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Chemical analysis is a well-established procedure for the provenancing of archaeological ceramics. Various analytical techniques are routinely used and large amounts of data have been accumulated so far in data banks. However, in order to exchange results obtained by different laboratories, the respective analytical procedures need to be tested in terms of their inter-comparability. In this study, the schemes of analysis used in four laboratories that are involved in archaeological pottery studies on a routine basis were compared. The techniques investigated were neutron activation analysis (NAA), X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF), inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). For this comparison series of measurements on different geological standard reference materials (SRM) were carried out and the results were statistically evaluated. An attempt was also made towards the establishment of calibration factors between pairs of analytical setups in order to smooth the systematic differences among the results.

Parietaria pollen is one of the major causes of allergic reaction in southern Europe, affecting about 30% of all allergic patients in this area. Specific immunotherapy is the only treatment able to modify the natural outcome of the disease by restoring a normal immunity against allergens. The preparation of allergen-solid lipid nanoparticles as delivery vehicles for therapeutic proteins, P. judaica major allergen Par j 2, was investigated. The Par j 2 allergen was expressed in a large amount in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity. Its immunological properties were studied by western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay inhibition. Solid lipid nanoparticles were obtained by water-in-oil-in-water multiple emulsion method and characterized in terms of mean size and surface charge. These systems (approximately 250 nm diameter and negative surface charge) incorporated recombinant Par j 2 with 40% or greater efficiency. Moreover, the endotoxin level and anaphylactic activity of the empty solid lipid nanoparticles and recombinant Par j 2-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles were evaluated by looking at the overexpression of CD203c marker on human basophils. These results demonstrate that recombinant Par j 2-nanoparticles could be proposed as safe compositions for the development of new therapeutic dosage forms to cure allergic reactions.

An ethnoarchaeometric approach has been followed to identify the textural and compositional characteristics of the ceramic pastes produced in ancient Iaitas/Ietas, an indigenous site located in western Sicily on Monte Iato, a few tens of kilometres from Palermo. This approach was primarily motivated by the lack of discovered Archaic kilns or production sites/workshops and the inability to identify reference groups. Raw clays were sampled in the territory of San Cipirello and San Giuseppe Iato (today’s municipalities both sited on the northern slopes of Monte Iato), together with representative historic tiles and bricks locally produced until fairly recently. Grain-size analysis and experimental firings were performed on the clay samples. A significant number of archaeological ceramic samples (incised and painted indigenous pottery dating back to the seventh–fifth centuries BCE) from stratigraphic excavations on Monte Iato, and hypothesized as local productions on a stylistic-morphological basis, was carefully selected for archaeometric analysis. This set of samples (90 in total, comprising raw clays, historic tiles/bricks and archaeological ceramics) underwent a combined chemical and mineralogical-petrographic analysis to identify any possible compositional matching. This approach enabled the identification of minero-petrographic and chemical markers pertinent to the indigenous Archaic pottery produced at Monte Iato, although no evidence of coeval ceramic kilns has been found so far. Local raw clay sources have been documented and some significant points of the chaîne opératoire adopted in antiquity have been noted (clay mixing and tempering practices). Attesting Monte Iato as a centre of ceramic production and defining both the microscopic fabric and the average composition of local pastes open up new perspectives in the complex issue concerning the production and regional circulation of incised and painted indigenous ceramics in Archaic Sicily.

Hereditary women’s syndromes due to inherited mutations result in an elevated risk of developing gynecological cancers over the lifetime of affected carriers. The BRCA 1 and 2 mutations, Lynch syndrome (LS), and mutations in rare hereditary syndromes increase this risk and require more effective management of these patients based on surveillance and prophylactic surgery. Patients need counseling regarding risk-reducing surgery (RRS) and the time required to perform it, considering the adverse effects of premenopausal surgery and the hormonal effect on quality of life, bone density, sexual activity, and cardiological and vascular diseases. Risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO) is the gold standard for BRCA-mutated patients. An open question is that of endometrial cancer (EC) risk in patients with BRCA1/2 mutation to justify prophylactic hysterectomy during RRSO surgical procedures. RRS provides a 90–95% risk reduction for ovarian and breast cancer in women who are mutation carriers, but the role of prophylactic hysterectomy is underinvestigated in this setting of patients. In this review, we evaluate the management of the most common hereditary syndromes and the benefits of risk-reducing surgery, particularly exploring the role of prophylactic hysterectomy.

This study presents the results of the examination and characterisation of the wall paintings that decorate the rupestrian church named Grotta del Crocifisso, which is located in the territory of Lentini (eastern Sicily, few tens of kilometres from Catania and Syracuse). The earliest mural paintings in the church date back to the twelfth century AD. A multi-analytical approach was adopted for the characterisation of stone materials, secondary degradation products, and pigments. For this purpose, the following techniques were used: reflected light microscopy (RLM), polarised light microscopy on thin sections (PLM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), portable X-ray fluorescence (p-XRF), scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Raman spectroscopy (RS). The lithic substrate and the plaster’s coating layers were thoroughly characterised from compositional and textural points of view, and the use of locally available raw materials was established. Similarly, the newly formed crystalline phases produced by alteration processes of the original materials were recognised. The red, yellow, brown, and green pigments were easily identified by p-XRF and SEM-EDS. The use of “earth pigments” widely available in the surrounding area (various types of ochre) was thus highlighted. The recognition of the dark blue pigment created some additional issues in its identification, making further diagnostic methods necessary. In fact, the use of the most common mineral pigments was categorically excluded by both p-XRF and SEM-EDS, since no chromophore metallic elements were highlighted with the exception of trace amounts of iron. A combination of detailed microscopic observations together with the application of FTIR and RS supported the use of an organic pigment obtained from the maceration of woad (Isatis tinctoria). The green pigment is the result of a mixture between woad and yellow ochre. Woad is even today easily available in Sicily, and some additional experimental tests were carried out on Isatis tinctoria that had been freshly collected in the area (treated with traditional procedures). Over the past centuries, woad was widely used for dyeing fabrics, but its practice for wall paintings has only been sporadically proven. The identification reported in this case study could be considered a novelty at least in the Sicilian panorama.

