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Mitigation of fungal biodeterioration on paper documents and artworks represents a challenge to conservators worldwide. Numerous lists of fungal species have been identified from paper collections, but are those species responsible for the respective biodeterioration phenomena or just environmental contaminants? The present work was aimed at obtaining an association between specific fungal stains and causative fungal species. 23 stains from three paper documents were sampled. Fungal structures observed in situ with optical and scanning electron microscopy were compared with the identification of isolates by molecular biology tools. Correlation between the observed fungal structures and the identified fungal isolates was achieved, varying from 13% to 64% of the samples within the three studied documents. Grey/black and dark brown stains were associated with Chaetomium globosum, C. murorum, Penicillium chrysogenum, P. commune, Myxotrichum deflexum and Stachybotrys chartarum. Eurotium rubrum was isolated from a foxing stain and Penicillium citrinum was identified on light orange stains.

During a conservation project of a luso-oriental altar ivory cross from the 17th century, 59 paper fragments were found on its four level step base, between some of the low relief ivory plates and its wooden sockets of the four level base, and behind some cabochons of the decoration. Some fragments present a watermark and hand writing. These elements, together with the observation of the stains, dimension of fragments and their perforations, lead us to formulate the hypothesis of their having occurred three mountings, in different time periods. The paper characteristics and the history of other materials used in those mountings permit to pinpoint time periods for their occurrence.

A solution of calcium hydroxide and sodium borohydride was applied using an ultrasonic misting device to a graphite drawing from the artist Guilherme Camarinha. This process allowed the drawing to be washed, reduce its foxing stains and planar distortions without interfering with a fountain pen inscription written by the author in the bottom righthand corner. As there is not much literature regarding this procedure, some practical questions related to the use of ultrasonic dispersions in the treatment of paper are discussed herein.

This paper presents the conservation treatment of a group of twenty Chinese calligraphies and paintings. These artworks are part of the Camilo Pessanha (1867-1926) collection that belongs to the Museu Nacional de Machado de Castro, and are currently on loan to the Museu do Oriente in Lisbon. The project was managed by the Fundação Oriente, and carried out at the conservation and restoration department of the Instituto dos Museus e da Conservação. There were three groups of works of art: scrolls with paintings and calligraphy on paper; scrolls with paintings on gilded paper; and paintings on silk. A brief characterization of the oriental scroll is followed by an overview of the traditional oriental conservation techniques for this type of art, as well as recently described practices. Ethical and theoretical considerations relating to the conservation treatments will be also discussed.

Herein we present a survey of reported work covering specific applications of liquid and supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) in art conservation. CO2 has been tested and applied in a wide range of materials, as well as in various steps of a conservation / restoration operation, such as cleaning, protection and consolidation, and it has been demonstrated that CO2 has a great potential in replacing current conventional conservation processes. In this paper we will present some of the main results published in literature, concerning CO2 applications for the conservation and restoration of paper, wood, waterlogged, ethnographic materials, stone and textiles.

A group of eleven pastel portraits from the painter José Malhoa (1855-1933) is presented in this paper. Some years ago they were in excellent conservation condition although having been subjected to permanent exhibition for over 30 years in a non conditioned environment. Since then their mounting conditions suffered alterations and their conservation showed signs of degradation. The storage condition history and the evolution of the pastel degradation was carefully reconstructed as well as was identified the material constituents of the pastel portraits, their pigments, bindings and support materials. It was concluded that the glass encapsulation was the main reason for the welfare of the collection and that the type of mounting and housing is more important than the presence or not of moderate exposure to indoor light. No direct relationship was found between the paper composition and the alterations.

It is presented an alternative mounting solution that was developed after the treatment of a group of twelve Chinese scrolls of paintings and calligraphy. These art works are part of the Camilo Pessanha (1867 – 1926) collection that belongs to the Museu Nacional de Machado de Castro, and are currently on loan to the Museu do Oriente in Lisbon. The mounting of these scrolls was part of a project that was managed by the Fundação Oriente, and was supervised and carried out at the paper conservation and restoration department of the Instituto dos Museus e da Conservação. Issues pertaining to exhibition, environmental factors, handling and storage of oriental scrolls are discussed.

