The paper discusses the case study of the Marriage at Cana, a sixteenth century wall painting located in Ravenna and executed by Luca Longhi. A multi-analytical approach based upon OM, SEM–EDS, μ-Raman, μ-FTIR and biological analyses was selected to investigate the painting technique and the state of preservation of the artwork, compromised by a severe alteration. Data demonstrated that the artwork was executed with a dry painting technique: a siccative oil was used as binder, while indigo, lead white, carbon black, ochres, vermilion and red lead were identified as pigments. Biological analyses clearly allowed identifying Eurotium halophilicum as the fungus responsible for the white patina compromising the painted surface and, according to this result, Biotin T was selected as the most effective biocide to stop the biological attack. The precarious conditions in which the painting was, attributable to previously performed interventions and to the conservation environment, laid the groundwork for a challenging restoration conducted in 2016. Scientific analyses better clarified the kind of materials employed in the execution on the artwork, as well as how the previous restoration was carried out; furthermore, analytical data methodologically supported phases of the intervention like cleaning, filling of the lacunae and pictorial retouching, as products were selected on the basis of their affinity to original materials and painting technique. This study will hopefully encourage reflections on how a synergic dialogue between conservation science and restoration can represent an important reference point for interventions to be conducted with scientific criteria and suitable methodology, in the light of the shared vision and common goal of transferring patrimony to future generations.

This study aimed at laying the groundwork for a compendium on mineralogical phases responsible for the colors and opacity of ancient glasses, with specific reference to mosaic tesserae. Based on the awareness that a comprehensive database of these phases is currently lacking in the available literature, this compendium foresees two main objectives. The first scope was to set the basis for a well-structured database, as a reference point for scholars from different backgrounds for comparative and methodological purposes. The second goal was to provide insights on analytical methods that could be profitably used for achieving an in-depth characterization of coloring and opacifying inclusions; a tailored multi-analytical approach based on easily accessible and widespread techniques like OM, SEM-EDS, μ-Raman, and XRPD is proposed here. Micro-structural and compositional features of glass tesserae, where different types of crystalline phases were detected (Sb-based, Sn-based, Cu-based, Ca-phosphate-based) are presented in well-structured synoptic tables, following a summary on historical–archaeological information on their use.

The paper reports and discusses data obtained by archaeological and archaeometric studies of glass vessels and tesserae from the qasr of Khirbet al-Mafjar (near Jericho, Palestine). Archaeological contextualisation of the site and chrono-typological study of glass vessels were associated to EPMA and LA–ICP–MS analyses, performed to characterise the composition of the glassy matrix (major and minor components as well as trace elements). Analyses allowed achieving meaningful and intriguing results, which gain insights into the production and consumption of glass vessels and tesserae in the near East during the Umayyad period (seventh–eighth centuries). Within the analysed samples, both an Egyptian and a Levantine manufacture have been identified: such data provide evidence of a double supply of glass from Egypt and the Syro-Palestinian coast in the Umayyad period occurring not only in the glassware manufacture but also in the production of base glass intended to be used in the manufacture of mosaic tesserae. Thus, the achieved results represent the first material evidence of a non-exclusive gathering of glass tesserae from Byzantium and the Byzantines in the manufacture of early Islamic mosaics.

The deprivation of historical and cultural testimony has a direct impact on a territory and its local communities, leading to the loss of social cohesiveness, identity values, and resources that come from sustainable tourism. Even though international action frameworks (Hyogo Framework for Action, Sendai Framework for Action, and 2030 Sustainable Development Goals) emphasise how important it is to recognise the relationship between heritage, society, and territory, a strategic and sustainable vision of participatory conservation and safeguarding is still required on a local level. Through the activities implemented within the SIRIUS and RESTART projects, led by the Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna, this paper aims to stimulate a reflection on how the cultural heritage of a place might constitute an effective resilience tool for the impacted populations, with a focus on young citizens. As a transversal element in achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, cultural heritage can play a significant role in the establishment of a “risk culture” among residents and visitors, promoting the adoption of responsible behaviours for one’s own safety in an emergency and for the better preservation of cultural assets. In a broader perspective, this strategy will support “climate-sensitive” tourism and citizenship, which can facilitate adaptation to local climate change impacts.