Indigenous fine tablewares (both plain and with painted geometric patterns/decorations) were widely diffused in western and central Sicily between the seventh and the fifth centuries BC (Gargini 1995; Spatafora 1996; Trombi 1999; Campisi 2003 However, the considerable recurrence of shapes and decorative subjects inhibits the identification of specific production centres merely on the basis of stylistic and morphological analyses. Therefore, the extent of the distribution of objects manufactured in different workshops cannot be fully appreciated, and the network of ceramic trade in Archaic Sicily is acknowledged only in terms of the relationships between the Phoenician and Greek colonies and the native hinterland. To date, any kind of transaction patterns involving only indigenous centres still remains unknown.

From 2017, an unknown rural settlement in Contrada Castro at Corleone (Palermo Province, western Sicily) was investigated as part of the `Harvesting Memories Project¿. The stratigraphic sequence, supported by radiocarbon dating, has demonstrated a reoccupation of a pre-Roman site during the transition between the Byzantine and Islamic periods. In particular, the main occupation occurred in the late 8th¿9th century when pottery kilns and a probable warehouse were constructed. During the 10th¿11th century, a new structure with different orientations replaced the previous buildings that had already collapsed. Specifically focusing on a perspective of the household production and its relationship to the surrounding landscapes of this site, this paper presents the results of a geological survey and petrographic analysis of ceramic finds and lithic samples to identify the source area of the geomaterials used in the studied settlement. The ceramic finds were divided into different Paste Groups based on the characteristics of a polarizing microscope study. The use of some locally available raw materials was recorded both for ceramic and lithic samples. Such an approach enables us to better understand ceramic craft technology, clay and lithic procurement strategies and, more broadly, the consumption of household pottery in the Early Medieval site in Contrada Castro. Furthermore, this study verifies the close relationship that this rural settlement had with the surrounding resources in the area and reveals a connection with the city of Palermo during the Early Middle Ages., Bona Furtuna LLC; Università degli Studi di Palermo, Funding information: Bona Furtuna LLC; Università degli Studi di Palermo

This paper aims at an interdisciplinary, archaeological and archaeometric characterisation of the western Greek amphorae series produced in late Archaic and Classical-period Agrigento (southern Sicily). The research is based on a macroscopic examination, according to the standardised methods of Fabrics of the Central Mediterranean (FACEM), combined with petrographic analyses of 21 amphorae samples of presumed local fabric found in Agrigento itself. These were found in the artisanal area outside Porta V, in the excavations South of the temple of Zeus, and in several Sicilian consumption sites. Furthermore, a selection of 12 coarse ware samples and three tiles, all of supposed local manufacture and unearthed in Agrigento, has been investigated. For comparison, 12 raw clays sampled in the gullies between the Tempio di Giunone and the Tempio della Concordia have been included in this study and are complimented by chemical analyses (ICP-MS and ICP/OES) undertaken on a group of 19 ceramic samples and seven raw materials. As a result, our study confirms the local manufacture of the entire selection of 36 ceramic samples and the more than acceptable petrographic and chemical homogeneity of the ceramic pastes produced with locally sourced clays. The identification of a production of western Greek wine (?) amphorae in Agrigento dating from the late 6th-4th century BCE breaks ground for a better understanding of the colony's economic development during the late Archaic and Classical periods. The city has to be regarded, in fact, as one of the major global players within the wider frame of Sicilian commercial interaction, especially during the 5th century BCE.

The reconstruction of ecclesiastical geography of Christian origins constitutes one of the most current fields of study of Postclassical Archeology in Europe. The contribution aims to update current knowledge on the state of research in Sicily in the light of the new data acquired from archeology.

This paper concerns the archaeometric analysis of ceramic finds dating to the Roman Imperial period, brought to light during the excavation campaigns conducted at Vagnari (Puglia) in south-east Italy. On the site of the central village (vicus) of this imperial estate, established by the Roman Emperor in the early 1st century CE, large dolia (wine vats) sunk into the floor of a winery of the 2nd century CE recently were brought to light. Other discoveries include kilns for the production of ceramic roof tiles and also kiln wasters such as misfired tiles. The purpose of the analytical approach was therefore twofold: 1) to establish the composition of local ceramic products and of raw clay resources available nearby; 2) to prove that the dolia were imported and not produced locally (as macroscopic observations of the ceramic vessels would suggest) and to offer a hypothesis concerning their provenance through petrographic observations and chemical analysis. The results show that roof tiles for the settlement were manufactured locally from readily available clay deposits, but the dolia were imported, by sea and/or land, from distant workshops in volcanic zones on the west coast of Italy around Rome or south of Rome near Minturno on the Campanian border.

