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A novel research approach focused on innovative materials and methods to assure the long-term stability of bronze archaeological artefacts during exhibition and storage is reported. The work deals with the application of advanced analytical techniques and the development, characterisation and testing of materials and procedures for the conservation, protection and restoration of ancient Cu-based alloy artefacts. Our first aim was the selection of Cu-based alloy artefacts from different archaeological sites in Southern Italy with respect of chemical composition, metallurgical features and corrosion products. This step allowed the identification of the ancient alloys, the study of natural patinas and the identification of the involved degrading agents and mechanisms. Then the selection of long-term reliable, safe and environmentally friendly strategies for conservation was carried out. An original analytical approach based on the production of reference Cu-based alloys submitted to accelerated degradation tests was used to produce corroded samples for testing new materials with corrosion inhibiting properties.

Qui di seguito viene illustrato il progetto scientifico ATENA, svolto presso l'Istituto per lo Studio dei Materiali Nanostrutturati (ISMN) del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) e co-finanziato dal MIUR con Decreto Direttoriale 9-10-2002, n. 1105/2002. Il progetto si propone di applicare avanzate tecniche diagnostiche strumentali al fine di acquisire la dettagliata conoscenza microchimica e microstrutturale di manufatti metallici e ceramici antichi, di definirne il meccanismo di alterazione e/o degrado e di progettare, sintetizzare e validare opportuni prodotti e formulazioni per il restauro conservativo di tali manufatti. Le conoscenze acquisite sono utilizzabili anche per il recupero delle antiche tecniche di produzione e per una loro possibile riproposizione sia nel campo del restauro integrativo che nell'ambito dell'artigianato culturale.

The production of reference Cu-based alloys is the first step of an original experimental protocol to be used in the field of conservation and restoration of metal artefacts. The production of these synthetic alloys has a double value. They can be used both as suitable substitutes of unique archaeological pieces for testing new materials and methods for conservation, and as guidelines for contemporary metal production. We report on a research activity focused on the recovery of the ancient production techniques from the investigation of archaeological copper-based artefacts. The chemical, physical and metallurgical characterization of several Cu-based artefacts, found in different Italian archaological sites, was carried out by bulk and surface techniques in order to investigate the nature and properties of the metallic substrates and the corrosion products. Chemical and metallurgial formulations of the ancient archaeological alloys were obtained by data analyses. On the basis of these results, a set of Cu-based alloys with different chemical compositions and metallurgical features was produced. The chemical and physical characterization showed that these modern Cu-based alloys strictly resemble the ancient ones constituting the archaeological artefacts from a chemical, micro-morphological and metallurgical point of view.