Analytical Methods for the Study Cultural Goods
A.Y. 2026/2027
Learning objectives
The course aims to the presentation of the most important methods of chemical and chemical-physical analysis useful to characterize archaeological materials, from the point of view of the identification of the material themselves and of their degradation products, of the manufacturing technologies and of the provenance of the raw materials.
Expected learning outcomes
Students will acquire the basic principles for the application of the most common analytical methods to problems of specific archaeological interest. They will also be able to develop a strategy for the solution of an analytical problem related to archaeological materials, by addressing the proper laboratories and having the capability to interpret the information deriving from analytical data.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
Fundamentals and applications to archaeological materials of: absorption and emission atomic spectroscopy; inorganic mass spectrometry and isotope ratio analysis; multivariate data analysis; UV-visible molecular absorption spectroscopy and fluorescence; IR and Raman spectroscopy; GC and HPLC; mass spectrometry and GC-MS.
Prerequisites for admission
The fundamentals of chemistry and physics (especially optics) learned in high school can be of help.
Teaching methods
The teaching is based on frontal lessons.
The course web page is present on the MyAriel platform at the link https://myariel.unimi.it/course/view.php?id=11957.
The course web page is present on the MyAriel platform at the link https://myariel.unimi.it/course/view.php?id=11957.
Teaching Resources
The reference material is constituted by the slides of the lessons, made available on the web page of the course.
IN ADDITION to the content of the slides, can consult the text by L. Paolillo e I. Giudicianni, "La Diagnostica nei Beni Culturali. Moderni Metodi di Indagine", Loghia, Napoli, 2009, exclusively for regarding the fundamentals of the techniques explained in the lessons. Regarding the applications, the contents of the slides should be used as reference material.
IN ADDITION to the content of the slides, can consult the text by L. Paolillo e I. Giudicianni, "La Diagnostica nei Beni Culturali. Moderni Metodi di Indagine", Loghia, Napoli, 2009, exclusively for regarding the fundamentals of the techniques explained in the lessons. Regarding the applications, the contents of the slides should be used as reference material.
Assessment methods and Criteria
the exam consists in a written test including 5 questions with open answers but with limited length about analytical procedures for the diagnostics of the archaeological cultural heritage materials. The exam lasts one hour.
The results, expressed in a scale from 1 to 30, are communicated by the electronic service Vweb.
The results, expressed in a scale from 1 to 30, are communicated by the electronic service Vweb.
PHYS-06/A - Physics for Life Sciences, Environment, and Cultural Heritage - University credits: 6
Lessons: 40 hours
Professor:
Bruni Silvia
Professor(s)
Reception:
on appointment
teacher's office at the Department of Chemistry