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International audience; This research is part of the PON (Programma Operativo Nazionale) SINAPSIS (SIstema NAzionale Protezione SIti Sensibili), an interdisciplinary project combining archaeological and archaeometric methods. This paper focuses on frescoes from one of the 70 funeral monuments belonging to "Porta Mediana" Necropolis, a very interesting archaeological context located in Cuma, dating back to the first half of the 3rd century BCE. The study provided detailed information on pigments and colors acquired both on untreated and treated (restored) frescoes. Portable colorimetry and chemical-mineralogical (Raman spectroscopy and X-ray powder diffraction-XRPD, respectively) analyses were performed in situ and on collected samples in order to: 1) identify pigments, raw materials and provenance, 2) point out possible color changes caused by conservative treatments and/or weathering. The identified palette is typical of the Roman period; it includes both single and mixtures of two or more pigments to obtain particular hues. Moreover, the identified raw materials, such as red and yellow ochres, green frit and Egyptian blue, clearly highlighted the choice to use raw materials from local sources. The use of expensive coloring materials also suggests that the mausoleum belonged to a family or a group of people with a high social status.

This research aims to deepen knowledge on geomaterials used in building operations of a very important monumental complex belonging to the "Porta Mediana" necropolis the archeological site of Cuma. The entire site counts 70 mausoleums among which, the one named "Sphinx complex" or A63, is particularly important. For its realization several geomaterials have been used. Analytical results were carried out from several techniques such as optical microscopy, microchemical and mineralogical-petrographical analysis, scanning electron microscopy with EDS and X-ray powder diffraction. This approach allows to clarify the provenance of natural geomaterials and also the technological processes involved in the production of artificial geomaterials (mortars, plasters, cocciopesto). Phlegrean tuffs, due to their easy workability and good mechanical features, were used mainly for masonries and for decorative function (a bas-relief of a "sphinx" for example). As far as artificial geomaterials are concerned, the use of a volcanic aggregate, was privileged too. Some examples of imported stones were also found: limestones and marbles, the first one implemented as a building material for cippi of the fence while the second one for prestigious coating elements. Results permitted to evaluate building techniques of the period and mainly the wide potential of Phlegrean fields' materials when used as a bulding stone. This research aims also to give important informations for restoring and conservative actions useful for mausoleums of the entire site.

Roman mortars from a mausoleum (named D46b) belonging to the archaeological site of Porta Mediana necropolis, in Cuma (Naples, Southern Italy) have been studied by means of petrographic, mineralogical and micro-chemical analyses. The aim of this research is to fill the knowledge gap regarding mortar-based materials used in Roman age within this wide archaeological site. Two typologies of mortars (bedding and coating) were collected from mausoleum’s masonry. They were lime-based with addition of pozzolanic materials, according to Vitruvius’ recipe. Raw materials, such as volcanic sand and limestones, mainly from local sources, were preferentially used as aggregate, both for great availability and good properties. As regard production techniques, the multi-layer feature of the coating mortars, once again shows the great knowledge of the building art. Each layer is the result of a precise choice, as shown by the differences both in texture and petrographic features. Data from detailed mortars characterization have infer the outstanding skill of Roman craftsmen, as already proved by extraordinary durability of buildings. The research was very useful not only to increase the knowledge of this ancient culture but also to planning conservative actions, that, through mortar reproduction or the research of suitable materials, can promote the safeguard of this invaluable heritage.