With this paper we draw attention to the role of the disaster, leading to profound changes, to the paradigm shift in the intervention of conservation and restoration of graphic documents, based on the study of case studies from the two main disaster types affecting paper works: the flood and fire. As examples we present the flooding of Florence in 1966, which reached the Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Firenze and precipitated a shift, breaking with the mimetic restoration, and the fire of the National Personal Records Center, in 1973, which allowed a new demand to non-invasive methods for information retrieval, through the development of preventive methods and the application of digital restoration techniques in the 21st century. In parallel, are placed two cases in Portugal: the great flood, in 1967, in the region of Lisbon, which affected the Calouste Gulbenkian collections, and the fire of the Escola Politécnica, in 1978, which destroyed part of the Arquivo Histórico do Museu Bocage.

This paper discusses two technical photographic methods based on the use of ultraviolet sources for art examination: ultraviolet fluorescence (UVF) and ultraviolet reflectance (UVR). While the UVF technique can be carried out with any digital camera, UVR images are acquired with a digital camera modified to be full spectrum, and thus sensitive into the UV region of the spectrum until about 360 nm. This modification involves the removal of the in-built hot mirror filter on the CCD or CMOS sensor, rendering it sensitive to ultraviolet and infrared radiation. This paper illustrates the procedures and the equipment needed for these technical photographic methods, discussing case studies and results on prepared samples.

The study of external renderings in the scope of conservation and restoration has acquired in the last years great methodological, scientific and technical advances. These renderings are important elements of the built structure, for besides possessing a protection function, they possess often a decorative function of great relevance for the image of the monument. The maintenance of these renderings implies the conservation of traditional constructive techniques and the use of compatible materials, as similar to the originals as possible. The main objective of this study is to define a methodology of conservative restoration using strategies of maintenance of renderings and traditional constructive techniques. The minimum intervention principle is maintained as well as the use of materials compatible with the original ones. This paper describes the technique and products used for the consolidation of the loss of cohesion. The testing campaign was developed under controlled conditions, in laboratory, and in situ in order to evaluate their efficacy for the consolidation of old renders. A set of tests is presented to evaluate the effectiveness of the process. The results are analysed and a reflection is added referring to the applicability of these techniques. Finally the paper presents a proposal for further research.

This paper is the fifth of a series and focuses on tracing the history of the use of gypsum based products as well as of the use of ground layers, centred on a review of published analytical evidence. The purpose is to contribute for the understanding of these long traditions which led to the choice of specific materials and practices used for producing gilding grounds in southern Europe. In fact, several practices and the raw material gypsum used in gilded surfaces do have an extremely long tradition, which can be traced back to the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B. The systematic use of these materials, especially the use of ground layers for decoration and other purposes, suggests not only an intention but also, somehow, the notion of a complex concept, the concept of a composite material, even at these very early periods, from which gilding origins. In addition, the particular case of Portugal shows that aspects such as religious, political, and sociocultural influences played a central role in the choice of gypsum as the raw material, which was curiously used exclusively for gilding.

Private collecting of archaeological ceramics was a common practice in Amazonia during the 19th and 20th centuries, and the collected material has been deposited in a number of Brazilian and international museums. Those collections have become the object of study in various areas, despite the difficulty in retrieving original information. This paper analyses the Dita Acatauassu collection from Marajó Island, for an eventual permanent custody by the Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi. Results of morphological and decoration analysis of 613 individually inventoried fragments allowed for the reorganisation of 40 % of the holdings. In addition, a diagnosis of residues of previous interventions and recent fractures, compared to the documentation, determined the existence of fragments belonging to the same objects in two other institutions sometimes adding up to almost complete items. Complex and unique issues related to the conservation and management of archaeological collections, donations and decontextualisation of holdings, loan policies and collection sharing of objects formed by fragments in the care of different institutions are discussed.

Bleeding dyes are a major concern to textile conservators; they can cause extensive damage to textile objects and usually preclude a wet cleaning treatment. Since gel cleaning methods were introduced to the conservation field, new opportunities are available for such complex treatments. This paper describes the cleaning of an embroidered textile that is damaged by dye bleeding of the embroidery threads on an undyed silk ground. It was examined whether further bleeding of the dyes during wet cleaning can be avoided by the use of an agarose gel to deliver an aqueous solution, prepared with pH buffers and chelators, to the silk ground. Additionally, the siloxanes octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4) and decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5) were tested for their potential to act as barrier liquids for the embroidered areas. The cleaning method was successful in preventing further bleeding of the dyes, but the coloured stains could not be removed completely by the compound cleaning solution. Further research is required to optimize the cleaning method.

