Journal of Cultural Heritage最新文献

{"title":"A novel nanocomposite hydrogel system for synergistic paper deacidification and reinforcement","authors":"Qingxia Meng ,&nbsp;Chenshu Liu ,&nbsp;Chongwen Liu ,&nbsp;Qian Jiao ,&nbsp;Shuangshuang Li ,&nbsp;Haolin Fan ,&nbsp;Songbin Ben","doi":"10.1016/j.culher.2025.07.015","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.culher.2025.07.015","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Acidification is one of the major factors exacerbating paper deterioration, rendering documents brittle and prone to crumbling—even under gentle handling. This process is widespread among paper-based artifacts and progresses rapidly, posing a serious threat to their long-term preservation. As such, the need for effective deacidification and reinforcement methods in the conservation and restoration of paper artifacts is becoming increasingly urgent. This study proposes an innovative dual-purpose nanocomposite system, GG-C-M, achieving both deacidification and reinforcement effects on paper artifacts. The system is composed of a hydrogel matrix loaded with deacidifying and structural reinforcement agents. We analyzed the physicochemical properties—including microscopic morphology, pH, alkali reserves, and tensile strength—of acidified, dry heat-aged, and UV-aged paper samples before and after treatment with GG-C-M. Our results show that GG-C-M effectively treats severely acidified paper (pH ≤ 5.0), restoring it to a mildly alkaline state as well as improving their mechanical properties. The treatment significantly improves those physiochemical properties, while also mitigating adverse macroscopic and microscopic side-effects such as edge curling, increased thickness, whitening, and particle residue—issues commonly observed after direct application of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose nano-Mg(OH)₂ (C-M) dispersion. The proposed nanocomposite system offers advantages such as biocompatibility, localized treatment, controllable swelling, strong adsorption, and easiness of application.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15480,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cultural Heritage","volume":"75 ","pages":"Pages 31-40"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144672542","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The non-destructive characterization of a rare Liao silver reliquary from the Museum of oriental art in Turin (Italy)","authors":"Benedetta Vitale ,&nbsp;Giancarlo Cicero ,&nbsp;Emma Angelini ,&nbsp;Sabrina Grassini ,&nbsp;Gaia Platania ,&nbsp;Micaela Castellino ,&nbsp;Marco Fontana ,&nbsp;Tommaso Poli ,&nbsp;Anna Collarin ,&nbsp;Marco Demmelbauer ,&nbsp;Franca Varallo ,&nbsp;Stefania De Blasi ,&nbsp;Marco Guglielminotti Trivel ,&nbsp;Eliano Diana","doi":"10.1016/j.culher.2025.07.013","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.culher.2025.07.013","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The present research study focuses on the archaeometric investigation of a delicate silver object. The artefact may be stylistically attributed to the Chinese Liao dynasty (907–1125 AD) and exhibits some peculiar aspects. It is made up of five overlapping and untied silver foil components, which may have been taken from unrelated artefacts and reassembled in ancient times. However, very little provenance information is available, and its manufacturing process is unknown. In addition, the reliquary was found in a highly fragmentary state, with advanced corrosion, extensive yellowing of the silver foils and severe embrittlement, which highly compromised its structural integrity and the legibility of its decorative features. Thus, a non-destructive and multi-analytical approach, based on surface spectroscopic techniques and structural characterization, was carried out on micro-fragments detached spontaneously from the reliquary. This study investigates the materials and manufacturing techniques, the conservation history, and the coherence of the five assembled components of this unique reliquary. Moreover, the investigation allowed us to gain insight into the silver microstructure and the possible causes of the observed alteration phenomena The results provide new knowledge on the metalworking practices of the Liao dynasty and might be valuable for developing and optimising strategies to restore the structural integrity of brittle ancient silver artefacts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15480,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cultural Heritage","volume":"75 ","pages":"Pages 23-30"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144665500","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sediments surrounding waterlogged archaeological wood: could arsenic be involved in preserving wooden pile dwelling from microbial decay? The Gran Carro case study (Lake Bolsena, central Italy)","authors":"M.C. Moscatelli ,&nbsp;R. Marabottini ,&nbsp;S. Tamantini ,&nbsp;G.M. Di Buduo ,&nbsp;G. Galotta ,&nbsp;F. Antonelli ,&nbsp;M. Romagnoli","doi":"10.1016/j.culher.2025.07.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.culher.2025.07.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Waterlogged archaeological wood (WAW) conservation depends on several abiotic properties related to water and/or sediments (temperature, pH, redox potential, salinity, heavy metals or pollutants) and biotic factors (amount and type of microorganisms and their metabolic activity). All these factors may be altered by anthropic activities and/or climate changes thus accelerating or decreasing wood decay rates. Regardless of its rate, the decomposition and alteration of submerged material can be expected to leave traces in the surrounding sediment properties.