At Positano, the renowned town of the Amalfi coast (Salerno province), a Roman villa was found beneath the church of Santa Maria Assunta. It likely dates back to I century BC - I century AD (Julio-Claudian age) and belonged to the freedman Posides Claudi Caesaris, from whose the town might probably derive the name (Della Corte, 1936). The villae were prestigious residences disseminated as status symbol of the wealthy Roman people all around the coastal areas of the Campania region (i.e. Vesuvian villae; Maiuri, 1955. Guzzo & Guidobaldi, 2008). During the 79 AD eruption of the Vesuvius the residence was suddenly destroyed and covered by a volcanoclastic debris flow more than 10 m thick, composed of a mass of gray ashes with large amount of high-porosity welded pumices. During the Middle age, Benedictine monks built an abbey on the same site of the Posides’ villa, then transformed in the present church dedicate to the Virgin. At the beginning of the 2000, the Archaeological Superintendence started the recovery of the overlying Benedictine crypts and extended the excavation and recovery also downward to the villa remains. Inside the crypts it was possible to unearth, descending in the villa from tiles roof till to mosaic pavement, a luxurious triclinio. Imprints of holes related to large wood poles (now replaced with plaster casts), as well as fragments of the roof, coffered ceiling, doors and other wooden remains were found embedded in the volcanoclastic mud. Tuff walls are decorated with fine plasters, polychrome frescoes of excellent painters, with hippocampus, eagle poised upon a globe, Pegasus and Cupids. These lively compositions are basically made by some colors, like the “Pompeian” red, blue and yellow ochre. This work reports a preliminary archaeometric study of various artifacts from the Positano villa, represented by plasters, fresco fragments, tile and other materials. Small but representative samples of the different findings were analyzed, in order to reach our characterization scopes and to provide useful information on probable future restoration activities. The analytical techniques used for mineralogical and petrographic study are: optical and stereoscopic studies on thin sections, modal analysis, X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), scanning electron microscopy analysis (SEM) and energy-dispersion X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Data concerning the composition of the artifacts and manufacturing techniques will be reported and compared with the reference literature. Della Corte M. 1936. Posides Claudi Caesaris libertus – Positano da Posidetanum? Rivista Indo-greca-Italica, 20, 67-73 Guzzo P.G. & Guidobaldi M.P. 2007. Nuove ricerche archeologiche nell'area vesuviana (scavi 2003-2006). Atti Conv. Int. Roma 1-3 febbraio, L’Erma di Bretschneider, 629 p. Maiuri A. 1955. Le vicende dei monumenti antichi della costa amalfitana e sorrentina alla luce delle recenti alluvioni. Rend. Acc. Arch. Lett. Belle Arti Napoli, XXIX, 87-98.

Roman mortars from a mausoleum (named D46b) belonging to the archaeological site of Porta Mediana necropolis, in Cuma (Naples, Southern Italy) have been studied by means of petrographic, mineralogical and micro-chemical analyses. The aim of this research is to fill the knowledge gap regarding mortar-based materials used in Roman age within this wide archaeological site. Two typologies of mortars (bedding and coating) were collected from mausoleum’s masonry. They were lime-based with addition of pozzolanic materials, according to Vitruvius’ recipe. Raw materials, such as volcanic sand and limestones, mainly from local sources, were preferentially used as aggregate, both for great availability and good properties. As regard production techniques, the multi-layer feature of the coating mortars, once again shows the great knowledge of the building art. Each layer is the result of a precise choice, as shown by the differences both in texture and petrographic features. Data from detailed mortars characterization have infer the outstanding skill of Roman craftsmen, as already proved by extraordinary durability of buildings. The research was very useful not only to increase the knowledge of this ancient culture but also to planning conservative actions, that, through mortar reproduction or the research of suitable materials, can promote the safeguard of this invaluable heritage.

