In this work, we present some new results in applying thermoluminescence (TL) dating to the clay ... more In this work, we present some new results in applying thermoluminescence (TL) dating to the clay core of bronze statues. This is very important, due to the impossibility of directly dating a metal. Very few cases of indirect dating of clay cores by TL are reported in the literature. We re-considered three cases of dating of clay core from important bronzes in Rome. The parameters to be considered were not easy to calculate in the case of the Lupa Capitolina. However, its traditionally reported Etruscan origin is definitely ruled out, even if the accuracy in the dating is too low to precisely propose a date of the casting. The comparison with radiocarbon results shows good agreement for a Medieval dating. Two other bronze statues were analysed in order to date their casting by TL; a horse from Musei Capitolini resulted to have been cast in the Greek classical period, excluding its casting in the Rome imperial period. A third study shows that, in particularly favourable situations, TL...
The Giotto’s masterpiece God the Father with Angels, never investigated till now, was studied by ... more The Giotto’s masterpiece God the Father with Angels, never investigated till now, was studied by our team of local researchers, involved in application of scientific methods for cultural heritage since many years. Exploiting the integration of different knowledges, technologies and resources of our team, we were able to provide data to understand the painting technique, the pigment used and the underdrawing of this Giotto’s painting. We performed the following non-invasive analyses: Macro-XRF scanning (MA-XRF), Fiber optic reflectance spectroscopy (FORS), high resolution IR scanning reflectography, infrared false color (IRFC). Only portable instrumentations were used, with operating times compatible with the opening hours of exhibition. In particular, the analytical campaign was the opportunity to test the portable IR scanning prototype based on a peculiar spherical scanning system characterized by light weight and low cost motorized head. The analytical results revealed a painting ...
Seven radiocarbon laboratories: Åbo/Aarhus, CIRCE, CIRCe, ETHZ, Poznań, RICH, and Milano-Bicocca ... more Seven radiocarbon laboratories: Åbo/Aarhus, CIRCE, CIRCe, ETHZ, Poznań, RICH, and Milano-Bicocca performed separation of carbonaceous fractions suitable for 14C dating of four mortar samples selected for the MOrtar Dating Inter-comparison Study (MODIS). In addition, optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) analyses were completed by Milano-Bicocca and IRAMAT-CRP2A Bordeaux. Each laboratory performed separation according to laboratory protocol. Results of this first intercomparison show that even though consistent 14C ages were obtained by different laboratories, two mortars yielded ages different than expected from the archaeological context.
Abstract In this study, TL and OSL dating were applied respectively to bricks and mortars taken f... more Abstract In this study, TL and OSL dating were applied respectively to bricks and mortars taken from a few key structures of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Modena (northern Italy). The samples came from the Cathedral and the Ghirlandina Tower, built between the end of the XII century and the first half of the XIV century AD. TL dating of bricks showed that we were dealing with the well-known phenomenon of re-use of ancient Roman bricks. However, it was also possible to discover and date quite precisely a previously unknown renovation phase in the Cathedral apse area (XVI century). Regarding the OSL mortar dating, both Multi-Grain and Single Grain techniques were applied on quartz grains, possibly well bleached during mortar preparation. OSL gave good results for one sample from the Cathedral and three from the Ghirlandina Tower. The other gave ages much older than expected, indicating the possible uncompleted bleaching of the quartz grains as the main problem of this dating application. Finally, the application of the Bayesian statistical approach, reducing the error associated with the data, supported a new building chronology, in particular for the Ghirlandina Tower.
The paper discusses data concerning the secondary manufacture technology of a set of opaque colou... more The paper discusses data concerning the secondary manufacture technology of a set of opaque coloured early Islamic mosaic glass tesserae from the qasr of Khirbet al-Mafjar (Jericho, Palestine). Archaeological contextualisation of the site had allowed attributing these finds to the Umayyad occupational phase of the building, and an in-depth study of the composition of the glassy matrix had provided evidence of a double supply of glass from Egypt and the Syro-Palestinian coast occurring in the production of the base glass intended to be used for the manufacture of mosaic tesserae. Here, a multi-methodological approach has been carried out to characterise colourants and opacifiers: visible reflectance spectroscopy (VIS-RS), optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersion analysis (SEM-EDS), micro-Raman spectroscopy (micro-Raman) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were performed on the opaque tesserae. Moreover, either optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) or thermoluminescence (TL) protocols for luminescence dating were applied on selected samples, with the aim of relating luminescence properties with the geochemical features of the glass tesserae, in the perspective of deepening the studies towards the absolute dating, an unquestionable help to the stimulating challenge of investigating ancient glass manufacture. Tin-based, phosphorus-based and copper-based opacifiers were identified, and the achieved results suggest the use of the same opacifiers and colouring agents regardless of the different base glass. Furthermore, data obtained by TL and OSL protocols revealed useful and stimulating potentialities these techniques could have in dating opaque glasses.