In this research, printed Turkey red calico from the 19th century is analysed using conservation-based techniques to identify the materials used in their manufacture. Turkey red production was a significant industry in Scotland, and the textiles found in archives and collections are a valuable part of Scottish heritage and material history. Turkey red prints were produced via a unique dyeing process followed by discharge printing, and the analysis in this paper using SEM-EDX, FTIR, UHPLC, and microscopy confirms they were made as documented in the literature. Here, we show that lead chromate, Prussian blue, and logwood were used to create the distinctive prints. These results are useful to develop material-specific guidelines for storage and display for improved conservation and collection accessibility.

This paper presents the analysis of the hygrothermal conditions of a museum space hosted in an 18th century building, in Coimbra (Portugal). This historical building, which houses the Science Museum of the University of Coimbra, is located in the historic centre of the University of Coimbra, officially declared a World Heritage Site in 2013 by UNESCO. The methodology proposed in EN 15757:2010 was applied to two monitoring campaigns carried out at a distance of 4 years, in two of the rooms of the permanent exhibition. The results of the monitoring periods are presented and discussed. The findings unveil the necessity for long-term monitoring of the indoor environmental conditions of museum spaces, towards the support of grounded based-evidence guidelines for the conservation of objects and quality of environment for exhibits conservation.

The history of Brazilian theatre goes back as far as five hundred years and yet to this day arises the issue of where and how is preserved the memory of such an artistic heritage that is very representative of Brazilian culture. The aim of this paper is to analyze the preservation process of onstage costumes of Palácio das Artes, one of the most important theatres in the Brazilian State of Minas Gerais, building upon reference documents, interviews and technical visits undertaken in 2014. A technical analysis of the process and a flowchart are used to encourage the implementation of projects related to management improvement, conservation tools and collection storage adequacy – both functional and museological –, as well as to the development of preservation policies. It is also expected that this study might stimulate the continuation of such practices in this theatre and their adoption by other institutions.

This paper examines the kimono to emphasize the role of Japanese material culture in the development of an Asian-inspired taste in fashion of New Spain. From that idea, it shows that some Nipponese products contributed to the occurrence of an achinado code in dress since the seventeenth century, and that was consolidated during the following century. The adoption of a connected history perspective, as well as the use of written and pictorial documents, allowed us to identify its pioneering role in that tendency as well as in its American diffusion. At the same time, we recognized the intersected points of view between Asia, Europe and America to adapt and change the meaning of that garment, until it becomes a dressing gown.

The aim of this paper is to analyze a work of art belonging to the collection of textiles of the Medeiros e Almeida House-Museum collection. It is a wall mirror of English production, with an embroidery frame, made in the third quarter of the 17th century, whose decoration includes a depiction of King Charles II and Queen Catherine of Braganza. The originality of this piece consists in the type of needlework, called stumpwork, that it is the result of the combination of both direct and applied embroidery on pads, creating a relief effect. Produced with a wide variety of techniques and materials, the stumpwork was produced during the 17th century. In order to understand and contextualize the work of art, aspects such as the period and the reasons that gave birth to this curious kind of work, the techniques and materials used, the themes addressed and the respective iconographic sources were approached.

This paper is a review of proteomics and mass spectrometric techniques used for the study of historical textiles and garments. First applied on archaeological animal fibers over a decade ago, proteomics has made important contributions to the analysis of ancient proteins and to cultural heritage studies. The field of proteomics has the potential to give a better understanding of the modes of fabrication of ancient textiles, their composition and pathways of degradation, as well as the development of animal fibers through domestication and breeding. This review summarizes current analytical methods, describes the different sources of animal fibers and their biomolecular characteristics and methods of analysis, and finally presents the main applications of proteomics to historical clothing.