Ancient pozzolanic mortars show the high technological quality achieved by Roman construction workers, due to their ‘excellent state’ of preservation in every environment. These workers well knew that thanks to the combination of lime with specific volcanic products (pozzolana), mortar and concrete become hydraulic, allowing underwater hardening and increasing mechanical strength. The use of pozzolana in a mortar provides the underwater curing (hydraulic limes) of whatever construction with higher speed compared to carbonation processes of slaked lime. Whenever pozzolana is not available, it is substituted by ceramic fragments, which possess similar hydraulic properties. This research focuses, for the first time, on the detailed characterization of mortars coming from the Thermal Complex of Baia, which represents one of the most important archaeological sites in the Campania region. Thanks to several thermal springs, the ancient city of Baiae (Campi Flegrei) was the holiday resort of the Roman aristocracy. The former Soprintendenza Archeologia della Campania, allowed us to perform non-invasive, but representative, sampling of mortars that were characterised by multianalytical methodologies (POM, XRPD, SEM-EDS, TGA, and MIP) providing useful information on possible future activities of restoration. Results confirmed the expertise of Roman workers, who skilfully combined volcanic tuff aggregate, hydrated lime, and ceramic fragments. In particular, the typical zeolitic mineral association of phillipsite > chabazite > analcime found in the tuff aggregate pointed out their provenance from the Neapolitan Yellow Tuff related to the volcanic activity of Campi Flegrei of ca. 15 ka BP. The most relevant characteristic detected in all studied samples is the mortar hydraulicity testified by evidences such as reaction rims between pozzolana and binder, Hydraulicity Index (HI), and thermal analyses investigation. Also, composition of secondary mineralogical phases in the cementiceous matrix is particularly relevant. Distinctive is the contemporary presence of C-A-S-H gel, calcite and gypsum. C-A-S-H gel is derived from lime/ceramic fragments reaction; calcite is likely related to the partial reaction of underburned lime; and gypsum could be ascribable to the sulphation process of calcite. These secondary minerogenetic products fill pore space and enhance bonding in pumice fragments, thus contributing to long-term durability of mortars.

A Roman luxury villa (1st century BC) was discovered in the town of Positano, in the Sorrento peninsula (Campania region, southern Italy). Despite being more than 20 km away from Vesuvius, the villa was buried under almost overall 20 meters (total thickness) of pyclastic materials of the Plinian eruption of 79 AD, which destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum towns. The exceptional level of conservation of this residential complex is due to the peculiar burial process, which determined the excellent state of preservation of both the fresco decorations (Fourth Style) and all other artefacts (masonries, plasters, tiles, furnishing remains, wooden elements, kitchenware, glazed oil lamps, bronze vessels and other metallic findings, etc.). This study presents the results of a multi-analytical archaeometric analysis of plasters, fresco pigments and roof tiles, aimed at identifying their mineralogical and petrographic nature and the provenance of raw materials. Constraints to the geoarchaeological landscape of the Positano area are also given. The analyzed plasters are mainly lime-based, usually with the addition of an aggregate. The anchoring layer is made by a volcanic component, characterized by clinopyroxene, alkali feldspar, garnet, amphibole, biotite and leucite crystals, together with a sedimentary component represented by carbonatic fragments, also with traces of microfossils. The features of plasters confirm the high degree of technological standardization of plasters in classical Roman age. Mineral pigments recognized by preliminary XRD are mainly iron-based for the ochers-red-crimson colors and copper-based for green-blues colors. In the roof tiles two kind of tempers are identified. In three samples a volcanic temper was identified, and represented by clinopyroxene, feldspar, garnet and leucite, whereas the temper of a fourth sample contained pumices with minor amounts of alkali feldspar, clinopyroxene and biotite. The raw materials are of local provenance (Somma-Vesuvius, Phlegraean Fields, Apennine limestones), and the microstructure of the materials are comparable with similar artefacts from Pompeii, Herculaneum and other Roman sites in Campania region. On the basis of geoarchaeological investigations, here reported, it is reasonable to think that there are other unearthed archaeological areas in Positano that will require further study to be properly known

The topic of this study is the archaeometric characterization of mortars from Villa del Pezzolo, a Roman Villa located in Seiano (Napoli-Campania, Italy), dated between the 1st century B.C. and the 3rd century A.D. Mortars were analyzed by means of a multi-analytical approach (polarized optical microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersed spectrometry, thermal analyses and mercury intrusion porosimetry) according to existing recommendations. Analytical results evidenced the use of local geomaterials composed of sedimentary and volcanic aggregates in the mix design and confirmed the three distinct building phases identified by archaeologists. Volcanic tuff fragments, identified in the 1st building phase can be ascribed to Campanian Ignimbrite formation, widely cropping out in the Sorrento Peninsula, as confirmed by the presence of glassy shards, partially devitrified and replaced by authigenic feldspar, a typical feature of welded grey ignimbrite lithofacies (WGI). Volcanic aggregates in samples of the 2nd and 3rd building phases show, instead, the presence of leucite-bearing volcanic scoriae and garnet crystal fragments related to Somma-Vesuvius products. Study of these mortars allowed us to: (1) understand the production technologies, (2) highlight use of materials with hydraulic behavior, such as volcanic and fictile fragments, (3) confirm the three building phases from compositional features of mortars and (4) highlight the change over time of the volcanic aggregate for mortars mix-design.