The paper discusses data concerning the secondary manufacture technology of a set of opaque colou... more The paper discusses data concerning the secondary manufacture technology of a set of opaque coloured early Islamic mosaic glass tesserae from the qasr of Khirbet al-Mafjar (Jericho, Palestine). Archaeological contextualisation of the site had allowed attributing these finds to the Umayyad occupational phase of the building, and an in-depth study of the composition of the glassy matrix had provided evidence of a double supply of glass from Egypt and the Syro-Palestinian coast occurring in the production of the base glass intended to be used for the manufacture of mosaic tesserae. Here, a multi-methodological approach has been carried out to characterise colourants and opacifiers: visible reflectance spectroscopy (VIS-RS), optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersion analysis (SEM-EDS), micro-Raman spectroscopy (micro-Raman) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were performed on the opaque tesserae. Moreover, either optically stimulated luminescence (OSL...
Poldi, G., Quartana, L., Galli, A., Maspero, F., Fedi, M., D'Elia, M., et al. (2009). Dating... more Poldi, G., Quartana, L., Galli, A., Maspero, F., Fedi, M., D'Elia, M., et al. (2009). Dating a composite ancient wooden artefact and its modifications. A case study. Il Nuovo cimento della Società Italiana di Fisica. C, 31(4), 569-580. ... There are no files associated with this item.
Poldi, G., Quartana, L., Galli, A., Maspero, F., Fedi, M., D'Elia, M., et al. (2009). Dating... more Poldi, G., Quartana, L., Galli, A., Maspero, F., Fedi, M., D'Elia, M., et al. (2009). Dating a composite ancient wooden artefact and its modifications. A case study. Il Nuovo cimento della Società Italiana di Fisica. C, 31(4), 569-580. ... There are no files associated with this item.
Among the possible variants of X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), applications exploiting scanning Macro-X... more Among the possible variants of X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), applications exploiting scanning Macro-XRF (MA-XRF) are lately widespread as they allow the visualization of the element distribution maintaining a non-destructive approach. The surface is scanned with a focused or collimated X-ray beam of millimeters or less: analyzing the emitted fluorescence radiation, also elements present below the surface contribute to the elemental distribution image obtained, due to the penetrative nature of X-rays. The importance of this method in the investigation of historical paintings is so obvious—as the elemental distribution obtained can reveal hidden sub-surface layers, including changes made by the artist, or restorations, without any damage to the object—that recently specific international conferences have been held. The present paper summarizes the advantages and limitations of using MA-XRF considering it as an imaging technique, in synergy with other hyperspectral methods, or combining it...
Ossimo-Pat megalithic sanctuary (Valle Camonica, BS, Italy) is one of the most relevant archaeolo... more Ossimo-Pat megalithic sanctuary (Valle Camonica, BS, Italy) is one of the most relevant archaeological findings of the southern alpine region, for the variety of its structures and the quality of its engraved monoliths. Its unique state of preservation gives the opportunity to apply the luminescence dating of the rock surface method. Here, we investigate the use of optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) for dating five cobbles from the site and compare cobble-surface derived ages to quartz OSL ages from sediments and to archaeological evidences. The obtained ages confirm the archaeological studies and open the way to a new hypothesis.
Absolute dating of mortars is crucial when trying to pin down construction phases of archaeologic... more Absolute dating of mortars is crucial when trying to pin down construction phases of archaeological sites and historic stone buildings to a certain point in time or to confirm, but possibly also challenge, existing chronologies. To evaluate various sample preparation methods for radiocarbon (14C) dating of mortars as well as to compare different dating methods, i.e. 14C and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL), a mortar dating intercomparison study (MODIS) was set up, exploring existing limits and needs for further research. Four mortar samples were selected and distributed among the participating laboratories: one of which was expected not to present any problem related to the sample preparation methodologies for anthropogenic lime extraction, whereas all others addressed specific known sample preparation issues. Data obtained from the various mortar dating approaches are evaluated relative to the historical framework of the mortar samples and any deviation observed is contextua...
