Ancient Restoration Research Articles

Molecular Characterization of Adhesives (Glue Lining Pastes) Used in Restoration.

The molecular characterization of samples from works of art can provide valuable insights into the composition of ancient restoration materials and their conservation state. Here, we present a novel analytical protocol for the molecular characterization of a specific adhesive used in historical painting restoration, known as "glue lining pastes." Due to the high molecular complexity of these adhesives, we propose a multistep extraction protocol to recover and fractionate from a single microsample the three main classes of biomolecules contained in glue pastes (lipids, polysaccharides, and proteins). High-performance separation coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (MS) techniques were applied to the isolated fractions to identify specific components. The proposed method was optimized using test specimens of various traditional glue pastes applied to canvases and successfully applied to a historical glue paste sample from the 17th-century painting "La fuga in Egitto," part of the Pagliara collection at the University Suor Orsola Benincasa (Naples, Italy). The data collected in this work provide insights into the specific recipe used for adhesive preparation, supporting artistic and historical interpretations and contributing to a broader understanding of old restoration practices. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with the identifier PXD051480.

Ancient restoration practices in the Monumental Nymphaeum at Tripolis ad Maeandrum (Turkey): multi-analytical approach on Roman and Byzantine bonding mortars

The study of ancient architectural restoration has recently gained attention in the field of archaeometry thanks to a new sensitivity for the long biographies of human artifacts. The paper focuses on ancient repairs documented in the column shafts of the Monumental Nymphaeum of Tripolis ad Maeandrum (Denizli, Turkey). Bonding mortars used to hold the ancient patches in place were sampled and analysed according to a multi-analytical protocol, coupling mineralogical and petrographic investigation (XRPD and OM) together with FT-IR and chromatographic and mass spectrometric techniques (i.e. Py–GC–MS, GC–MS, HPLC-MS) for the characterisation of the inorganic and organic components. For the inorganic part, medium and fine-grained crystals of calcite are used as aggregates. As for the organic fractions, three different ingredients have been detected: egg, beeswax and Pinaceae resin. These multi-ingredient recipes detected in Tripolis are discussed with reference to ancient literary sources and the results of scientific investigations previously performed on ancient architectural repairs in the nearby city of Hierapolis of Phrygia, to highlight functional and chronological differences.

FTIR AND THERMOGRAVIMETRIC ANALYSIS OF ANCIENT MORTAR FROM AL-AMUWAQQAR EARLY ISLAMIC BATHHOUSE IN JORDAN FOR CONSERVATION USE

"This paper aims to analyze and evaluate the function of two types of ancient mortars in the bathhouse at al-Muwaqqar archaeological site in Jordan to promote the awareness level of cultural heritage conservation of ancient buildings and mortars in Jordan. The conservation of archaeological structures requires a thorough characterization and identification of the mortar components before carrying out the restoration, after the preserved results, and during the restoration process to decide how it responds. This work creates an experimental contribution through FTIR to study the influence of organic components on the mechanical performance of the mortar. The application of new techniques in terms of sustainability and compatibility is nowadays more and more important to preserve historical monuments, especially in the context of the increasing damage to the mortar joints in the al-Muwaqqar site. The paper presents new results concerning the identification of the binding materials of mortars, especially the organic parts as egg white or other organic components used in the bathhouse to connect the mosaics, and the collection of further information for compatibility challenges. The results will provide a new pioneering approach application in Jordan in the field of ancient restoration using mortar. The study concludes that it is easy to identify all the organic components of the mortar using Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) in the different bands of the organic material supported by thermogravimetric analysis TGA/SEMEDX. The investigations of both methods have provided accurate information about the technology of mortar production and have indicated a proteinaceous additive in the mortar."

