Wall Mosaics: A Review of On-Site Non-Invasive Methods, Application Challenges and New Frontiers for Their Study and Preservation.

Antonina Chaban,Vivi Tornari,Rita Deiana

doi:10.3390/jimaging6100108

Antonina Chaban, Vivi Tornari + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/jimaging6100108

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Abstract

This review concerns the challenges and perspectives of on-site non-invasive measurements applied to wall mosaics. Wall mosaics, during the centuries, decorated numerous buildings, nowadays being part of world cultural heritage. The preservation and maintenance of these valuable decorations are undoubtedly directly dependent on identifying possible problems that could affect their hidden structure. On-site non-invasive methods, using different contact or no-contact technologies, can offer support in this specific field of application. The choice of the appropriate technique or combination of different techniques depends, in general, on the depth of investigation, the resolution, the possibility to have direct contact with the surfaces or, on the contrary, limited accessibility of the wall mosaics due to their location (e.g., vaults), as well as deterioration problems, (e.g., voids, detachments, or humidity effects). This review paper provides a brief overview of selected recent studies regarding non-invasive methods applied to the analysis of wall mosaics. This review, discussing the assessment of advantages and limitations for each method here considered, also considers possible future developments of imaging techniques in this specific context for cultural heritage applications.

Highlights

The use of wall mosaics as surface decoration in historical buildings can be traced back to the ancient Orient using wall coverings made by clay cones, different both in size and thickness from the traditional wall mosaics [1]
This review is focused on the main methods currently used and available for the non-invasive analysis and monitoring of ancient wall mosaics
This review considers only non-invasive methods useful to the study of wall mosaics and focuses documentation of these interventions

Summary

Introduction

The use of wall mosaics as surface decoration in historical buildings (e.g., houses, palaces, churches etc.) can be traced back to the ancient Orient using wall coverings made by clay cones, different both in size and thickness from the traditional wall mosaics [1]. The extensive use of the most known small tesserae, as a decoration of walls, columns, pillars, ceilings, and vaults, is documented over the centuries, in Greek, Roman, and Byzantine periods [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10], in numerous examples of buildings, which are part of the world cultural heritage. The mosaics located on walls, domes, and vaults are more difficult to study (due to their position, geometric and surface features etc.). This review is focused on the main methods currently used and available for the non-invasive analysis and monitoring of ancient wall mosaics. These decorations below the tesserae present simple preparation layers, compared to the floor mosaics.

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