In the Early Christian catacombs of Rome, the use of the so-called gammadiae was pretty common. Unfortunately, at the daily state of the art, the comprehension of these symbols is still object of discussion for the international research community. In this paper we present the Gammadiae Management System (GMS), a database developed to study and comprehend the meaning of the so-called gammadiae represented on the pallium of saint characters in Early Christian catacombs of Rome. The cataloguing process has been useful to understand a particular symbolism used in the Antiquity, since the 1st century A.D. in the Jewish textile evidences, till the Dura Europos synagogue frescoes and, also, in some profane evidences, such as mosaics or precious gems. The so-called gammadiae seem to indicate the authority and the moral qualities of the men and, rarely, women who wear the pallium. At the moment, the GMS contains 209 forms about the so-called gammadiae in the Roman catacombs, realised in various techniques and on different supports.

This paper presents the study of an anonymous painting on canvas with the representation of The Virgin with the Sleeping Child Jesus. During the restoration process, an underlying paint was detected and the radiograph showed the existence of an underlying composition. The theme is the same, apparently in the finished pictorial phase, but flipped horizontally with respect to the visible picture, as if it were its specular image. This infrequent circumstance aroused a study of materials with the aim of trying to trace the avatars of the work over time. The results of the stratigraphic analysis by microscopic techniques (OM and SEM-EDX) show the use of very similar pigments. The use of colored ground in the original paintings and especially the use of smalt in all cases, together with the analysis of the style of both representations as well as the models used, lead us to situate the execution of both works, the visible and the underlying, in the end of 17th or beginning of 18th century.

Although underestimated during decades, vernacular heritage is today understood as an important and fundamental piece of the identity by different civilizations. In the context of the European society that has lost its links and references to its original identity, vernacular architecture has gained importance due to its authenticity and the rediscover of its economic potential in the growing markets for the natural and rural environmental tourism. Although its importance, today this abandoned and damaged heritage is at risk because of rural exodus and the vanishing of traditional ways of life. The vernacular corbelled dome shepherds' constructions, settled in brandas and currais, are a testimony of the past rural and livestock traditional way of life of the Gerês-Xurés region, recognized by UNESCO has a World Biosphere Reserve. To study this important heritage, a research project was undertaken. The main objectives and the research methodology are presented in this paper, as well as the main outputs obtained so far.

This paper aims to critically review the documentation process of the performance-based collaborative artwork Luís Vaz 73 (1975), created by the visual artist and performer Ernesto de Sousa (1921-1988), and the composer, pianist and conductor, Jorge Peixinho (1940-1995). The documentation process was developed in four phases: identification of the conservation problem, which contextualizes the documentation process; gathering of documentation, published and unpublished; documentation production, which includes interviews to relevant actors; and assessment and systematization, which organizes all relevant information and discusses the main weaknesses of the process. This documentation methodology opens a new perspective based on the relationship between the production of documentation and its application in the (re)presentation of the work This methodology looks for a reflexive approach, where the main challenges of the documentation process are reflected upon, thus informing future generations about this process.

In this paper, the course of the Lucy Niemeyer Lace Collection belonging to the Fashion and Textiles Museum of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, is presented. The aim is to present the strategy followed, the interventions and the results of the preventive conservation activities. The activities comprise characterization of materials, records, cleaning, packing, cataloguing and disclosure of knowledge aiming at the collection preservation. The conservation methodology is based on the practices and theories used in national and international museums that deal with textile collections. Reference is made to the importance of virtual space to make knowledge available, since it facilitates access, enhances investigations and provides a form of preservation. It is a research with practical application, based on a qualitative approach, employing the case study as technical procedure.

In this paper it is presented the characterisation of tannins used in the vegetable tanning of two types of European historic and decorative leathers from Portuguese collections, damask leathers and gilt leathers, dated from the 17th and 18th centuries. Extracts prepared from collected leather fibres were analysed by attenuated total reflectance – Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. Results were compared with data collected from different reference vegetable tanning materials which, according to historic and technical literature, were used in Europe during the Modern Age. This study allowed, in most cases, the characterisation of the tannins used to produce the studied decorative vegetable tanned leathers and, at the same time, the detection of chemical deterioration of leathers, particularly collagen hydrolysis, which was not visually perceived.

The development of a management model, in the preventive conservation area in the National Archive Torre do Tombo, included the identification of the specificities related to assessment and risk management methodology in Archives area/field and the definition of concepts and processes connected to management in that context. The present paper will focus on those contributions, particularly in the changes resulting by a new perspective in terms of management, based in the methodology defined by the AS/NZS 4360 standard. It also represents the end of the characterization of a process with two sequential phases, corresponding to the periods 2006-2007 and 2009-2013, which intention was to reinforce management assumptions in the preventive conservation field.

