Multi-Scale Monitoring of Rupestrian Heritage: Methodological Approach and Application to a Case Study

Sileo, Maria; Gizzi, Fabrizio Terenzio; Donvito, A.; Lasaponara, Rosa; Fiore, F.; Masini, Nicola

doi:10.1080/15583058.2020.1799261

Cited by 6 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 25 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The traditional techniques and the conditions in which the heritage stones have been extracted from the historical quarry, carved and placed in the monument are key to understanding its deterioration and conservation. The challenges of heritage stone research in the 21st century are: climate change mitigation, monitoring, remote sensing [238][239][240][241], adaptation [242], restoring after conflicts, disasters, or pandemics, the achievement of sustainable development goals [243][244][245][246][247][248][249], and most importantly, the preservation of a legacy for the future.…”

Section: Recent Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Forerunners on Heritage Stones Investigation: Historical Synthesis and Evolution

Freire-Lista

2021

Heritage

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Human activity has required, since its origins, stones as raw material for carving, construction and rock art. The study, exploration, use and maintenance of building stones is a global phenomenon that has evolved from the first shelters, manufacture of lithic tools, to the construction of houses, infrastructures and monuments. Druids, philosophers, clergymen, quarrymen, master builders, naturalists, travelers, architects, archaeologists, physicists, chemists, curators, restorers, museologists, engineers and geologists, among other professionals, have worked with stones and they have produced the current knowledge in heritage stones. They are stones that have special significance in human culture. In this way, the connotation of heritage in stones has been acquired over the time. That is, the stones at the time of their historical use were simply stones used for a certain purpose. Therefore, the concept of heritage stone is broad, with cultural, historic, artistic, architectural, and scientific implications. A historical synthesis is presented of the main events that marked the use of stones from prehistory, through ancient history, medieval times, and to the modern period. In addition, the main authors who have written about stones are surveyed from Ancient Roman times to the middle of the twentieth century. Subtle properties of stones have been discovered and exploited by artists and artisans long before rigorous science took notice of them and explained them.

show abstract

Section: Recent Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Forerunners on Heritage Stones Investigation: Historical Synthesis and Evolution

Freire-Lista

2021

Heritage

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…All the examples of rock-cut architecture share their character of real Cultural Heritage, enriched by the varieties of art pieces, far beyond the motivation behind their erection and use, In fact, the rock-cut cultural heritage consists of wall paintings, graffiti, sculptures and architectural elements that are often of great value and rare beauty (think about Valle Camonica and the City of Matera, declared European Capital of Culture 2019). However, it is at the same time a particularly fragile heritage because it is exposed to various deterioration factors, especially related to microclimatic conditions and their variations (Sileo et al, 2022). Unlike other hypogeal environments (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

3d Survey Technologies to Document and Support Micaelic Rupestrian Architecture Preservation. A Case Study

Cera

2023

Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. The paper presents the actions conducted for the case study of the Hermitage of San Michele a le Grottelle, in Padula (Italy) in the framework of the scientific collaboration between the Urban\\Eco Interdepartmental Research Centre and the Diocese of Teggiano-Policastro focused on the development of specific programmes of preventive conservation for the rupestrian heritage dedicated to the micaelic cult. In this context, the hermitage hosts precious wall paintings which show signs of advancing non-uniform degradation: some frescoes are completely lost, unlike others that, despite being spatially adjacent, are still intact.The investigation was oriented towards understanding the reasons for this condition and articulated in 4 main actions: (i) digitisation of the site through the use of optical sensors, in order to obtain a digital model of the geometric and colour components of the asset; (ii) collection of external environmental data for the statistical characterisation of the site conducted considering multiple parameters recorded as observations from several meteorological stations; (iii) manipulation of the reflectance data for the informative characterisation from a material point of view of the most degraded frescoes, correlated to the colour information as well as to the geological classification of the site; (iv) virtual simulation of the incidence of external environmental parameters on the surfaces of the 3D model of the site, inserted in the real territorial context, in order to determine the relationship of causality and relative weight between the boundary conditions and the degradation phenomena found in order to direct preventive conservation actions.

show abstract

“…These factors include major sudden natural hazards, such as earthquakes or extreme meteorological events but also slow, cumulative processes such the erosion of rocks, compounded by the effect of climate change, without disregarding the role of humans, especially in conflict situations [3]. Rock-carved cultural heritage sites were often excavated in steep slopes formed by so-called "weak rocks" (e.g., soft sandstones and tuffs characterized by low compressive strength values), which give the advantage of an excellent carvability but on the other hand are affected by major conservation issues in the field of rock slope stability and rock weathering [4]. The peculiar lithological and geotechnical features of these rocks (highly heterogeneous fabric with abundant clayey matrix, high porosity and low compressive strength), together with the natural morphological and structural setting of the excavated slopes (e.g., open fractures, presence of ledges-niches) and the presence of anthropic carved structures (caves, chambers and corridors), make these sites particularly fragile and prone to weathering, erosion, and slope instability processes [5,6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Applying Close Range Non-Destructive Techniques for the Detection of Conservation Problems in Rock-Carved Cultural Heritage Sites

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Rock-carved cultural heritage sites are often developed in slopes formed by weak rocks, which due to their peculiar lithological, geotechnical, and morpho-structural features are characterized by excellent carvability, which at the same time makes them prone to weathering, deterioration, and slope instability issues. In this context the use of advanced close-range nondestructive techniques, such as Infrared Thermography (IRT) and Unmanned Aerial vehicle-based Digital Photogrammetry (UAV-DP) can be profitably used for the rapid detection of conservation issues (e.g., open fractures, unstable ledges-niches, water seepage and moisture) that can lead to slope instability phenomena. These techniques, when combined with traditional methods (e.g., field surveys, laboratory analysis), can provide fundamental data (such as 3D maps of the kinematic mechanisms) to implement a site-specific and interdisciplinary approach for the sustainable protection and conservation of such fragile cultural heritage sites. In this paper some examples of conservation problems in several rupestrian sites characterized by different geological contexts, from the mountainous regions of Georgia to the ancient city of Petra in Jordan, are presented, with the aim of evaluating the potential of the proposed integrated approach. The final aim is to provide conservators, practitioners, and local authorities with a useful, versatile, and low-cost methodology, to be profitably used in the protection and conservation strategies of rock-carved sites.

show abstract

Multi-Scale Monitoring of Rupestrian Heritage: Methodological Approach and Application to a Case Study

Cited by 6 publications

References 25 publications

The Forerunners on Heritage Stones Investigation: Historical Synthesis and Evolution

The Forerunners on Heritage Stones Investigation: Historical Synthesis and Evolution

3d Survey Technologies to Document and Support Micaelic Rupestrian Architecture Preservation. A Case Study

Applying Close Range Non-Destructive Techniques for the Detection of Conservation Problems in Rock-Carved Cultural Heritage Sites

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About