The scientific analysis of cultural heritage materials poses specific and often difficult analytical challenges. This book attempts to rationalize the links between the most commonly asked questions in archaeology, art history, and conservation with the potential answers resulting from the vast array of scientific techniques presently available.

The characterization of cultural heritage objects becomes increasingly important for conservation, restoration, dating, and authentication purposes. The use of scientific methods in archaeometry and conservation science has led to a significant broadening of the field. Scientific analysis of these objects is a challenging task due to their complex composition, artistic and historical values requiring the use of minimally invasive and nondestructive analytical procedures. This textbook summarizes scientific methods that are currently used to characterize objects of cultural heritage and archaeological artifacts. This book provides a brief description of the structure of matter at the molecular, atomic, and nuclear levels. Furthermore, it discusses the chemical and physical nature of materials from the molecular to the atomic and nuclear level as determined by the principles of quantum mechanics. Important aspects of natural and anthropogenic radioactivity that play a critical role for some of the analytical techniques are also emphasized. The textbook also provides principals and applications of spectroscopic methods for characterization of cultural heritage objects. It describes the technologies with specific examples for utilization of spectroscopic techniques in the characterization of paintings, books, coins, ceramics, and other objects. Analytic approaches that employ isotopes and determination of isotope ratios will be reviewed. General principles of imaging techniques and specific examples for utilization of these methods will also be summarized. In the later part of the book, a number of scientific techniques for the age determination of cultural heritage material and archaeological artifacts will be presented and discussed with specific examples.

Human heritage is an endless mine of knowledge, skills, ethos and accomplishments, which visualize and examine the power of human creativity and innovation throughout the history. The contributions cast an insight into the human psyche to perceive its Weltanschauung, and its way of thinking and making artefacts associated with knowledge, existence and identity in the context of other existing systems in the world. They demonstrate the diversity of topics as well as the state-of-the art of interdisciplinary approaches that participants of the Humboldt-Kolleg use in their research on cultural heritage, and confirm, once again, that the strengths of the Alexander von Humboldt Network should be celebrated and honoured. The present volume invites us to seek more novel research approaches that aim towards an understanding of the complex nature of human inheritance.

From 2nd to 5th October 2012 an International Congress on Science and Technology for the conservation of Cultural Heritage was held in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, organized by the Universidade of Santiago de Compostela on behalf of TechnoHeritage Network. The congress was attended by some 160 participants from 10 countries, which presented a total of 145 contributions among plenary lectures, oral, and poster communications. The congress was dedicated to eight topics, namely (1) Environmental assessment and monitoring (pollution, climate change, natural events, etc.) of Cultural Heritage; (2) Agents and mechanisms of deterioration of Cultural Heritage (physical, chemical, biological), including deterioration of modern materials used in Contemporary Art and information storage; (3) Development of new instruments, non invasive technologies and innovative solutions for analysis, protection and conservation of Cultural Heritage; (4) New products and materials for conservation and maintenance of Cultural Heritage; (5) Preservation of industrial and rural heritage from the 19th and 20th centuries; (6) Security technologies, Remote sensing and Geographical Information Systems for protection and management of Cultural Heritage; (7) Significance and social value of Cultural Heritage; and (8) Policies for conservation of Cultural Heritage. This volume publishes a total of ninety-three contributions which reflect some of the most recent responses to the challenge of cultural assets conservation.

The legacy of physical artifacts as well as intangible attributes of a society that have been inherited from past generations is referred to as cultural heritage. Conservation science for cultural heritage refers to the study of conservation of art, technical art history and other cultural works using scientific inquiry. The research areas of this field include the technology and structure of artistic and historical works. It also studies the materials and techniques by which cultural, artistic and historic objects are made. It contributes to the fields of art conservation and architectural conservation by providing scientific methods and principles for the maintenance of cultural objects in museums and other collections. It identifies the materials that make up a piece of art including their chemical makeup. It is also concerned with the identification of changes that cause decline and develop methods to minimize the decline of cultural heritage. This book contains some path-breaking studies in the field of conservation science for cultural heritage. It consists of contributions made by international experts. This book will provide comprehensive knowledge to the readers.

Focuses on the empirical research methods for the Humanities. Suitable for students and scholars of Literature, Applied Linguistics, and Film and Media, this title helps readers to reflect on the problems and possibilities of testing the empirical assumptions and offers hands-on learning opportunities to develop empirical studies.