The Fundação Ricardo Espírito Santo Silva (FRESS) as the mission of defend, train, study, develop and implement Portuguese Fine Arts in Portugal. This paper reflects the process of Conservation-Restoration training, where students apply the most recent analytical techniques to the characterization of artwork towards enabling and supporting conservation intervention. In this study, the materials used to produce a 19th century sedan chair were characterised by optical microscopy, spectroscopic (SEM-EDS, -Raman and FTIR-imaging) and chromatographic (HPLC-DAD/MS) techniques. The use of natural and synthetic dyes was identified in textiles found inside the chair, including cochineal, brazilwood and fuchsine. Several paint layers with different colours and compounds, such as barite, calcium carbonate, lead white, hematite and Prussian blue, were identified in the external painted wood surface of the chair. The variety of identified materials, interspersed between layers of animal glue, reflects the different interventions that took place on the chair over time, supporting the intervention strategies reported/prescribed for the conservation-restoration procedure.

Over the last few years, we have been witnessing countless disaster situations (i.e. fires, floods, earthquakes...) and the consequent degradation, disappearance and irreparable damage to heritage assets that bear fundamental witness to history, memory and identity. We want to provide herein some thoughts on the threats and dangers, the fragilities and vulnerabilities that impact on our Heritage, and offer a reminder of its capacity for resistance to time and history´s hazards, against all difficulties, in an eternal cycle of creation, destruction and "renaissance". In addition, based on developments concerning documentation and recording techniques, new perspectives are opening up for some typologies. This paper will focus on the significance of images to our Cultural Heritage as a tool to raise awareness, as a record and as data, as a testimony of our collective memory, and also as a means for recovery and re-creation.

The detachment of the glaze in azulejos is the ultimate form of decay, since it leads to the loss of the pictorial content. The detachment is usually considered in a diffuse way, however a close observation allows recognizing several types, often related to crazing, which this paper proposes to systematize.

The aim was to study the behavior of the temperature (T), relative humidity (RH) and illuminance (I) in the repositories of the National Archive of the Republic of Cuba. The values of T and RH were measured twice daily for four consecutive years. I was measured in sunny and cloudy days. The result sallow us to affirm that the environmental conditions (T, RH) of these repositories are favorable for the conservation of paper documents. In cloudy days, I of the repositories located in lower-ground floor does not exceed the allowed 50 lux; but in sunny days, due to the incidence of sunlight, in all repositories I exceeds 50 lux. Artificial light caused an increase in I in all repositories, but this is not significant because the light bulbs are kept turned off most of the time.

The biodeterioration of Cultural Heritage, is one of the most important damage processes occurring in tropical climates, characterized by high humidity and temperatures which favours biological colonization, growth and development of different living organisms on Cultural Heritage. The organisms include fungi and insects by their ubiquity, physiology and dispersion media. This paper present the results of direct and environmental microbiological samples taken at different museums in Havana, Cuba. Air fungal concentration were detected in correlation with relative humidity. Aspergillus, Penicillium and Cladosporium, were the predominant fungal genera in indoor air and the different substrates tested. Its physiological potential represents a high micobiodeterioration risk. The conducted studies allowed establishing efficient preventive policies in order to extend the existent of these particular Cuban cultural assets.

The gradual integration of science into the museum and the strengthening of the collaboration between the conservators-restorers, the conservation scientists, and the curators describe the early history of the Conservation Science. This paper aims to discuss the First International Conference for the Study of Scientific Methods for the Examination and Preservation of Works of Art, which took place in Rome 1930. It was held under the auspices of the International Museums Office (1926-1946), of the International Institute of Intellectual Co-operation (1924-1946), and of the Nationals Committees. Also, it must be realised as the landmark in the discussion of the Conservation Science of the Cultural Heritage because of the visibility of the first laboratories, besides of the establishment of the debates about to the conservator-restorer training.