</div><div>Gran Carro is an archaeological site, located at Lake Bolsena (central Italy) and characterised by the presence of wooden pile dwellings (WPD). According to the most recent archaeological evidence, the site dates back in the period spanning from Middle Bronze Age (XV century BC) to the Early Iron Age (IX century BC). The study of waterlogged WPD, particularly those located in Mediterranean areas, was the object of <strong>WOODPDLAKE</strong> project financed by JPI-CH19. Lake Bolsena sediments chemical, biochemical (enzymatic activities) and microbiological properties (EL-FAME profiles), discriminated in the portion in tight contact with WAW (WSed) and the sediment in the surrounding area (Sed), are reported in this article with the aim to highlight any “wood effect”.</div><div>Most properties showed a clear “wood effect” indicating that WSed was strongly influenced by the processes occurring within WAW. The chemical properties of Gran Carro sediments showed a consistent amount of arsenic deriving from the volcanic lithological substrate whose fractionation showed, however, that it was mostly present in stable and immobilized forms. The presence of sulphate reducing bacteria suggested, in fact, the use of arsenic to form insoluble sulphide mineral-like phases that precipitated in the sediment and in wood structure. Arsenic was also highly concentrated within WAW, negatively impacting microbial biomass and activity, in terms of enzymatic activities, which were significantly decreased in WSed. The geochemistry and mobility of arsenic ion depend on environmental factors that may be impacted by climate changes. Therefore, it is advisable to monitor the current variations of environmental matrices such as soil, sediments, water in contact with archaeological material to understand the potential effects on the conservation of cultural heritage.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15480,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cultural Heritage","volume":"75 ","pages":"Pages 12-22"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144654567","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Foreword “Advances in artificial intelligence and quantitative methods for archaeology and art history”","authors":"Marco Corneli ,&nbsp;Isabelle Théry ,&nbsp;Vanna Lisa Coli ,&nbsp;Luca Calatroni","doi":"10.1016/j.culher.2025.07.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.culher.2025.07.008","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":15480,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cultural Heritage","volume":"75 ","pages":"Page 11"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144662131","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Methods for real-time underground built heritage visualization enhancement","authors":"Robert Olbrycht ,&nbsp;Alfonso Bahillo Martínez ,&nbsp;Ernesto Marcheggiani ,&nbsp;Müge Akkar Ercan ,&nbsp;Pinar Karagöz ,&nbsp;Karol Kropidłowski ,&nbsp;Giuseppe Pace","doi":"10.1016/j.culher.2025.07.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.culher.2025.07.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This scientific paper aims to address the challenges that come with enhancing the real-time visualization of underground heritage sites. The study seeks to overcome the limitations of low-light conditions and human color perception in underground environments by proposing a solution that combines image processing techniques and augmented reality (AR) concepts. The system utilizes a virtual reality (VR) headset integrated with a stereovision camera to capture live images. To improve image quality, the study evaluates various image processing algorithms, such as MultiScale Retinex and Contrast Limited Adaptive Histogram Equalization. The results show that the proposed methods are effective in enhancing the sightseeing experience of underground heritage sites. The image processing algorithms successfully brighten dark areas, increase clarity, and reveal subtle color differences. The paper discusses the system architecture and requirements, along with prototype testing in underground heritage sites. Overall, the developed system significantly improves the visualization of underground heritage sites in real-time, providing visitors with a more immersive and enhanced visual experience. The research offers valuable insights for future applications and research in this domain, contributing to the field of underground heritage visualization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15480,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cultural Heritage","volume":"75 ","pages":"Pages 1-10"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144654709","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Active thermography for the analysis and conservation of Roman lead pipes at the Baia archaeological park","authors":"Massimo Rippa ,&nbsp;Paola Fenelli ,&nbsp;Antimo Di Meo ,&nbsp;Giorgio Trojsi","doi":"10.1016/j.culher.2025.06.019","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.culher.2025.06.019","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The conservation and study of ancient cultural heritage artifacts, particularly those that have been buried or weathered over time, present considerable challenges. Among these artifacts, Roman lead pipes (<em>fistulae