The aim of this study was to apply a new methodology using the combination of the hyperspectral imaging and the dry blood spot (DBS) collecting. Application of the hyperspectral imaging is fast and non-destructive. DBS method offers the advantage also on the micro-invasive blood collecting and low volume of required sample. During experimental step, the reflected light was recorded by two hyperspectral systems. The collection of 776 spectral bands in the VIS-NIR range (400-1000 nm) and 256 spectral bands in the SWIR range (970-2500 nm) was applied. Pixel has the size of 8 × 8 and 30 × 30 µm for VIS-NIR and SWIR camera, respectively. The obtained data in the form of hyperspectral cubes were treated with chemometric methods, i.e., minimum noise fraction and principal component analysis. It has been shown that the application of these methods on this type of data, by analyzing the scatter plots, allows a rapid analysis of the homogeneity of DBS, and the selection of representative areas for further analysis. It also gives the possibility of tracking the dynamics of changes occurring in biological traces applied on the surface. For the analyzed 28 blood samples, described method allowed to distinguish those blood stains because of time of apply.

The seventh edition of the International Congress on the Application of Raman Spectroscopy in Art and Archeology (RAA 2013) was held in Ljubljana (Slovenia) from 2 to 6 September 2013, with five plenary lectures, 40 oral presentations and 60 poster presentations. The number of active participants was 135 delegates from 32 countries among the 379 authors that presented at least one work.

In this study the new mineralogical and geochemical evidence for the reason behind intensive resin production in trees and the formation of Indonesian resin deposits is presented. The analysed specimens of the “Indonesian amber” were subjected to the following comprehensive investigations: PAS, IR, RS XRD and SEM-EDS. It was found that the resins are originated due to intensive volcanic activity. Based on spectroscopic investigations, “Indonesian amber” was assigned to the glessite group. The investigations revealed that the traces of volcanic activity have survived in the studied specimens in their structure were the presence of tonstein and inorganic minerals are related to volcanic phenomena. “Floating” in opaque solid–foam resin indicated that resinous substance was strongly heated trough volcanic activity.

Raman spectroscopy coupled to partial least squares (PLS) was used for the classification of amber samples according to their provenance and geological age. Spectral data were from samples from Czech Republic, Baltic region, and objects dated back from Upper Cretaceous and Cenozoic ages. Intensity ratio of two wavenumbers has been used as indicator of both geological age and provenance amber so far. In this work, an alternative chemometric approach was proposed to select additional intervals of the spectra where discrimination relies. Several metrics (number of misclassifications and permutation test) evaluated the capability of the alternative PLS models to predict future measurements. Results achieved indicated the possibility to assess the geological age and provenance of amber considering an interval of wavenumbers instead of single wavenumbers that could be disturbed by physical effects. Furthermore, differences in the Raman spectra were highlighted by using Variable Importance Projection methodology over PLS model. The proposed methodology clearly distinguished Baltic from Czech Republic amber and resins from Cenozoic period and Upper Cretaceous. This research could represent a breakthrough for amber cultural heritage studies.

The 8th edition of the International Congress on the Application of Raman Spectroscopy in Art Archeology (RAA 2015) was held in Wroclaw (Poland) from 1 to 5 September 2015, with three Plenary Lectures, eight Trendsetting Talks, 37 Oral Presentations and 34 Poster Presentations. The number of active participants was 113 delegates from 22 countries among the 250 authors that presented at least one work.

The chemical identification of materials is the first step for developing and implementing recommendations for the care and display of resin cast and plastic objects in museum collections. This paper presents advantages as well as limitations of portable Raman. Therefore, a comparative analysis of portable and benchtop Raman instruments was performed in the study of materials found in the contemporary art collections of the National Museum in Krakow.The results of the Raman study were complemented with those obtained using Fourier transform infrared, near infra-red, and gas chromatography mass spectrometry, in order to verify their accuracy. The results of this study showed that portable Raman spectroscopy is a suitable technique for the identification plastics in museum collections.

The aim of presented work was to establish the provenance of unique amber jewelry dated back to Early Iron Age discovered in burial chambers of archeological excavations in Domasław, Lower Silesia (Poland). To assess the origin of the archeological amber objects, there was performed a comparative analysis of over 100 artifacts and reference material originated from amber sources within reasonable proximity to the axcavations. Succinite (Baltic amber) from tertiary deposit at the seashore from North Harbor in Gdansk (Poland) and Sambian Penisula, Yantarny near Kaliningrad (Russia) valchovite or/and neudorfite from Valchov in Moravy (Czech Republic) dated back to Upper Cretaceous and amber originating from Lower Silesia (cenoman from Boleslawiec, Poland) were used as a reference material. Raman and positron annihilation spectroscopies have been previously successfully applied in provenance studies of archeological amber jewelry, and both techniques were accepted as a method of choice in current investigation. All Raman measurements of valuable amber objects were performed in situ. Raman spectra collected for analyzed artifacts confirmed their Baltic origin. The study showed that annihilation positron spectroscopy is effective toll in the provenance investigations of raw amber material but can be misleading in analysis of previously processed material.

The analysis of inclusions utilising optical methods and micro-Raman spectroscopy was used to address a question of provenance of prehistoric rock-crystal artefacts excavated in Lower Silesia (SW Poland). The nature and spectroscopic features of inclusions in rock crystal from three Lower Silesian deposits were established and compared with the ones identified in the rock-crystal artefacts. A characteristic inclusion assemblage in rock crystal from the Jegłowa-Krzywina deposit consists of anatase, kaolinite, and chlorite. Quartz from granitic pegmatites of the Jelenia Góra Valley displays the presence of dusty hematite coating. Frequent inclusions of goethite are typical of rock crystal from cavities in volcanic rocks near Kłodzko. The study established that raw material used to manufacture 16 of the artefacts investigated comes from the Jegłowa-Krzywina quartz deposit. One tool was made of the material obtained from granitic pegmatites that occur near Karpniki (Jelenia Góra Valley). Two other artefacts contain inclusions not found in crystals from any of the investigated Lower Silesian deposits.