At the end of the 15th century, Évora was a cosmopolitan town whose importance was increasing in cultural and artistic terms. Throughout the 16th century, and until the first half of 17th century, the town experienced a golden age, welcoming many Portuguese and foreign artists, who were closely following the royal court. Among them there were painters, gilders and woodcarvers, responding to the growing demand for work. This paper provides an insight into the lives of some of these men from the 16th to the early 18th century. Through a documental survey, details of the gilded production, patrons and labor organization are presented, along with data on the personal and social daily life of these artists.

The Slovene ethnic territory lies at the contact of Italian and German cultural influences, which can also be traced in gilded works of art. The majority of wooden Gothic art heritage has been lost for good, but a great number of wooden "golden altars" from the 17th century and large 18th century baroque altarpieces with outstanding sculptures survive. Conservators-restorers face great problems resulting from repeated restoration interventions of a great deal of these works of art. The paper describes a recent treatment undertaken at the National Gallery of Slovenia of an 18th century water gilded sculpture from no more existing altar, which was subsequently and typically overpainted several times. The case study is used to illustrate the problems encountered in overpaint removal from gilded areas.

This paper is a methodological proposal for the study of altarpieces on wooden supports. The process was implemented to study the altarpiece of San Antonio de Padua in Garachico, Tenerife. For this, we conducted a review of key aspects appropriate to the discipline of wood identification carried out by macroscopic examination and for the characterization of the status of deterioration by colorimetric analysis. For the evaluation of the wood conservation status, the samples were subjected for the first time to colorimetric measurement. As a result we have created an online database to provide information for conservation professionals permitting them to design a proposal for preventive conservation and intervention individually for each object.

A cycle of 18th century frescoes, depicting the last days of Christ on earth, were recently discovered in Aci Sant'Antonio (Sicily, Italy). The paintings survive along the corners of an originally square chapel that was altered in the early 20th century, acquiring the current octagonal plan. This paper presents the results of the technical photography documentation of these wall paintings and illustrates the methodological challenges that were posed during their examination. Raking light photography was used to reveal the paintings' state of conservation, details of the plaster work and painting techniques. Ultraviolet fluorescence and infrared false color photography were also performed to evaluate areas of interest for further analytical and diagnostic studies. The first striking feature is the lack of giornate. Only pontate are clearly seen in all the scenes thus indicating that in the larger paint areas, a mixed of fresco and secco technique would have been used.

The subject of this paper is the carved wooden pulpits of the Church of Our Lady of Pena in Lisbon, Portugal. The fact that these objects were not gilded (as the rest of the carved wooden decoration in the church) raised the reinforced interest in their analysis. Besides the historical and stylistic approach, the text covers aspects of the materiality of the pulpits, including the wooden support and a grayish white layer. Analytical techniques such as optical microscopy complemented with the use of dyes to map the possible presence of binder materials constituting the white layer applied on the wooden support, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and micro-Fourier transformed infrared spectrometry were used to identify the components of paint materials.

The analysis of treatises reveals a crucial effort to deepen the scientific knowledge in conservation and restoration, particularly with regard to knowledge of artistic techniques and specific techniques of "restoration". The book "Restoration of paintings and prints", written by Manuel de Macedo (a museum curator in 1884) and published in 1885 is a very important source of information. Although this book has often been cited in scientific articles and research works, it was never properly dissected in all its parts, by its own merits, and therefore is our intention to share the information it contains, in an effort to promote Portuguese treatises of the nineteenth century. We have structured our analysis into two parts, one devoted to criteria and procedures relating to prints, and a second devoted entirely to oil painting on canvas, wood and copper. In the current paper we analyse the first part.

The restoration of modern architecture presents a great challenge today, since modernism breaks relations with the traditional past and creates a new architectural language. The Cathedral of Brasilia, with characteristics such as new materials, new technologies, new infrastructure systems, poses challenges to contemporary thinking, particularly on how to evaluate and intervene in this architecture, when there are not well-defined criteria to guide these activities. This paper aims to make a critical analysis of the work done in the Cathedral of Brasilia, as well as to report the intervention criteria that have been and should be applied in both theory and practice.

This paper addresses the issue of the old urban centres from the perspective of the analysis and inventory of building features. The cataloguing process of the building typologies is presented herein as a synthesis of the main construction forms, with the old city centre of Seixal being used as a case study. Furthermore, and taking into account the relation between such two dimensions, a material and constructive characterisation of the buildings in the old urban centre of Seixal is presented. As marks of an historical and architectural heritage, old urban centres should be protected, safeguarded and potentiated. For such, it is fundamental to have a complete understanding of the genesis of both buildings and urban mesh. This fact is essential to the support of qualified, conscientious and sustainable rehabilitation interventions on the old building stock.