We assessed the relationship between V, Cr, Mn, Hg, As, Cd, Sn, Sb and Pb concentrations in Mytilus galloprovincialis samples from the coasts of Sicily and the expression of metallothioneins. Toxic mineral elements assessment was carried out by A.A. Spectrometry and ICP-MS. The metallothioneins expression was performed by q-PCR method. Low metals' levels were found in the mussel samples examined, in comparison with what was reported in literature. The highest mean values of toxic mineral elements were found in Gela (Cr 0.178 +/- 0.03 mg/Kg, Mn 4.325 +/- 0.012 mg/Kg, As 3.706 +/- 0.009 mg/Kg, Sn 0.148 +/- 0.014 mg/Kg, Sb 0.009 +/- 0.004 mg/Kg e Pb 0.364 +/- 0.01 mg/Kg). Significant levels of Hg were found in samples from Catania (0.014 +/- 0.005 mg/Kg). Only vanadium and lead concentrations showed significant differences between sampling areas (p < 0.05). Molecular analysis verified a basal expression of Mt1 and the absence of over-expression of Mt2, confirming the low mineral's concentrations found in the samples examined.

International audience; The deterioration of monument or building stone materials is mostly due to the growth of black crusts that cause blackening and disaggregation of the exposed surface. This study reports on new oxygen (δ17O, δ18O and Δ17O) and sulphur (δ33S, δ34S, δ36S, Δ33S and Δ36S) isotopic analyses of black crust sulphates formed on building stones in Sicily (Southern Italy). The measurements are used to identify the possible influence of volcanic emissions on black crust formation. Black crusts were mostly sampled on carbonate stone substrate in different locations subject to various sulphur emission sources (marine, anthropogenic and volcanic). Unlike atmospheric sulphate aerosols that mostly exhibit Δ33S > 0‰, here most of the analysed black crust sulphates show negative Δ33S. This confirms that black crust sulphates do not result from deposition of sulphate aerosols or of rainwater but mostly from the oxidation of dry deposited SO2 onto the stone substrate. The δ34S and δ18O values indicate that most of black crust sulphate originates from anthropogenic activities. Δ17O values are found to be related to the sampling location. The largest 17O-anomalies (up to ~4‰) are measured in black crust from areas highly influenced by volcanic emissions, which demonstrates the strong involvement of ozone in the formation of black crusts in volcanically influenced environments.

The paper aims at merging the first results from the analyses of the georesources exploited in the site of Piano dei Cardoni (Ustica island, Italy) during the Neolithic phases of its occupation (Middle-Late Neolithic, 4.7-4.2 ka cal BC). Grinding tools consist of a very varied typology of local volcanic rocks, easy to collect and available very close to the investigated site. A selection of shapes and lithology is applied to reach the best performance of the tools. The elevated number of grinders, pestles, mortars testify to an intense activity of food/plant processing in the site. The absence of chert or obsidian resources on the island pushed the human communities to import such raw materials from the Aeolian islands and probably from the north-western area of Palermo. Pumice is collected on the same island, probably due to the local availability and its good quality. Similarly, local clay resources are used for the manufacture of ceramics, mostly burnished and incised wares. Ustica was therefore almost autonomous for the exploitation of resources, with volcanic rocks readily available in abundance and with the most significant exception being chert and obsidian. This last one probably imported and worked on the island and then moved towards North-Western Sicily.

This tutorial paper is focused on the mineralogical-petrographic characterization of clayey raw materials with the purpose of sourcing supply basins and answering questions about the provenance of the corresponding archaeological ceramic artefacts. The first part gives general indications of how to profitably study archaeological ceramic thin sections through the polarizing microscope. Brief notes are provided on the theoretical basis of optical microscopy. A scheme is then provided for the petrographic description of ceramic samples, concerning the textural and compositional characteristics of aplastic inclusions and groundmass. Suggestions are also given for identifying any minero-petrographic marker and establishing minero-petrographic groups (MGP) aimed at archaeological ceramic provenance studies. After broadly describing the geological origin of the clay deposits, there is discussion of how to plan a field survey aimed at the location of clay sources and sampling. The importance of the ethnoarchaeometric approach in provenance studies is also underlined. The third part of the paper describes the preliminary treatments to which the clayey raw materials are subjected before reporting on a grain size analysis and how to proceed when performing experimental firing tests. Finally some suggestions are made about how to compare clay firing tests (experimental briquettes) and archaeological ceramic finds when assessing a production centre.

A set of 37 overfired ceramic samples was collected from the dump of two kilns sited in the productive area FF1 in the acropolis of Selinunte (south western Sicily), being specifically active in the period 409–250 BCE. The ceramic samples were analysed by thin-section petrography and chemical analysis, with the aim to establish a valuable ‘reference group’ representative of the ceramic produced at Selinunte during the Punic phase. The petrographic and chemical analyses allowed to state that the ceramic manufactures from the kilns operating in the FF1 insula are characterized by rather homogeneous textural/compositional features. The daily-use common ware here produced is characterized by aplastic inclusions mainly falling in the size classes of coarse silt and medium sand, with relative abundance ranging between 15 and 25% area. The inclusions are composed of monocrystalline quartz and, subordinately, of calcareous bioclasts, polycrystalline quartz, K-feldspar, plagioclase, chert, sandstones and acid rock fragments. The relatively low total chemical variability of the ceramic sample set reflects the specific incidence of the above-mentioned mineralogical and textural features. The variable amount of quartz-rich sand used for tempering the local raw clays produces slight variations in the SiO2/CaO concentration ratio. Nonetheless, the chemical ‘reference group’ defined through this study seems to be consistent and characterized by satisfactory low standard deviations and it is fully congruent with the geo-lithological background of the area. This new chemical ‘reference group’ might be applied to studies that are aimed to define the trade networks in that time in south western Sicily. It could also represent a useful starting point for future systematic studies concerning various ceramics classes (i.e. tableware, cooking ware, transport amphorae, etc.), taking into account the consumption and insular/extra insular trade dynamics of the ceramic products of Punic Selinunte.