plumbeae</em>) require non-destructive methods to assess their condition and reveal hidden details. This study explores the application of active thermography (AT) as a non-destructive method for analyzing these artifacts, focusing on three distinct thermal stimulation techniques: hot air, long light pulse, and short light pulse. The analysis was conducted on three <em>fistulae plumbeae</em> from the Baia Archaeological Park, including a detailed case study on the <em>Pisones fistula</em>. Advanced thermal data processing techniques, such as Maximum Thermal Gradient, Thermal Recovery, and Principal Component Thermography, were employed to assess the conservation state of these pipes. The findings demonstrate that AT effectively identifies areas of deterioration, encrustations, and impurity accumulation, while also providing insights into the impact of restoration interventions. This pioneering research highlights the potential of infrared thermography for the non-destructive analysis of Roman lead pipes and underscores the broader applicability of thermal imaging technologies in cultural heritage conservation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15480,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cultural Heritage","volume":"74 ","pages":"Pages 257-264"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144570834","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"OCT-based quantitative analysis of craquelure morphology in an oil painting","authors":"Soojung Kim ,&nbsp;Ji-o Kim ,&nbsp;Gilles Nogues ,&nbsp;Kyujung Kim","doi":"10.1016/j.culher.2025.06.017","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.culher.2025.06.017","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A thorough three-dimensional quantitative analysis of an artwork crack can yield valuable and in-depth information regarding the preservation, restoration, and authenticity of the artwork. In this study, high-resolution three-dimensional optical coherence tomography(OCT) images were obtained for each type of crack, and cross-sectional images of the cracks were extracted. The width and depth distributions were measured over the entire length of the cracks, and the z-axis slice cross-sectional areas were measured over the entire height of the cracks. The analysis revealed that straight cracks exhibited the most significant variations in width and depth. In contrast, vertical cracks exhibited minimal variability in terms of width and depth. Furthermore, radial cracks exhibited greater variability in depth than in width. The z-axis cross-sectional area increased from the center of the crack to both ends or from one side of the central horizontal axis reference of the crack. The utilization of these precise artwork measurement data can facilitate the optimization of preservation and restoration efforts, thereby providing a scientific foundation for the identification of counterfeits. This approach can prevent damage to the aesthetic, economic, and historical value of the artwork and contribute to its appropriate preservation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15480,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cultural Heritage","volume":"74 ","pages":"Pages 332-340"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144604699","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tracing the evolution of artists' materials and manufacturers' choices in painted magic lantern slides","authors":"Ângela Santos ,&nbsp;Vanessa Otero ,&nbsp;Márcia Vilarigues","doi":"10.1016/j.culher.2025.06.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.culher.2025.06.008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Painted glass slides are fragile miniatures painted by hand on flat glass support to be projected with magic lanterns. Following the development of the magic lantern as the first optical instrument of projection in the mid-17th century, painted glass slides achieved the apogee of their production and use during the 18th and 19th centuries. Despite their widespread presence in collections and museums worldwide, the study of their materiality remains underexplored, posing challenges to their preservation.</div><div>This work investigates the colourants and binders used in 42 slides from Portuguese collections (Portuguese Cinematheque – Museum of Cinema and National Museum of Natural History and Science of the University of Lisbon) representative of the European production of the 18th and 19th centuries. A multi-analytical approach was employed, with minimal sampling restricted to paint areas detaching from the glass. Energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometry, Ultraviolet-Visible (UV–VIS) and Raman spectroscopies were favoured for <em>in situ</em> analysis, complemented by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Surface-Enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) carried out on micro-samples. It was possible to detect the presence of mastic and shellac resins as binding components and to identify several colourants, including red ochre, cochineal-based lakes, geranium lakes, vermilion, yellow ochre, gamboge, Prussian blue, ultramarine blue, copper-green, and carbon-black, and fillers such as gypsum.</div><div>These results establish correlations between identified materials and historical sources, reflecting artists’ choices and evolving manufacturing practices. Distinct palettes and techniques were associated with manufacturers such as Philip Carpenter, Carpenter &amp; Westley, W.E. &amp; F. Newton, and Lapierre. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of slide production techniques and support improved conservation strategies for these delicate and often overlooked heritage objects.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15480,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cultural Heritage","volume":"74 ","pages":"Pages 236-245"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144549373","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"From eye-tracking to games: exploring low-tech solutions for sustainable cultural landscape management","authors":"Marta Rusnak ,&nbsp;Barbara Kilijańska ,&nbsp;Izabela Garaszczuk ,&nbsp;Andrew Duchowski ,&nbsp;Małgorzata Biegańska ,&nbsp;Daria Dobrasiak ,&nbsp;Zofia Koszewicz","doi":"10.1016/j.culher.2025.06.011","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.culher.2025.06.011","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The development of cities to address social, cultural, and environmental challenges increasingly relies on new technologies. Eye tracking (ET) is one such method used to assess how urban developments impact the perception of architectural and cultural heritage. However, ET has limitations, including high costs and difficulties with certain populations. This paper proposes the use of games, specifically puzzles, as an accessible alternative for wider community engagement in urban planning. Although games are often viewed as less serious research tools, our study shows that they can produce results comparable to ET. A comparative analysis revealed significant correlations between how participants arranged architectural puzzles and their spatial perception of cultural landscapes. These findings suggest that games could offer a sustainable, low-cost method for evaluating urban development impacts on heritage sites. Future research should explore the broader applicability of puzzles and other game types in city management and heritage protection.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15480,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cultural Heritage","volume":"74 ","pages":"Pages 225-235"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144523490","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Setting up a methodology for restoring degraded daguerreotypes using UV lasers and atmospheric non-thermal plasma cleaning techniques","authors":"Diego Quintero Balbas ,&nbsp;Evdoxia Dimitroulaki ,&nbsp;Kristalia Melessanaki ,&nbsp;Barbara Cattaneo ,&nbsp;Andrea Cagnini ,&nbsp;Laura Bartoli ,&nbsp;Emanuele Verga Falzacappa ,&nbsp;Paolo Scopece ,&nbsp;Paraskevi Pouli ,&nbsp;Jana Striova","doi":"10.1016/j.culher.2025.06.021","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.culher.2025.06.021","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Since the early years of the development of daguerreotypes – the first commercial form of photography made public in 1839 – cleaning procedures have been necessary due to their tendency to tarnish. Cleaning daguerreotypes is challenging, and conventional methods often result in undesirable effects or prove impractical, especially for hand-colored plates. In recent decades, advanced techniques, such as laser and plasma cleaning, have been optimized for tarnish removal. However, their effectiveness in removing other substances, such as by-products of previous cleaning treatments, has not been evaluated. To address this issue, we investigated the efficacy of laser and atmospheric non-thermal plasma cleaning on two 19th-century daguerreotypes exhibiting two different degradation conditions: one with typical tarnish, and the other with a complex layer composed of cyanides, calcium carbonate, and an organic compound, likely produced during a previous cleaning attempt. This work reports systematic tests using visible (VIS) and ultraviolet (UV) lasers emitting at four different wavelengths: Nd:YAG (532 nm, 355 nm), KrF excimer (248 nm), and ArF excimer (193 nm). All the lasers operated in the nanosecond regime, except for the KrF excimer laser, which was also tested with femtosecond (500 fs) pulse duration. This is the first report of results using the 248 nm wavelength in both ns and fs regimes for daguerreotype restoration. For comparison, we also applied atmospheric non-thermal plasma cleaning to both types of degradation. The experiments allowed us to assess the advantages and limitations of both techniques, showing that both are suitable depending on the specific surface condition. Additionally, we evaluated a combined cleaning strategy that involved laser and wet cleaning with two different substances – distilled water and an EDTA solution – to optimize the cleaning outcomes. To make an informed selection of the parameters and evaluate treatment efficacy, we characterized the chemical composition and morphology of the daguerreotypes and their degradation products before and after cleaning using optical microscopy, μ-Raman spectroscopy, and SEM-EDS. Besides the identification of the degradation products, the analytical results provided a critical review of previous literature on laser cleaning of daguerreotypes and supported the determination of the best experimental conditions for the safe removal of degradation layers from the surface of daguerreotypes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15480,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cultural Heritage","volume":"74 ","pages":"Pages 289-299"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144596118","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}