphite. Chemically, the samples are rich in SiO₂, MgO, and CaO, with trace amounts of FeO, MnO, Al₂O₃, and Na₂O. Notably, Sr and Sm are enriched, Nb is slightly depleted, and Eu shows a distinct negative anomaly. The average total rare earth content is 4.25 µg/g. The study suggests that the deposits in the research area are typical of the contact-metasomatic type, formed through multi-stage hydrothermal metasomatism between acidic granitic intrusions and dolomitic marble, creating favorable conditions for the formation of high-quality tremolite jade. Comparative analysis with jade artifacts excavated from the Tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng suggests a possible provenance link to the Jingbaoer deposit, providing valuable evidence for the historical mining and distribution of nephrite during the Warring States period. Full article

Historical records and tomb inscriptions have provided foundational insights into the lives of elite women in the Tang Dynasty. However, our understanding of their beliefs—particularly their modes of participation and how they negotiated the tensions between faith and familial responsibilities—remains limited. Most existing scholarship has concentrated on their relationships with parents and children, exploring how they balanced personal spiritual obligations with filial piety and filial duties. In contrast, relatively little attention has been paid to how they managed their relationships with their husbands. This gap in research is partly attributable to the prevailing assumption that women involved in religious ordination were unmarried, either divorced or widowed. This study examines tomb inscriptions of two prominent elite women—Madame Li and Lady Liu—to investigate how they negotiated their faith within the context of their familial and marital relationships. I argue that, owing to their social status, women in the Tang Dynasty, particularly those from the noble and elite classes, engaged in religious activities through a variety of modes that reflect their multifaceted participation in religious life. This broader participation not only challenges conventional perceptions of women’s religious involvement but also reveals the complex ways in which gender, social status, and religious expression intersected during this period. Full article

Gypsum alabaster as material for European sculpture emerged in the 12th century and soon rivalled marble due to its accessibility, ease of sculpting, and aesthetic qualities. Lack of clear terminology and the visual similarity of the two materials have led to a considerable amount of confusion and deliberate misnomers. Despite attempts, since early modern times, to make a clear physical and chemical distinction between both materials, mistakes persist, even in modern collections. Here we present a non-invasive, cost-effective, reliable technique to differentiate the two, using an ultra-portable near-infrared spectrometer. The characteristic NIR spectrum of gypsum alabaster over the range of 900–1700 nm strongly contrasting with the near-featureless spectra of marble, allows for a simple and straightforward differentiation of these materials. Our technique enables rapid lithological identification of complex composite sculptural ensembles. We illustrate this through two case studies: The 15th century Saint Catherine of Alexandria from Kortrijk, attributed to André Beauneveu, one of the most prominent artists of the late Middle Ages, was supposedly made of alabaster, but is in fact made of marble and restored with alabaster replacement parts. The tomb of Prince-Bishop Julius Echter in Würzburg Cathedral is an example of the variety of materials used for such monuments in the 17th century. Here we highlight a previously undocumented but extensive use of multi-coloured alabaster. Full article