Neutron radiography (NR) was here applied to study the effects of two different commercially available consolidants on the water absorption properties in a particular type of limestone (biocalcarenite), known as Pietra d’Aspra stone, which is one of the most extensively used lithotypes in Sicilian Baroque buildings. Our attention was mainly focused on the evaluation, using a fast and nondestructive visualization of water motion through capillarity, of the effectiveness of such layers as consolidating agents in view of preserving and maintaining both old and modern structures. The biocalcarenite was treated with nanosilica (Nano Estel®) and nanolime (CaLoSil®) by brushing it until full saturation, and then artificially weathered by salt crystallization and temperature/relative humidity jumps. Liquid distribution and height of the water front were monitored as a function of time. Significant differences in the water suction behavior among all the investigated samples were highlighted, which allowed us to gain insight into the coating/substrate interaction mechanisms which regulate the fluid mobility inside the porous network of the limestone.

The extractive capability of soluble salts in poultices treatments currently used in mortar conservation (ArbocelTM plus sepiolite; ArbocelTM, sepiolite and sand; Westox-Cocoon®) were tested to evaluate their efficiency and compatibility with specific mortar substrate. The pore size distribution of the experimental mortar substrate and of the blank dried poultices were preliminarily accomplished by mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP). Desalination tests were carried out on specifically-formulated mortars after capillary absorption of Na2SO4 0.3 M solution. The efficiency of salt extraction was measured by means of electrical conductivity meter and ion chromatography. Among the tested products, Westox-Cocoon® showed the best performance in terms of the ability to extract soluble salts. It is the only poultice with a porosity distribution characterised by predominantly large macropores (20–30 µm), which guarantees it an extraordinary efficiency in the first phase of the extraction process (wetting/dissolving). This last aspect provides a useful term of comparison for conservators who actually use these products and a base of operational protocol more suitable to the needs of the restoration site.

The study of ceramic-making communities which employ traditional practices can provide insights into the raw materials and techniques used over the centuries in a particular territory. The archaeometric study of ceramic products and of the raw materials used in their production is an effective complement to the existing ethnographic information. This paper focuses on the brick and tile making tradition of Oristano, a town in Central-Western Sardinia (Italy). Applying a combination of techniques, it includes an extensive analysis of traditional handmade and early industrial bricks and tiles, and a study of the local clays that may have been used as raw materials. Although we were unable to study workshops in operation, we had access to the oral testimonies of local workers regarding traditional production processes. In this sense, this is an ethnographic case study that can be considered as a semiarchaeological situation. Studies of this kind, in conjunction with ethnoarchaeometric analyses, are also useful to test some of the theoretical and methodological approaches used in archaeometric research. In this regard, the present study also explores the compositional variability of the ceramic production within the same territory.

This paper deals with the archaeometric study of lime-based plasters found in the archaeological settlement of Scauri, located in the homonymous bay in the south-western part of Pantelleria Island. Since 1999, archaeological surveys have led to the recovery of the huge remains of a Late Roman settlement dating back to the fourth-fifth century AD. It is well known that the island of Pantelleria is entirely composed of volcanic rocks. Accordingly, the production of quicklime required calcareous rocks to be imported. Also, the selection criteria of the sandy aggregate are relevant and of interest to this study, to evaluate the achieved technological level. Within this context, a mineralogical and petrographic characterisation of the plasters was carried out using thin-section petrography, for the classification of the sand aggregate. Moreover, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy were performed to investigate the composition of the binder. The analytical results allowed the identification of different recipes for the manufacture of the studied plasters, obtained by the use of different types of aggregate (volcanic rock fragments, pumice, basaltic scoriae, and ceramic fragments) and highlighted the degree of pozzolanic reaction of the binder. Finally, the provenance of the calcareous raw material was inferred using a petrographic approach.

This contribution is focused on a specific class of indigenous Archaic pottery (sixth and fifth century BC) with matt-painted geometric decoration that was recovered in large quantities in the excavations at Entella, an indigenous site located in western Sicily. The site of Entella was strategically considerable in this part of Sicily, controlling the north-south routes running along the river Belice. Kiln structures were attested at Entella that, until today, it is the only Archaic site in the area with an unmistakable evidence of production of fine pottery. The present research is aimed at yielding a complete petrographic and chemical characterization of the table ware produced at Entella during the sixth and fifth century BC. Analytical results were afterward compared with data concerning local clays that were subjected to experimental firing tests as well. This study is expected to provide additional interpretations concerning the trade between the native centers located in the interior of western Sicily and the Greek or Punic colonies sited along the coasts of the same territory.

Given that amphorae were used for storage or for long and/or short distance transport, they must have been able to retain their content and, at the same time, be able to resist important load during transport. This paper concerns aspects of the techno-functionality of pre-Roman Iberian amphorae. The basic performance requirement concerned here is the mechanical strength (transverse rupture strength: TRS). Strength is related to the adequacy for storage or short and/or long distance transport that, up to now, is only assessed by typological identification or archaeological evidence. Experimental implementation on actual archaeological material has confirmed that strength increased with higher firing temperatures, less porosity, finer texture, less calcareous composition and a more siliciclastic component. The general conclusion is that only specific types of Iberian amphorae were appropriate for short distance and occasional transport.