Survey and inspection are the first tasks on the assessment of a building condition, comprising the identification and registry of its main structural and non-structural anomalies. The approach to be used on the inspection process should be pre-selected according to the building typology, the final goal of the project, the level of detail intended and the intervention scale. Particularly in the case of the ancient buildings, and due to the general lack of knowledge on traditional materials and building techniques, such inspection and survey actions are often inadequate, compromising consequently the reliability of the diagnosis and the subsequent efficiency of eventual rehabilitation and/or retrofitting actions. On the basis of the exposed, this paper presents a reflection on strategies and inspection processes for the assessment and diagnosis of old buildings, presenting the use of inspection datasheets as privileged tools in the implementation of effective survey and diagnosis actions.

This paper presents the strategy adopted by the Instituto de Investigação Científica Tropical (Tropical Research Institute), in Lisbon, to access and conserve the natural history collections under its care, specifically fluid-preserved zoological and botanical collections, through the creation and implementation of the interdisciplinary project "Promotion of Tropical Knowledge". We discuss key issues and planned interventions, taking into account the need to preserve the chemical structure and the morphology of the specimens in the best possible way. The article focuses on the importance of maintaining the integrity of the containers which house the specimens and the fluid composition and its appropriate levels, creating a protective microenvironment around the specimens. Reference is also made to the importance of computer processing of collections, allowing its availability to the scientific community and acting as a form of long term preservation, since this means of safeguarding information may last even longer than the specimens themselves.

This paper presents a study on the technique and materials used in the panel painting entitled Pentecostes, attributed to the artist Fernão Gomes (XVIIth century), housed in the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga, in Lisbon. The study also includes the diagnosis of the conservation state of the painting and the description of the cleaning intervention. For identification of the materials and determination of the conservation state, several analytical techniques were used: micro-FTIR and GC-MS, for identification of the binder and varnish; micro-Raman and micro-FTIR, for identification of fillers and pigments; micro-XRF and SEM-EDX, for elemental analysis; optical microscopy, with visible and fluorescent radiation, and infrared photography, for morphological observation and study of pictorial technique. The analytical approach led to the identification of materials common at the time: gypsum with animal glue, lead white, yellow and red ochres, black earths (based on Mn, Bi, Fe), azurite, possible green earth, lead red, oil and oily varnish with residues of cholesterol. After various cleaning tests, a gel suggested by the literature was chosen (recipe no. 105.4 developed by R. Wolbers) and proved to be effective in the removal of the aged and polymerized varnish.

This paper describes the methodology followed in the conservation and restoration of the panel "Saint Sebastian calling on the faith of the Christian captive brothers Marcus and Marcellianus", datable to the late sixteenth century, belonging to the ancient altarpiece in the presbytery of the Church São Sebastião (Saint Sebastian), Terceira Island, Azores, and currently at the Museum of Angra do Heroísmo. It begins by presenting an historical overview and an iconographic and artistic study of the panel, which proved crucial to the understanding of the subject and its setting at the time, the church and the whole altarpiece. The double meaning as a testimony of faith and a symbol of national identity in times close to or already in the process of loss of independence from Portugal, is achieved through the hagiographic representation of the patron saint of the church on a base of cedar wood (Juniperus brevifolia), which enables to infer an author or local production. In the late nineties of the twentieth century, this support showed an intense deterioration resulting from colonization by fungi (brown rot) and previous interventions. The work done back than was held by various thinning of the wood and partial filling that allowed the restoration of the physical balance of each one of five boards and the panel as a whole. After this phase, the intervention was stopped, coming to resume in 2007, with the further stabilization of wood, reassembly, repainting survey and treatment of pictorial layer. The methodology was adapted to the most current criteria, keeping only what had once been widely followed in the areas affected by fungal action, with a clear structural instability and inability to recover only by consolidating.