Ancient restorations: computer-based structural approach for the identification and reinterpretation of the Medracen’s constructive sequence

This paper addresses the importance of a structural approach for identifying and interpreting building chronology, as well as for the establishment of historical stratigraphy. Through structural analyses, carried out on the oldest extant royal mausoleum in North Africa, the Medracen (4th-3rd century BC), located in eastern Algeria, it has been possible to identify building sequences and structural characteristics; a reinterpretation of its constructive sequence within a specific historical context was also suggested. A static linear Finite Element Method (FEM) analysis was performed on a simplified 3D model conceived with solid elements to assess the structural behaviour of the structure under the effect of its self-weight and to identify, consequently, its construction sequence. The equilibrium approach was effective in identifying the structure’s geometry. Results show that Medracen’s ancient restoration was a strengthening intervention strategy and had a symbolic aim related to the function of the funerary building. Restoration works, consisting of repairing specific parts of the building and adding an external cladding, as a whole architectural entity, contributed to reducing the effect of tensile stress, therefore, stabilizing the inner core. Besides, this same action was a means for the Numidian elite to transform an ancient monumental burial (sepulchrum) into a monument (monumentum) with cultural significance likely to convey socio-political messages relating to power and sovereignty. Therefore, we can speak of an “evolutionary restoration” that reflects the ambitions of the Numidian elite to become part of the Mediterranean orbit.

Ancient Restoration in Roman Polychromy: Detecting Aesthetic Changes?

Few instances of material evidence for ancient colour restorations have been documented over the last 20 years, during which time the scientific approach to the study of polychromy has been defined. This article presents eight new cases of ancient restoration of colour from the Roman Imperial Age. By combining observations in visible and UV light and video microscopy with a micro-stratigraphic approach, MA-X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, and contextual archaeological data, we have observed evidence which could suggest an aesthetic change in the use of colour between the 2nd and 4th centuries CE: from polychrome and multitone effects to the use of monochromatic, flat, and uniform colour finishes.

Multidisciplinary discovery of ancient restoration using a rare mud carapace on a mummified individual from late New Kingdom Egypt.

CT scans of an unnamed mummified adult from Egypt, now in the Chau Chak Wing Museum, University of Sydney (NMR.27.3), reveal it to be fully sheathed in a mud shell or carapace, exposing a mortuary treatment not previously documented in the Egyptian archaeological record. The carapace was placed between layers of linen wrappings thus it was not externally visible. Radiocarbon dating of textile samples provide a range of c.1370–1113 cal BC (95.4% probability), with a median date of 1207 cal BC. When assessed against mummification techniques of the era, the individual is placed in the late 19th–20th Dynasty, at the later end of this date range. Multi-proxy analysis including μ-XRF and Raman spectroscopy of carapace fragments from the head area revealed it to consist of three layers, comprising a thin base layer of mud, coated with a white calcite-based pigment and a red-painted surface of mixed composition. Whether the whole surface of the carapace was painted red is unknown. The carapace was a form of ancient conservation applied subsequent to post-mortem damage to the body, intended to reconfigure the body and enable continued existence of the deceased in the afterlife. The carapace can also be interpreted as a form of elite emulation imitating resin shells found within the wrappings of royal bodies from this period.

Nondestructive Analysis of Mummification Balms in Ancient Egypt Based on EPR of Vanadyl and Organic Radical Markers of Bitumen.

The black matter employed in the funeral context by ancient Egyptians is a complex mixture of plant-based compounds with variable amounts of bitumen. Asphaltene, the most resistant component of bitumen, contains vanadyl porphyrins and carbonaceous radicals, which can be used as paramagnetic probes to investigate embalming materials without sample preparation. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) at the X-band, combining in-phase and out-of-phase detection schemes, provides new information in a nondestructive way about the presence, the origin, and the evolution of bitumen in these complex materials. It is found that the relative EPR intensity of radicals and vanadyl porphyrins is sensitive to the origin of the bitumen. The presence of nonporphyrinic vanadyl complexes in historical samples is likely due to the complexation of VO2+ ions by carboxylic functions at the interface between bitumen and other biological components of the embalming matter. The absence of such oxygenated vanadyl complex in natural bitumen and in one case of historical human mummy acquired by a museum in the 19th century reveals a possible, nondocumented, ancient restoration of this mummy by pure bitumen. The linear correlation between in-phase and out-of-phase EPR intensities of radicals and vanadyl porphyrins in balms and in natural bitumen reveals a nanostructuration of radicals and vanadyl porphyrin complexes, which was not affected by the preparation of the balm. This points to the remarkable chemical stability of paramagnetic probes in historical bitumen in ancient Egypt.