The westernmost of the Greek-Sicilian towns, Selinunte, founded in western Sicily during the second half of the seventh century BCE, gives amazing evidences of a historic activity of ceramic production (seventh to third century BCE). The present study aims to identify the raw materials available in the vicinity of the archaeological site of Selinunte, which were possibly used by the ancient potters, and to characterise them by means of petrographic and chemical techniques. A sampling campaign of clays and sands for tempering was undertaken in the archaeological site and the adjacent area. Moreover, locally produced archaeological bricks and tiles were considered helpful for comparison regarding the definition of local ceramic macro- and micro-fabrics and were analysed as well. The comparison between textural, mineralogical and chemical data allowed us to highlight a good similarity between the clayey materials available in the area and the local ancient bricks and tiles. Their compositional resemblance suggests the hypothesis of a systematic use of the studied clays for ceramic productions from the Archaic to the Hellenistic period. The preliminary archaeometric results obtained so far could enhance the distinction between local manufactures and imports and may well lead to the identification of ceramic artefacts produced by the Archaic-Hellenistic workshops of Selinunte at various consumption sites.

This contribution proposes a combination of archaeological fabric analysis and petrographic research applied to the study of 35 sherds of Graeco-Italic amphorae mostly found in Palermo, but also in Pantelleria and Malta (Tab. 1). The provenance identification derived from both approaches gives evidence for the arrival, in North-Western Sicily, of presumable wine amphorae from central-Tyrrhenian Italy since the very late 4th century BC. The production of the majority of the material has been confidentially attributed to the area of the Gulf of Naples/Ischia, but a second large group originates from several, still unidentified production sites to be located along the coastal strip of Campania or Lazio. Interestingly, apart from this dominating Italian assemblage, two amphorae match the petrographic finger-print of raw materials of the Eastern Nebrodi/Calabrian-Peloritani arc. The documentation of large quantities of 3rd century-BC Tyrrhenian Graeco-Italic amphorae in Palermo together with single sherds from North-Eastern Sicily testify to the importance of the commercial axis connecting the Campanian production sites with the most important consumption areas located in Carthage"s epikrateia in Western Sicily.

The present contribution is part of a biennial research project funded by the Italian Ministry of Education, Universities and Research (MIUR). This study, currently in progress, deals with innovative experimental approaches applied to the chemical, mineralogical and physical transformations occurring during the prolonged permanence of archaeological ceramic finds in seawater environments as well as to restoration and conservation issues of the same underwater artifacts. The experimental approach used in this research consisted in the manufacture of ceramic test-pieces (briquettes) and their successive placing in underwater environment. This work aims at assessing how textural and compositional parameters along with firing temperatures of a ceramic paste could affect total porosity, pore size distribution and kinetics of capillary water absorption. A further purpose is concerned with the study of the potential modification of porosity and pore size distribution in the same ceramic bodies after immersion in seawater (3 and 6 months). The study was carried out using a multi-technique approach including investigations through polarized light microscopy (PLM), capillary water absorption test, mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) analyses and theoretical calculation of salt crystallization pressures. The obtained results show a different behavior of the six experimental pastes as a function of their compositional and textural features as well as pore size distribution and firing temperatures. These parameters, in various extents, have been found significantly influencing the kinetics of water absorption and the susceptibility of ceramic artifacts to salt crystallization processes, with important implications on conservation procedures needed before the musealization.

The topic of this study was the mineralogical and petrographic characterization of bedding mortars (made of different layers) and tesserae of Roman age (3rd Century A.D.), taken from the mosaic of the Frigidarium of “Villa Bonanno”, brought to light by archaeological excavations conducted in the historical centre of Palermo. The collected samples have been analysed by thin-section optical microscopy (PLM), and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS). The study was aimed to define the “recipe” (composition of temper and binder, temper size distribution, temper/binder ratio), in order to assess the provenance of raw materials (supply site/area) and to acquire useful information in order to formulate "restoration mortars" that should be most comparable with the original ones, for replacements and/or integration. Lithotypes constituting the coloured tesserae were also characterized by thin-section optical microscopy. The mineralogical and petrographic investigations allowed establishing two different recipes used for the formulation of the studied mortars in terms of both compositional and textural features. The aggregate is composed by diverse proportions of detritic calcareous granules (both bioclasts and limestone fragments deriving from the local outcropping biocalcarenites and limestones), siliceous sand (monocrystalline quartz, chert and quartzarenite fragments), volcanic ash (pozzolana) and sometimes cocciopesto. The resulting hydraulic binder was the product of the ‘pozzolanic reaction’ between volcanic ash and the aerial lime (specifically made by the calcination of locally available magnesian limestone or dolostone). The coloured tesserae can be all classified as compact limestones of Mesozoic or Cenozoic age, likely of local provenance. Detailed micropaleontological analysis (nannofossils) is ongoing for a more precise stratigraphic assignment. It was found a satisfactory technological correspondence with the more or less contemporary manufactures within Palermo and western Sicily (Montana et al., 2016). Concerning the sandy aggregate, it was shown a substantial compositional and textural equivalence with the plasters used in the baroque palaces of Palermo demonstrating a remarkable continuity in the criteria of selection of raw materials, mainly dictated by the qualitative characteristics of locally available geomaterials.