The objective of the paper is the compilation, review and dissemination of updated scientific knowledge on lime theory and technology in the field of heritage conservation. The strong evidence of the last decade's research on the positive effect of the - not demonstrable by a chemical equation – 'key' missing link of the maturation process is highlighted. It is demonstrated that the exceptional perfor -mance characteristics of durable lime based mortars predominately rely on the capacity for rapid, efficient and extensive carbonation of the air-hardening phase of limes, in particular when matured (nanoparticle wet slaked) lime putties are used; and on the chemical and mechanical stability of the strength components (principally CSHs) of the hydraulic phase of limes, which is higher in their more crystalline forms of historical lime-pozzolan mixtures than in their amorphous forms of modern cements. Hence, physicochemical adhesion and cohesion bonds both at the lime matrix and at the binder/aggregate interfaces are ensured imparting minimization of cracks and durability to lime based mortars and historic masonries. The comprehensive documentation of the former leads to optimal materials and procedures to preserve our cultural heritage.

Earth architecture is a fragile construction in the beginning of its life. The resistance and good behaviour of earth constructions get better with time, when maintenance of structures is constantly implemented and a reality every year. The cycle construction/conservation is an obligation for earth architecture; without it, it would not be possible for us today to appreciate cultural heritage which is over 5000 years old. On the world wide panorama the earth architectonic surfaces play an important role – the protection of earth walls. The renewal of earth renders and plasters gives a better resistance against decay and durability to the earth architecture. Earth architectonic surfaces, as surface coatings decorated or smooth finished, coloured or non coloured, apart from their function as wall protection finishes, play a decorative architectural role, full of unique magical symbols, codes and beauty. The aim of the present paper, presented at the international conference Colours 2008 as "Earth colours finishes in earthen architecture", is to show, in summary, some earth decorative techniques, their multiple significances and symbols, colours, forms and its actuality in Africa, South America and Asia.

In order to protect the hydraulic heritage of Évora, a restoration project was carried on eighteen structures with different typologies (wall fountains, free standing fountains, drinking fountains) characterized by their diversity in historical value and state of conservation. The main objectives of this work promoted by the Municipality of Évora and developed by the company Nova Conservação, Lda. were the conservation, restoration and reactivation of these structures in order to give them back to the public. This paper presents the methodologies for their recovering. A particular emphasis was given to the fountains of "Largo de São Mamede" and, specially, of "Rua de Alconchel" due to the discovery of decorative mural paintings made using fresco techniques (feigned marbles) underneath layers of lime wash.

Moisture is a major source of damage in historic massive masonry. Therefore control of moisture movement in masonry is instrumental to the durability of masonry buildings. From research and practical experience it is known that a series of causes may play a role regarding permeability problems in masonry. This paper is focused on materials aspects regarding water penetration in historic fired clay masonry walls, constructed with moderate-to-high absorption bricks and lime mortars; the occurrence and influence of parameters such as brick porosity, interface leakage and mortar joint resistance are discussed. Subsequently, quantitative tests results are given on the effects of these parameters on the leakage of massive walls of different thicknesses. The results of the investigations lead to a number of recommendations to be used in case of repair of historic massive masonry. Finally, attention is paid to the influence of workmanship on the permeability behaviour of historic massive walls.

This paper addresses the effects of fire on historic surfaces through the scientific analysis of the original mortars and pigments of the Chalet of the Countess of Edla, located in the Park of Pena (Sintra, Portugal). It is intended as a first approach to the study and characterization of the historical fabric in the context of the ongoing restoration project, promoted by Parques de Sintra-Monte da Lua, SA.

Earth mortars were constructively used since Ancient Neolithic in Southwest Iberia pre-historic habitat settlements. According to archaeological information, these materials were applied on Neolithic Period to render ditches; latter, on Copper and Bronze Age, earth mortars were also used binding stone masonry, covering and filling vegetable structures, in mudbrick masonry and probably in massive walls. This paper aims to show some specific information about earth constructive traces obtained in interior Alentejo neolithic settlements of Defesa de Cima 2, Lajinha 8, Horta do Albardão 3, Valada do Mato (Évora district) and Toca da Raposa (Portalegre district). The analysed materials were composed by samples of burned clayish mortars coming from renderings or small thickness walls of probable storage bins and combustion structures. The samples descriptions include the drawing, measurement and photographic record of the chosen traces and also structural and granulometric analysis. The authors believe these analyses can contribute to deeper the knowledge of pre-historic domestic structures and constructive techniques, making possible technological reproduction of habitat settlements.