Daniela Turcanu-Carutiu

By Rodica-Mariana Ion, Radu-Claudiu Fierăscu, Sofia Teodorescu, Irina Fierăscu, Ioana-Raluca Bunghez, Daniela Ţurcanu-Caruţiu and Mihaela-Lucia Ion

The artifacts belonging to the ceramic heritage are mostly based on all clay types used by humans over the ages, because the sources of clays were easily available and people were interested to produce ceramics and pottery. This is the reason why the conservation of cultural heritage is of great concern. Ceramics (Greek κεράμιον Keramion) is a material obtained by shaping and firing clay. In the Romanian history, many ceramic pieces, of great diversity, have been discovered, and most of them are used in traditional households. Ceramic materials based on clay minerals in cultural heritage (ceramic heritage) involve techniques of characterization of raw materials and ceramic objects based on clays, discovered in different archaeological sites, leading to some results about the production technology, provenance, authentication, and historical appartenance on Romanian territory. The chemical composition of ancient ceramics and pigments decorating them, excavated from different Romanian archaeological sites, suggested a chemical composition of ceramic based on clay minerals (kaolinite, illite, and smectite), while the pigments belonging to them contained red pigments (hematite or ocher), manganese oxides (brown pigments), and magnetite or carbon of vegetable origin (black-pigmented layers).

Part of the book: Clays, Clay Minerals and Ceramic Materials Based on Clay Minerals

By Rodica-Mariana Ion, Sanda-Maria Doncea and Daniela Ţurcanu- Caruțiu

This chapter aims to evaluate the nanomaterials that can be used to diagnostic, conservation and restoration of different artifacts and monuments and that can contribute to solving the problems which could appear during weathering processes of them. The nanotechnology, as a new and revolutionary area in science, can improve the traditional methods currently used for restoration and preservation in cultural heritage and can contribute to the creation of new highly specialized methods for diagnostic and treatment of different artifacts or even monuments. With a smaller size, a higher penetrability, viscosity, thermal and magnetic properties, in comparison with the traditional materials, the nanomaterials can contribute to solve the problems deriving from specific phenomena that could appear during the intervention and to identify the potential newly formed products in the treated materials. In this chapter, some aspects about the nanomaterials used for conservation and restoration of stone and paper artifacts are evidenced and discussed.

Part of the book: Novel Nanomaterials

By Verginica Schröder, Daniela Turcanu Carutiu, Adina Honcea and Rodica-Mariana Ion

The processes of cultural heritage sites’ degradation reveal interactions between the chemical characteristics of the substrates, the underlying substrate penetration, and the microbiota systems. Microorganisms penetrate the stone, causing extensive disaggregation of the materials. This chapter reveals comparative studies between the usual research approaches applied in biodegradation studies, especially optical microscopy, epifluorescence, and electron microscopy (SEM). These in situ microscopy techniques propose some complex analyses for the evaluation of the relationship between the microorganism’s cells and the stone surfaces (adherence, interactions), and also for the evaluation of the level of health or balance of the niche complex, from mesoscale to microscale. The stages of the exact monitorization and evaluation of lithotypes and deterioration phenomena are periodical sampling and monument mapping. The aim of this chapter is to identify microscopical methods used in biodegradation studies, especially the facilities provided by these methods. Our in situ analysis (light microscopy, epifluorescence, and scanning electron microscopy) performed for the first time on the painted Matia-Fresco Loggia (Corvin Castle, Romania) highlighted several aspects, such as mixtures of mineral elements with different chromatic appearance and porosity, shredding degradation, depigmented areas, cracked portions, and highly biota activity (bacterial and fungal) on painted surface.

Part of the book: Advanced Methods and New Materials for Cultural Heritage Preservation

By Silviu Ioniță and Daniela Ţurcanu-Caruțiu

This chapter describes how optical information and advanced image processing can be used to study archeological objects and artworks in order to determine more precisely and noninvasively the characteristics of the shape and color of artifacts. The purpose of this research is to develop a passive experimental technique for artifact investigation to help human experts make the best decisions in the process of authenticating and preserving-restoring objects. The method used is digital capture of object images followed by processing them with specialized software tools to analyze the chromatic characteristics and apparent geometric details. The proposed methodology consists of intelligently combining digital image analysis functions to build a set of chromatic-structural features useful for recognizing possible differences and estimating color and shape evolution. The investigation of the artifacts through digital image processing is a noninvasive and precise complementary method of analysis that can reduce the costs, and it must be extensively integrated into decision support systems for experts and curators in the field of artistic heritage preservation.

