Seminars Archive

Synchrotron radiation techniques for the analysis of cultural heritage objects

Abstract
The conservation of cultural heritage is the only way to preserve the identity of a society. The range of materials which is deemed to be of cultural heritage significance is huge, and there are lots of techniques for both the characterization and the restoration of art objects. Synchrotron radiation is particularly suited to the micro destructive characterisation of such heterogeneous materials and a steep increase in the number of publications has been noticed recently from cultural heritage works using synchrotron radiation. In this short presentation we show some recent case studies, held in 2005 and 2006 by Chem4Tech Laboratory researchers in Daresbury Synchrotron, in which art objects are analyzed by means of SR techniques such as X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, optically detected X-ray absorption, FTIR, as well as using laboratory equipment. CASE STUDIES: • Palazzo Loggia, Brescia • Duomo di Milano • Affreschi Chiostri del Carmine, Brescia • Cimitero Vantiniano, Brescia • Affreschi Lippi, Duomo di Prato • Ghirlandaio • Vetri Julia Felix • Papiro di Artemidoro • Lustri, Perugia