The purpose of this paper is to identify an efficient, sustainable, and “green” approach to address the challenges of the preservation of hypogeum heritage, focusing on the problem of moisture, a recurring cause of degradation in porous materials, especially in catacombs. Conventional and novel technologies have been used to address this issue with a completely non-destructive approach. The article provides a multidisciplinary investigation making use of advanced technologies and analysis to quantify the extent and distribution of water infiltration in masonry before damage starts to be visible or irreversibly causes damage. Four different technologies, namely Portable Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), Audio Frequency–Acoustic Imaging (AF–AI), Laser-Induced Fluorescence (LIF), Infrared Thermography (IRT), and 3D Laser Scanning (RGB-ITR), were applied in the Priscilla catacombs in Rome (Italy). These imaging techniques allow the characterisation of the deterioration of painted surfaces within the delicate environment of the Greek chapel in the Priscilla catacombs. The resulting high-detailed 3D coloured model allowed for easily referencing the data collected by the other techniques aimed also at the study of the potential presence of salt efflorescence and/or microorganisms. The results supply an efficient and sustainable tool aimed at cultural heritage conservation but also at the creation of digital documentation obtained with green methodologies for a wider sharing, ensuring its preservation for future generations.

The absolute chronology of historical structures in regions with limited documentary evidence or organic remains presents a significant challenge for archaeologists and historians. Radiocarbon dating of anthropogenic carbonates, such as mortar binders, offers a potential solution but is often complicated by contamination from geological carbon sources or post-depositional recrystallization. This study presents the first radiocarbon dates obtained from Mg-lime mortars and plasters collected at the ancient village of Dūré, located in the Nahla Valley of Iraqi Kurdistan, with a focus on the church of Bnê Shmunĩ, the valley’s oldest standing structure. This mortars with high magnesium content constitute more complex geochemical systems, which introduce additional challenges to radiocarbon dating procedures. The presented study shows that radiocarbon dating of mortars, when combined with characterization and multiple fraction measurements, can yield meaningful chronological information even in challenging archaeological and build heritage contexts. Radiocarbon measurements of binders from mortars collected from sacred buildings in Iraqi Kurdistan’s Nahla Valley establish a chronological framework for the area’s Christian ecclesiastical architecture, providing a basis for investigating the chronology of Christianization in the valley.