Part of the book: Advanced Methods and New Materials for Cultural Heritage Preservation

By Daniela Turcanu-Carutiu and Rodica-Mariana Ion

Part of the book: Advanced Methods and New Materials for Cultural Heritage Preservation

By Verginica Schröder, Daniela Turcanu-Carutiu, Adina Honcea, Rodica-Mariana Ion, Sorin Grigore and Loreley-Dana Jianu

The works of art analyzed in this research study are part of the Ovidius University Gallery collection that ensures the permanent visibility of the research results consisting in the experimental synergistic method as well as the innovative materials intended for restoration and conservation. We are sure that after the scientific investigation, the authentication and restoration of these works of art will increase their value. The synergistic methodology, to which we refer, can be defined as a sum of methods and procedures in the trans- and interdisciplinary field, which introduces the notion of “health” in the field of restoration artworks, changing the paradigm of approach as a whole, analyzing pigments, supports and all the specific painting materials. Nondestructive analytical procedures will be implemented to develop and optimize the conditions for identifying the individual types of biological impact present in works of art and of case studies on real samples. In the research activity, we used the different techniques to investigate and characterize traditional organic binders used in works of art, to see the effect on the consolidation and durability of materials, to test their functionality and usefulness while validating a viable laboratory model in relation to the natural system.

Part of the book: Heritage

By Silviu Ioniță and Daniela Ţurcanu-Caruțiu

The biggest problem faced by the specialists in the field of cultural heritage is the identification of the original elements for their separation from the large mass of the mosaic components that come from completions of the different restoration works. This chapter deals with analytical models for statistical evaluation of the morphological and chromatic characteristics that represent suitable metrics for making decisions in the field of cultural heritage. A classifier model based on fuzzy logical inference, which integrates discrete and statistical characteristics of the mosaic components, is presented. The classification will be done in a space of conventional measures (metrics) for identifying and separating the mosaic components. The exemplification of the method is made on the Roman Mosaic of Constanta, a historical monument that is currently in an advanced stage of deterioration and which requires urgent restoration-conservation interventions. This artifact dates from the third or fourth century, (possibly under the emperor Constantine the Great, 306–337); it is a pavement that has decorative elements specific to this marine area, part of a large construction that took place, in antiquity on three terraces, located on the Black Sea on the docks of the old Port Tomis.

Part of the book: Heritage

By Verginica Schröder, Daniela Turcanu-Carutiu, Adina Honcea, Sorin Grigore and Loreley-Dana Jianu

The constituent elements of the Roman Mosaic from Constanta are damaged under the activities of microorganisms present both on surfaces and in the airborne microbes. The predominance of microorganisms on the different surfaces of the edifice has led to multiple damage such as discoloration, pigmentation, wall degradation and exposed ceramic objects. Through this study we aimed to invest the diversity of microorganisms on the various substrates and levels as well as microclimate conditions. From the samples collected there were isolated and identified microorganisms, many of them with pathogenicity risks for staff and visitors. Thus, for the improvement of the surrounding conditions of the Roman Mosaic exhibition room, the need for management is aimed at reducing the microbial contaminations, based on understanding the changing conditions in the microclimate and decreasing the damage biofilm. Our study can be seen in a broader procedural in the current COVID-19 pandemic conditions.

Part of the book: Heritage

By Silviu Ioniță and Daniela Turcanu-Carutiu

Digitizing is the way for a revolutionary approach in knowing, analyzing, continuous monitoring, and preserving the tangible immovable cultural heritage. The built cultural heritage requires the most performant means and techniques to acquire information indoor and outdoor. Drones are the best platforms for this purpose in terms of operating costs, data accuracy, and mission planning flexibility. In this chapter, we present a survey on the main applications of drones in the field of built cultural heritage analyzing the usability of this technology. Essential technical issues that are important for the operation and understanding of the use of drones in specific missions for the study of built heritage are also discussed.

Part of the book: Heritage