This work is the result of a geoarchaeological investigation on the Anfiteatro Flavio, one of the most important archaeological sites in the Campania region (southern Italy), situated in an area of great geological and archaeological interest, the Campi Flegrei volcanic field. The aim of this research was to characterise building stones employed for structural use, focusing on the type of materials and their provenance. The mineralogical-petrographic characterization of 27 samples from corbels and pillars involved X-ray powder diffraction analyses (XRPD), thin section optical microscopy observations (OM) and energy dispersive spectrometry microanalyses (EDS). The results revealed that the source materials are represented by two distinctive trachytic/phonolitic lava deposits. Pillar light grey block samples are made of a feldspar-phyric (F-p) lava type that shares many petrographic and mineral chemical features with the Campi Flegrei Accademia lava dome, cropping out in the immediate proximities of the Anfiteatro Flavio. On the other hand, pillar grey block and corbel samples are made of an alkali feldspar and sodalite-phyric (KS-p) lava that has been correlated to an Ischian lava deposit based mainly of the peculiar composition of the observed amphibole crystals. Previous data attesting for the use of the Piperno welded tuff for the pillar grey blocks were likely driven by the “eutaxitic-like” fluidal oriented texture and by the alveolitization alteration displayed by the samples. This however does not exclude that the Piperno had been employed as a building stone for other structural elements of the amphitheatre. The use of the Ischia lavas as an exported building material had been never reported before, possibly suggesting that current knowledges about the use and trade of building materials in the Campania area during the Roman period need to be reconsidered.

Porosity plays a decisive role in decay processes of stones, as the pore network allows the water penetration responsible for the several physical and chemical deterioration processes affecting stone materials. In this paper two stones (with porosity from high to medium) used in Naples and Vicenza architectures have been considered to investigate the effects produced by the application of an ethyl silicate consolidant and an anti-swelling protective agent on pore space and therefore on stone durability. A deep characterization of the pore system has been carried out as considered crucial to evaluate the effectiveness of conservation treatments and their performance through time. To this purpose, petrophysical and physico-mechanical measurements have been carried out before and after aging tests, on both untreated and treated stones. Conservation treatments, strongly affecting pore size distribution and the behavior towards water absorption, do not always improve the durability of stone, especially in Neapolitan Yellow Tuff (herafter NYT) where a set of meso-macropores was totally annealed as well as a relevant portion of ultramacropores. Such treatments favor the persistence of water in NYT rock structure still after a long time, further contributing to a fast decay of this stone after aging tests. By contrast, treatments in Vicenza Stone (hereafter VS) prevailingly occlude micro- and mesopores and only slightly affect larger pores thus again favoring the flow rate during water desorption test. Moreover, the increase of the average pore radii after treatments also improves the features of this stone that accounts for almost negligible effects after accelerated aging tests.

Healthcare providers (HCPs) have an important role in helping women select the contraceptive method that best matches their needs and lifestyle. Recent surveys outline the need of women to be informed about all available choices, including the newest methods (particularly those not requiring daily administration), such as vaginal contraception.The most relevant publications on combined contraceptive vaginal ring are revised in the context of counseling as an opportunity to empower women in term of vaginal health and sexual functioning.HCPs should explain the main characteristics of the combined contraceptive vaginal ring including the anatomical and physiological implications that make the vagina an ideal route of hormonal administration and the basic notions about functional modifications of the vagina during reproductive life. Clinical data on the vaginal ring should be summarized with regard to efficacy, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, cycle control and user acceptability, including recent findings on extra-contraceptive benefits (also compared to other hormonal contraceptives) on the vaginal flora and on sexual function.Vaginal contraception offers various benefits and should always be discussed during contraceptive counseling. An open dialogue about vaginal contraception will also help enhance body knowledge and sexual health.