In this work, we present some new results in applying thermoluminescence (TL) dating to the clay ... more In this work, we present some new results in applying thermoluminescence (TL) dating to the clay core of bronze statues. This is very important, due to the impossibility of directly dating a metal. Very few cases of indirect dating of clay cores by TL are reported in the literature. We re-considered three cases of dating of clay core from important bronzes in Rome. The parameters to be considered were not easy to calculate in the case of the Lupa Capitolina. However, its traditionally reported Etruscan origin is definitely ruled out, even if the accuracy in the dating is too low to precisely propose a date of the casting. The comparison with radiocarbon results shows good agreement for a Medieval dating. Two other bronze statues were analysed in order to date their casting by TL; a horse from Musei Capitolini resulted to have been cast in the Greek classical period, excluding its casting in the Rome imperial period. A third study shows that, in particularly favourable situations, TL...
The Giotto’s masterpiece God the Father with Angels, never investigated till now, was studied by ... more The Giotto’s masterpiece God the Father with Angels, never investigated till now, was studied by our team of local researchers, involved in application of scientific methods for cultural heritage since many years. Exploiting the integration of different knowledges, technologies and resources of our team, we were able to provide data to understand the painting technique, the pigment used and the underdrawing of this Giotto’s painting. We performed the following non-invasive analyses: Macro-XRF scanning (MA-XRF), Fiber optic reflectance spectroscopy (FORS), high resolution IR scanning reflectography, infrared false color (IRFC). Only portable instrumentations were used, with operating times compatible with the opening hours of exhibition. In particular, the analytical campaign was the opportunity to test the portable IR scanning prototype based on a peculiar spherical scanning system characterized by light weight and low cost motorized head. The analytical results revealed a painting ...
Seven radiocarbon laboratories: Åbo/Aarhus, CIRCE, CIRCe, ETHZ, Poznań, RICH, and Milano-Bicocca ... more Seven radiocarbon laboratories: Åbo/Aarhus, CIRCE, CIRCe, ETHZ, Poznań, RICH, and Milano-Bicocca performed separation of carbonaceous fractions suitable for 14C dating of four mortar samples selected for the MOrtar Dating Inter-comparison Study (MODIS). In addition, optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) analyses were completed by Milano-Bicocca and IRAMAT-CRP2A Bordeaux. Each laboratory performed separation according to laboratory protocol. Results of this first intercomparison show that even though consistent 14C ages were obtained by different laboratories, two mortars yielded ages different than expected from the archaeological context.
Abstract In this study, TL and OSL dating were applied respectively to bricks and mortars taken f... more Abstract In this study, TL and OSL dating were applied respectively to bricks and mortars taken from a few key structures of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Modena (northern Italy). The samples came from the Cathedral and the Ghirlandina Tower, built between the end of the XII century and the first half of the XIV century AD. TL dating of bricks showed that we were dealing with the well-known phenomenon of re-use of ancient Roman bricks. However, it was also possible to discover and date quite precisely a previously unknown renovation phase in the Cathedral apse area (XVI century). Regarding the OSL mortar dating, both Multi-Grain and Single Grain techniques were applied on quartz grains, possibly well bleached during mortar preparation. OSL gave good results for one sample from the Cathedral and three from the Ghirlandina Tower. The other gave ages much older than expected, indicating the possible uncompleted bleaching of the quartz grains as the main problem of this dating application. Finally, the application of the Bayesian statistical approach, reducing the error associated with the data, supported a new building chronology, in particular for the Ghirlandina Tower.
The paper discusses data concerning the secondary manufacture technology of a set of opaque colou... more The paper discusses data concerning the secondary manufacture technology of a set of opaque coloured early Islamic mosaic glass tesserae from the qasr of Khirbet al-Mafjar (Jericho, Palestine). Archaeological contextualisation of the site had allowed attributing these finds to the Umayyad occupational phase of the building, and an in-depth study of the composition of the glassy matrix had provided evidence of a double supply of glass from Egypt and the Syro-Palestinian coast occurring in the production of the base glass intended to be used for the manufacture of mosaic tesserae. Here, a multi-methodological approach has been carried out to characterise colourants and opacifiers: visible reflectance spectroscopy (VIS-RS), optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersion analysis (SEM-EDS), micro-Raman spectroscopy (micro-Raman) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were performed on the opaque tesserae. Moreover, either optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) or thermoluminescence (TL) protocols for luminescence dating were applied on selected samples, with the aim of relating luminescence properties with the geochemical features of the glass tesserae, in the perspective of deepening the studies towards the absolute dating, an unquestionable help to the stimulating challenge of investigating ancient glass manufacture. Tin-based, phosphorus-based and copper-based opacifiers were identified, and the achieved results suggest the use of the same opacifiers and colouring agents regardless of the different base glass. Furthermore, data obtained by TL and OSL protocols revealed useful and stimulating potentialities these techniques could have in dating opaque glasses.