Soluble salts extractive capability of some commercial materials currently used in plaster restoration sector (ArbocelTM plus sepiolite; ArbocelTM, sepiolite and sand; Westox-Cocoon®) were tested in the present study, with the aim to evaluate their efficiency, their compatibility with the substrates as well as in terms of costs and duration of intervention. The three poultice products were first characterized in terms of porosimetric distribution. The desalination tests have been performed on samples of plaster specially formulated and made at the laboratory. Experimental specimens were then brought into contact with a solution of Na2SO4 0.3 M. The efficiency rating of these different types of poultice products was carried out, for the whole duration of the test, by means of ion chromatography and electrical conductivity measurements performed on obtained solutions. Between the tested products, Westox-Cocoon® showed the best efficacy in terms of soluble salts extractive capability while the other two products, which were successfully used in previous experiments (Montana et al., 2014), did not have the same positive results in this case study. Furthermore, in a real system it is also necessary to take into account other factors such as easiness of application, capacity of the various poultices, compatibility with the substrate and cost/benefit ratio. Being fully aware that the proposed approach is still preliminary, this paper provides a practical example of standardizing a survey methodology for evaluating the efficiency of salt extraction methods from porous building materials.

Any ceramic object represents the result of a well-structured production chain starting with the localization and the exploitation of a suitable raw material and ending with the artisanship and craftsmanship of the potter. The study of ceramic raw materials has been increasingly regarded in archaeometric research as the best starting point for identifying local paste recipes for pottery diachronically produced in any historical period. The classification of a ceramic paste and its assignment to a production center can be established more easily when ceramic sherds, kiln wasters, and raw material are studied in combination. The reconstruction of the “production chain” should facilitate the study of specific kiln sites or wider regional ceramic circulation. The chapter deals with the most relevant compositional and physical properties of clayey ceramic raw materials. Mineralogical and chemical compositions are discussed together with some characteristic properties such as plasticity, swelling, flocculation, and experimental texts.

Blackening and disaggregation of exposed surfaces of stone monuments are well-known effects of stone decay taking place in polluted urban environments all over the world. This paper aims to assess the contribution of natural and anthropogenic sources of total suspended particulate (TSP) causing permanent damage (black crusts) to the stone monuments of Catania (Sicily), one of the most popular ‘‘cities of art’’ of southern Italy. Atmospheric pollution of Catania, a typical Mediterranean coastal town, is mainly contributed by vehicle exhaust emissions rather than industrial ones. Episodically, the city also suffers gaseous and ash emissions (plumes) from the nearby Mount Etna volcano. Thus, to discriminate between natural and anthropogenic contributions to stone decay on Catania monuments, black crusts and TSP were sampled within the urban area and subjected to specific analytical procedures (optical microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive spectrometry, ionic chromatography and dual inlet mass spectrometry). Mineralogical, chemical and isotopic characterization of black crusts and TSP provided new insights concerning the partition of sulfate sources in this particular urban context. The influence of Mount Etna emissions on both TSP and black crusts compositions was shown. Nevertheless, the key role of anthropogenic sources in the total sulfate budget was confirmed, while sea spray and volcanic emissions were found to make subordinate contributions. Quantitative data useful for the identification of the threshold pollution levels for preventive conservation of Catania monuments were obtained.

It is well known that mineralogical, petrographic and chemical analyses can successfully support provenance studies of archaeological ceramics. The characterisation of a ceramic paste, the assessment of its technology of production and its provenance assignment related to a specific production centre or to a geographical and/or compositional space, are all tasks that can be performed even more accurately if the clayey raw materials used in pottery production are also studied. For that reason the identification of the clay deposits exploited in a given ceramic workshop often plays a key role in the archaeometric reconstruction of the production cycle where geology, mineralogy, petrography and chemistry are equally involved in a sort of ‘integrated approach’. Archaeological excavations in Sicily, especially those that have been accomplished in the last 25 years, have brought to light kilns designed for ceramic manufacture in a number of sites, attesting the relevant impact of this activity on the earliest economy in this region of the Western Mediterranean. The geological predisposition of the territory which is characterised by several clayey formations certainly promoted the straightforward development of such a thousand-year old productive tradition. The present research is a detailed study of textural, compositional and technological properties of nine clayey formations cropping out in the territory of Western and Central Sicily, which are already recognised as having been, or as potentially having been used as raw materials for ceramic production. Several compositional and textural markers for distinguishing the clays and therefore, potentially useful to identify the provenance of local/regional ceramic products have been successfully identified.

A selected assortment of Archaic-Hellenistic tableware samples from Solunto, a Phoenician-Punic site located 20 km east of Palermo (Sicily), has been subjected to thin-section petrography and chemical analysis (XRF). In this settlement several ceramic kilns remained operative over a long time period (7th to 3rd century B.C.). The main goal of this analytical study is to distinguish the ceramics manufactured locally from regional and off-island imports. Analytical results were matched to similar data concerning local natural clay sources and to coeval tableware productions from other sites in the same area. The ceramic pastes used by the ancient craftsmen of Solunto in the case of this class of pottery could be differentiated clearly by their petrochemical characteristics. We conclude that ceramics were locally produced far beyond satisfying just internal consumption needs, indicating interaction of Solunto with neighboring Greek colonies, indigenous people, and Phoenician-Punic colonies of Sicily. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The EGFR pathway is critical for cell fate specification throughout the development of several organisms. Here we identified in sea urchin an EGFR-related antigen maternally expressed and showing a dynamic pattern of localization during development. To investigate the role played by the EGFR in Paracentrotus lividus development we blocked its activity by using the EGFR kinase inhibitor AG1478. This treatment produces decrease of EGFR phosphorylation, and embryos with various defects especially in the endomesoderm territory until to obtain an animalized phenotype. These effects are rescued by the addition of TGF-alpha, an EGFR ligand. The role played by EGFR-like along the animal/vegetal axis was also detected, after AG1478 treatment, by the extended distribution of HE and decreased nuclearization of beta-catenin in vegetal cells. Moreover, inhibition of EGFR-like reduced ERK phosphorylation, necessary for cell fate specification in the micromeres and their derivates. Taken together these results indicate that EGFR-like activity is required both for A/V axis formation and endomesoderm differentiation.