Ancient restoration and production technologies of Roman mortars from monuments placed in hydrogeological risk areas: a case study

This paper focuses on the study of different Roman mortars (renders, finishing coats), used in the construction and restoration of the Forum Traiani thermal baths (Central Sardinia, Italy), a significant example of the Roman-style architecture in Sardinia. The archaeological site is located in a high hydrogeological risk area, due to the cyclical flooding of nearby Tirso river. Moreover, the presence of thermal saline (NaCl-bearing) water spring directly in contact with mortars and building stones, also contributed to structure degradation. An analytical approach, comprising mineralogical-petrographic characterization, physical analysis and particle-size distribution of aggregate, was used for mortars characterization. In addition, pXRD analysis on mortars defined the presence of alteration minerals while the thermal characterization (TGA) gave information about binder hydraulicity degree. Further μ-XRD-associated μ-Raman spectroscopy and μ-FTIR were utilized for pigments identification on frescos. Interesting results came from two wall stratigraphic series of mortars, highlighting construction stages, ancient restoring interventions and waterproofing methods. The main pigments used on red, yellow and black frescoes were red ochre, goethite and wood charcoal respectively.

Villa del Casale (Piazza Armerina, Sicily): stone and glass tesserae in the baths floor mosaics

The Villa del Casale at Piazza Armerina (Sicily) is world famous for its beautiful and extensive mosaic floors dating to the fourth-century A.D. Before a recent restoration of the Villa, it was possible to take a representative sampling of coloured glass and stone tesserae from the baths’ floors that were examined by chemical and minero-petrographic analysis, respectively, with the goal of determining the production-centre/s of the glass, and the provenance of the stones. The laboratory techniques used were SEM-EDS on polished sections, powder XRD and polarised OM on thin sections, extended to reference stones found in a Villa’s ancient storehouse. The obtained results had shown that the white and pinkish tesserae were exclusively made of local (from the Caltanissetta province) limestones, while the black ones were cut from an obsidian, likely of a Liparote origin; the turquoise and gold-leaf tesserae were exclusively made of glass manufactured according to the Roman and Byzantine tradition while both stone and glass were used for the dark and yellow hues (giallo antico was identified among stone yellow hues). As for the glass tesserae, the results of the chemical analysis of a few samples (mostly erratic) have allowed to date them to the fifth- to sixth-century and to the eighth- to ninth-century A.D. and thus to testify to a hitherto unknown ancient restoration of the Villa mosaics.

The New York Sleeping Eros: A Hellenistic Statue and Its Ancient Restoration

The Bronze Statue of Sleeping Eros in the Metropolitan Museum has long been recognized as one of the finest bronze statues to survive from antiquity. It was first published by Gisela Richter as an original Hellenistic sculpture or very close replica dated between 250 and 150 B.C. Many subsequent scholars tend to agree with Richter’s assessment although not her precise dating. Others believe it to be a very fine Roman copy of one of the most popular sculptures ever made in Roman Imperial times known from hundreds of copies, variants and adaptations. This article presents a new assessment based on careful scientific and technical examinations of the statue itself and a close study of other existing sculptures of this type. The research supports Richter’s identification of the statue as a Hellenistic work, but also makes apparent that it was restored in antiquity, most likely in the Early Imperial period. Consideration of the cult and mythology of Eros, other major Late Classical and Hellenistic sculptures, as well as the different meanings of the Sleeping Eros in later periods, enable a more cogent understanding of the original display of the Metropolitan Museum’s bronze statue of Sleeping Eros and its significance in antiquity.