The paper discusses data concerning the secondary manufacture technology of a set of opaque colou... more The paper discusses data concerning the secondary manufacture technology of a set of opaque coloured early Islamic mosaic glass tesserae from the qasr of Khirbet al-Mafjar (Jericho, Palestine). Archaeological contextualisation of the site had allowed attributing these finds to the Umayyad occupational phase of the building, and an in-depth study of the composition of the glassy matrix had provided evidence of a double supply of glass from Egypt and the Syro-Palestinian coast occurring in the production of the base glass intended to be used for the manufacture of mosaic tesserae. Here, a multi-methodological approach has been carried out to characterise colourants and opacifiers: visible reflectance spectroscopy (VIS-RS), optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersion analysis (SEM-EDS), micro-Raman spectroscopy (micro-Raman) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were performed on the opaque tesserae. Moreover, either optically stimulated luminescence (OSL...
Poldi, G., Quartana, L., Galli, A., Maspero, F., Fedi, M., D'Elia, M., et al. (2009). Dating... more Poldi, G., Quartana, L., Galli, A., Maspero, F., Fedi, M., D'Elia, M., et al. (2009). Dating a composite ancient wooden artefact and its modifications. A case study. Il Nuovo cimento della Società Italiana di Fisica. C, 31(4), 569-580. ... There are no files associated with this item.
Poldi, G., Quartana, L., Galli, A., Maspero, F., Fedi, M., D'Elia, M., et al. (2009). Dating... more Poldi, G., Quartana, L., Galli, A., Maspero, F., Fedi, M., D'Elia, M., et al. (2009). Dating a composite ancient wooden artefact and its modifications. A case study. Il Nuovo cimento della Società Italiana di Fisica. C, 31(4), 569-580. ... There are no files associated with this item.
Among the possible variants of X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), applications exploiting scanning Macro-X... more Among the possible variants of X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), applications exploiting scanning Macro-XRF (MA-XRF) are lately widespread as they allow the visualization of the element distribution maintaining a non-destructive approach. The surface is scanned with a focused or collimated X-ray beam of millimeters or less: analyzing the emitted fluorescence radiation, also elements present below the surface contribute to the elemental distribution image obtained, due to the penetrative nature of X-rays. The importance of this method in the investigation of historical paintings is so obvious—as the elemental distribution obtained can reveal hidden sub-surface layers, including changes made by the artist, or restorations, without any damage to the object—that recently specific international conferences have been held. The present paper summarizes the advantages and limitations of using MA-XRF considering it as an imaging technique, in synergy with other hyperspectral methods, or combining it...
Ossimo-Pat megalithic sanctuary (Valle Camonica, BS, Italy) is one of the most relevant archaeolo... more Ossimo-Pat megalithic sanctuary (Valle Camonica, BS, Italy) is one of the most relevant archaeological findings of the southern alpine region, for the variety of its structures and the quality of its engraved monoliths. Its unique state of preservation gives the opportunity to apply the luminescence dating of the rock surface method. Here, we investigate the use of optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) for dating five cobbles from the site and compare cobble-surface derived ages to quartz OSL ages from sediments and to archaeological evidences. The obtained ages confirm the archaeological studies and open the way to a new hypothesis.
Absolute dating of mortars is crucial when trying to pin down construction phases of archaeologic... more Absolute dating of mortars is crucial when trying to pin down construction phases of archaeological sites and historic stone buildings to a certain point in time or to confirm, but possibly also challenge, existing chronologies. To evaluate various sample preparation methods for radiocarbon (14C) dating of mortars as well as to compare different dating methods, i.e. 14C and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL), a mortar dating intercomparison study (MODIS) was set up, exploring existing limits and needs for further research. Four mortar samples were selected and distributed among the participating laboratories: one of which was expected not to present any problem related to the sample preparation methodologies for anthropogenic lime extraction, whereas all others addressed specific known sample preparation issues. Data obtained from the various mortar dating approaches are evaluated relative to the historical framework of the mortar samples and any deviation observed is contextua...
Uploads
Papers by Anna Galli