La definizione archeologica ed archeometrica delle produzioni della Sicilia punica ha costituito una delle priorità nell’ambito di un progetto di ricerca incentrato sulla provenienza di anfore commerciali da siti del Mediterraneo centro-meridionale. Presentiamo qui la versione aggiornata ed ampliata, in lingua italiana, di questo studio, parzialmente già pubblicato nella quarta edizione della banca dati di FACEM. L’analisi delle serie di anfore punico-siciliane ha avuto due obiettivi di base: 1. definire il repertorio tipologico delle singole città, già ben conosciuto per le fondazioni fenicie di Motya (cap. 6) e Solus (cap. 4), meno chiaro quello di Panormos (cap. 5) e sostanzialmente ancora da ricostruire per le neofondazioni puniche di Lilybaion (cap. 7) e Selinus (cap. 8). 2. delineare, per grandi linee, per ciascuna delle cinque città la circolazione diacronica delle proprie serie anforiche fuori dal sito di produzione. Una valutazione finale di tutti i dati ha permesso, inoltre, di elaborare una classificazione tipologica delle produzioni anforiche di Solus e Panormos (cap. 3). Nel capitolo conclusivo (cap. 9) viene trattata la circolazione diacronica delle serie puniche ed effettuata una lettura storico-archeologica. Nel cap. 10 presentiamo alcuni contesti ancora inediti di anfore puniche di produzione siciliana. Infine, viene proposto il panorama completo delle caratterizzazioni archeometriche degli impasti anforici siciliani identificati al momento (cap. 11), integrato delle descrizioni ricavate dall’analisi al microscopio binoculare dei fabrics archeologici (cap. 12).

Volcanic emissions represent one of the most relevant natural sources of trace elements to the troposphere. Due to their potential toxicity, they may have important environmental impacts from local to global scale. They can also severely affect the atmospheric and terrestrial environment at timescales ranging from a few to millions of years. Mt. Etna volcano is known as one of the largest global contributors of magmatic gases (CO2, SO2 and halogens) and particulate matter, including some toxic trace elements. The aim of this study is to characterize the chemical composition and the mineralogical features of the volcanogenic aerosol passively emitted from Mt. Etna. Twenty-five samples were collected by filtration technique from different sites between 2008 and 2014. Chemical and mineralogical analyses allowed to discriminate two main constituents: the first is mainly referable to the silicate component in the volcanic plume, like lithic, juvenile fragments or glass shards and crystals (e.g. plagioclases, pyroxenes, oxides); the second constituent consists of soluble compounds like sulphosalts or halide minerals (sulphates, chlorides and fluorides). Fluxes of major and trace metals emitted in the atmosphere have been estimated. By comparing the Etnean trace elements with those from European anthropic emissions, we conclude that Mt. Etna is the main persistent point source of major and trace metals in the Mediterranean region. Results gathered from this investigation is of fundamental importance due to the exposure and potential impact of harmful chemical compounds for hundred thousand tourist visits each year to the summit of Mt. Etna.

Three pre-mixed clay based plasters successfully employed in green building practices in several European countries (Spain, France, Germany, and United Kingdom), mainly used for interior wall coating and finishing, were tested in this paper. Their compositional and textural characteristics as well as plastic behaviour were investigated through a multi-analytical approach in a previous paper. A natural earth (Terra Rossa red soil sampled in north-western Sicily), theoretically appropriate for the production of earthen plaster, was also subjected to the same analytical routine and compared with the three commercially available products. Humidity control capacity by the determination of the equilibrium moisture content, sound absorption coefficient and thermal conductivity of these ‘green’ building materials were tested according to the Italian and European regulations. The achieved results allowed the individuation of the compositional and textural features that primarily influence the performances of the studied clay based plasters. The obtained data are expected to be also useful in the selection of suitable raw materials and directing the local manufacture of innovative products.

This paper deals with the archaeometric study and analysis of lime based plasters recently found in the archaeological settlement of Scauri, located in the homonymous bay at the island of Pantelleria (central Mediterranean, Strait of Sicily). The Bay of Scauri is sited in the south-west part of the island. It can be considered a natural harbour overlooking the coast of Cape Bon in Tunisia. Since the 1999, the archaeological importance of place was reconsidered thanks to the recovering of huge remains of a Late Roman settlement dating back to the 4th-5th century AD. A production quarter, a residential area, a necropolis and a religious area were brought to light. The economy of the settlement was based on fishing, as well as on the production of peculiar class of pottery, well known as Pantellerian ware, exported all over the western Mediterranean (Montana et al., 2007). The study of the production cycle of lime mortars and plasters having different end-use at the site of Scauri is the object of this paper. It is well acknowledged that the island of Pantelleria is entirely composed of volcanic rocks (pyroclastic deposits and lava flows). Accordingly, for lime production it is essentially required the import of calcareous raw material from elsewhere. Also the selection criteria of the sandy aggregate are relevant and equally interesting in order to evaluate the technological level locally reached. Within this frame, a detailed mineralogical and petrographic characterization of the mortars was carried out by thin section petrography, for the complete compositional classification of the sand aggregate and the stratigraphy. Moreover, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDS) were carried out with the purpose to investigate the composition of the lime-based binder. The analytical results allowed to highlight the pozzolanic reactions in the binder, to identify the provenance of the calcareous raw material and to individuate different categories of mortar recipes in terms of intended use.