Su alcuni graffiti cristiani scoperti nella cappella bizantina delle Beatitudini a Tabgha

This article focuses on some Greek graffiti discovered on the Northern wall of the byzantine Chapel of Beatitudes at Tabgha used in the late antiquity to commemorate the Sermon of the Mount (Mt 5:1-12). During the ancient restoration of the monument, the palimpsests were covered by a layer of liquid whitewash. As a result, during the 1935 archaeological excavations carried out by B. Bagatti, they were not visible. The Christian character of the inscription is undoubtable, as testified by the abbreviation of the invocation Kyrie Christe, and by the considerable number of crosses also engraved in the plaster by ancient pilgrims. Due to the poor state of preservation, the authors offer some interpretations for the other recognizable letters - apparently in capital Greek - on the base of the published epigraphic repertoires for the Near East. These findings add new elements for the interpretation of the place as the sanctuary mentioned by Egeria in her Travel Diary and for the identification of the venerated grotto inside the precinct. Based on the location of the graffiti, the authors recognize in the quadrangular annex (mt. 3,20 × 3,20) opened in the northern side of the chapel and connected with it, the cave (specula or spelunca) mentioned by the late Forth Century A.D. pilgrim. This locus seems to match adequately the liturgical needs of the numerous travellers who visited the Western coast of the Sea of Galilee. Original sketches and photos, new maps and sections contribute to illustrating the monument for which the Custody of the Holy Land started a project of restoration.

The Manufacture of the 12th Century Mosan of St. Domitianus

One of the precious mediaeval masterpieces from Belgium's cultural heritage is the shrine of St. Domitianus, property of the collegiate church in Huy (Belgium). The reliquary consists of various silver and gilded silver parts and highly decorated gilded copper plates. During the ages, the masterpiece was subjected to alteration and restoration work. The last restoration campaign and a detailed analytical investigation were carried out at the Institute for Cultural Heritage. The composition of the different metals was determined by EDXRF and SEM-EDX. Using these results, a chronological identification of the different parts could be established. Electrolytic cleaning was used to reduce the silver tarnish. The technical study on selected cross-sections reveals the metal structure and the sometimes peculiar surface layers of the silver sheets used during ancient restoration campaigns.

A New Case of Ancient Restoration on an Egyptian Mummy

A new example of restoration performed by the ancient Egyptian embalmers on a mummified body is reported. An imaging study of the mummy labelled 2343 in the Archaeological Museum of Naples has revealed the substitution of an artificial wooden ‘prosthesis’ for missing feet. The mummy probably dates to the Ptolemaic-early Roman Period, when other examples of prosthetics occur.

The Petrifying Art: Marino's Poetry and Caravaggio

Previous articleNext article No AccessThe Petrifying Art: Marino's Poetry and CaravaggioElizabeth CropperElizabeth Cropper Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Metropolitan Museum Journal Volume 261991 Sponsored by the Metropolitan Museum of Art Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.2307/1512912 Views: 28Total views on this site Citations: 7Citations are reported from Crossref Copyright 1991 The Metropolitan Museum of ArtPDF download Crossref reports the following articles citing this article:Hannah Joy Friedman Jusepe de Ribera's Five Senses and the Practice of Prudence, Renaissance Quarterly 74, no.44 (Dec 2021): 1111–1161.https://doi.org/10.1017/rqx.2021.198Seán Hemingway, Richard Stone The New York Sleeping Eros: A Hellenistic Statue and Its Ancient Restoration, Technè , no.4545 (May 2017): 46–63.https://doi.org/10.4000/techne.1266Adele Tutter The Blossoms of Loss: Ovid’s Floral Metamorphoses and Poussin’s Realm of Flora, The Psychoanalytic Quarterly 83, no.33 (Sep 2017): 633–679.https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2167-4086.2014.00109.xGenevieve Warwick “The Story of the Man Who Whitened His Face”: Bernini, Galileo, and the Science of Relief, The Seventeenth Century 29, no.11 (Feb 2014): 1–29.https://doi.org/10.1080/17496977.2013.879821Wayne Franits Genre Painting in Seventeenth-Century Europe, (Feb 2013): 422–441.https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118391488.ch20 Keith Christiansen Becoming Artemisia: Afterthoughts on the Gentileschi Exhibition, Metropolitan Museum Journal 39 (Oct 2015): 10–126.https://doi.org/10.1086/met.39.40034603 Michael Fried Thoughts on Caravaggio, Critical Inquiry 24, no.11 (Oct 2015): 13–56.https://doi.org/10.1086/448866