In questo studio sono state integrate osservazioni tipologiche, condotte su forme a vernice nera rinvenute a Palermo, Termini Imerese, Monte Iato e Marineo, con i dati ricavati dalla caratterizzazione mineralogica, petrografica e chimica degli impasti. I 55 campioni selezionati appartengono a due forme : un piatto («Lamboglia 36 » , serie 1310-1320 di J.-P. Morel), tra i più comuni nella Campana A di I e II secolo a. C. ; ed una coppa di produzione locale o regionale, attestata (fine IV-III secolo a. C.) in insediamenti della Sicilia nord-occidentale, che è stata utilizzata anche come «gruppo di riferimento » chimicopetrografico. Sono stati distinti due gruppi composizionali, da ascrivere uno all’area del Golfo di Napoli, l’altro ad ambito produttivo locale, che per le caratteristiche mineralogico-petrografiche e chimiche è riferibile alle Argille di Ficarazzi (periferia orientale di Palermo). Ad entrambi i gruppi appartengono reperti del piatto Lamboglia 36, ma solo al secondo i campioni della coppa., Belvedere Oscar, Burgio Aurelio, Iliopoulos Ioannis, Montana Giuseppe, Spatafora Francesca. Ceramica a vernice nera di età ellenistica da siti della Sicilia nord-occidentale : considerazioni tipologiche ed analisi archeometriche. In: Mélanges de l'École française de Rome. Antiquité, tome 118, n°2. 2006. Antiquité. pp. 549-571.

II deterioramento dei manufatti lapidei e ceramici sommersi è un processo che si sviluppa attraverso eventi fisici, chimici (abrasione, deposizione, ossidazione e riduzione ) e biologici attraverso la colonizzazione biologica da parte di microrganismi prima e di macrorganismi successivamente (Lopez-Arce et al. 2013, Aloise et al. 2013), in quanto i materiali forniscono un substrato di attacco per la loro crescita. In un recente progetto PRIN dal titolo "Approcci innovativi per lo studio sperimentale di manufatti ceramici “sommersi" sono stati valutati gli effetti delle diverse condizioni di giacitura dei reperti ceramici e del conseguente deterioramento, mediante uno studio multidisciplinare (chimico, mineralogico, fisico) su provini ceramici che riproducono sperimentalmente le caratteristiche di composizione e struttura di campioni archeologici rinvenuti all’interno di relitti sommersi. I campioni preparati sono stati posti in due vasche che simulavano due diverse condizioni di fondali marini caratterizzate da condizioni ambientali ossidanti e riducenti. La sperimentazione ha mostrato anche che i provini di ceramica sommersi presentano una colonizzazione che varia secondo il tipo di materiali, manifattura degli stessi (es. preparazione e cottura delle ceramiche) e l'ambiente in cui essi si trovano (es. profondità, ambiente aerobico o anaerobico, copertura ecc .). Infatti, è stato osservato che la colonizzazione è avvenuta in maniera differente nei i vari tipi di impasti e in tempi brevi, a secondo delle condizioni ambientali (maggiore in ambiente aerobio e minore in ambiente riducente anaerobico), in base alla loro composizione, mentre il tempo di esposizione sembra solo intensificare il processo di colonizzazione. Per quanto riguarda i gruppi coinvolti in ambiente ossidante si nota una maggiore biodiversità con alghe verdi e brune quali componenti del phytobenthas, barnacles, briozoi e molluschi bivalvi e policheti come zoobenthos, con scarsa microfauna e foraminifera. Per quanto riguarda i batteri, la maggior parte degli isolati sono batteri eterotrofi ubiquitari, mentre sono stati raramente osservati batteri solfo-ossidanti. Tali microrganismi quando rilevati, sono stati in grado di ossidare sperimentalmente il tiosolfato in solfato, e anche se non in quantità rilevanti, hanno precipitato cristalli di gesso sulla superficie di provini di marmo immersi nello stesso terreno. In ambiente riducente, i differenti campioni esposti, presentavano una minore colonizzazione rispetto ai rispettivi campioni in ambiente ossidante. La biodiversità di conseguenza appariva ridotta anche se presenti alghe verdi e brune, raramente, policheti e barnacles. Inoltre, i batteri solfato-riduttori sono stati sempre isolati e le prove svolte hanno dimostrato che oltre che capaci di ridurre il solfato a H2S, precipitavano fasi carbonatiche per più calcite. Tali dati, sebbene preliminari, confermano quindi un coinvolgimento batterico, già nelle prime fasi di immersione in acqua; essi aderendo sulla superficie favoriscono, da una parte l’adesione sulla superficie dei macrorganismi, ma contribuiscono già nelle fasi iniziali alla precipitazione di fasi minerali sui reperti archeologici sommersi e ai processi di formazione di concrezioni minerali.