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This article introduces the notion of cultural innovation, which requires adapting our approach to co-creation. The argument opens with a first conceptualization of cultural innovation as an additional and autonomous category of the complex processes of co-creation. The dimensions of cultural innovation are contrasted against other forms of innovation. In a second step, the article makes an unprecedented attempt in describing processes and outcomes of cultural innovation, while showing their operationalization in some empirical case studies. In the conclusion, the article considers policy implications resulting from the novel definition of cultural innovation as the outcome of complex processes that involve the reflection of knowledge flows across the social environment within communities of practices while fostering the inclusion of diversity in society. First and foremost, cultural innovation takes a critical stance against inequalities in the distribution of knowledge and builds innovation for improving the welfare of individuals and communities.

CERN has been building a transportable RFQ for use in the examination of art masterpieces based mainly on the PIXE (Proton Induced X-ray Emission) technique with an extracted beam. This new PIXE-RFQ accelerator is very compact, only one meter in length with a power consumption of less than 6 kVA for a beam energy of 2 MeV and an average current of 5 nA. The PIXE-RFQ will be used for the MACHINA (Movable Accelerator for Cultural Heritage In-situ Non-destructive Analysis) project developed jointly by CERN and INFN. This paper will present the detailed design and performances of the PIXE-RFQ as well as the fabrication technologies used and the current status of the project. The beam size and the peak current/duty cycle of the RFQ have been optimised for the Ion Beam Analysis (IBA) of artwork objects.

‘Social and Cultural Innovation’ is a syntagma that is receiving increased usage among researchers since it was the title chosen by the European Strategy Forum Research Infrastructures for the working group that deals with research infrastructures primarily connected with Social Sciences and the Humanities. Innovation refers to the creation of new products and services by bringing a new idea to the market. Economic growth turns on infrastructures, which provide access to services and knowledge, e.g. by overcoming the digital divide. The current migrant and refugee crisis has made it clear with extraordinary effectiveness that a most urgent objective is to work out policies of social and cultural innovation to the advantage of new citizens – policies that will make them feel welcome in full dignity.

Le attività del primo periodo di IPERION CH si estendono dal 1 ° maggio 2015 al 31 ottobre 2016 (M1-M18). Includono le prime call per l'accesso transnazionale (TNA) per le tre piattaforme ARCHLAB, FIXLAB e MOLAB che offrono servizi e strumenti di riconosciuta eccellenza a livello europeo. Per quanto riguarda le attività di ricerca (JRA) queste hanno affrontato una serie di sfide chiave in relazione alla strumentazione e metodologie rilevanti per le ricerche scientifiche sugli oggetti del patrimonio culturale (monumenti) e questo uno sforzo coordinato sta portando all'aggiornamento o sviluppo di strumenti nel contesto sia di FIXLAB che di MOLAB. Inoltre l'infrastruttura esistente è stata ulteriormente sviluppata grazie all'ampliamento del campo di applicazione degli strumenti disponibili tramite il consorzio IPERION CH. In particolare per quanto riguarda i problemi di conservazione e caratterizzazione non invasiva dei materiali organici. Infine parte della ricerca sta coinvolgendo il complesso argomento della documentazione digitale sulla scienza del patrimonio. Infatti, le grandi quantità di dati e documentazione di diverso tipo (sia digitale che cartaceo) prodotto o disponibile nelle tre piattaforme di accesso non sfruttano il loro intero potenziale pur mostrando molte promesse per applicazioni generali. Sono state realizzati un training camp e la prima Doctoral Summer School. La maggior parte dei risultati di IPERION CH finirà per alimentare l'infrastruttura di ricerca europea per il patrimonio Scienza, E-RIHS. Questo ambizioso progetto di infrastruttura prevede di integrare la ricerca sul patrimonio culturale discipline correlate, quali chimica, storia dell'arte, architettura, archeologia e discipline umanistiche digitali. Questo sarà facilitare progetti di ricerca più olistici in futuro e mettere la scienza del patrimonio culturale allo stesso livello di discipline scientifiche più tradizionali, a sostegno di una deframmentazione permanente di questo fondamentale Spazio europeo della ricerca.

The compositional and structural characterization of the constituent alloys of precious metal artefacts is the basis for understanding the technological processes used in the art of the ancient goldsmiths. This research presents a multi-analytical approach to the study of the technologies of ancient jewellery manufacturing through the use of non-traditional methods. The development of original methods, such as the application of hardware devices and software programs, allows us to overcome the application limits of traditional analysis, as in the study of Castellani’s earrings, where statistical analyses were carried out using Pearson’s Coefficient Correlation and Cluster Analysis to identify the correlation of elements in the soldering areas. For the Tarquinia fibula, a methodology based on Imaging Analysis has been used to measure the geometrical parameters involved in the construction of the jewel. For another study, a new experimental apparatus was set up in order to identify markers on the micro/nano scale. It consists of a scanning electron microscope (SEM-EDS) integrated with XRF, an equipment developed in order to obtain a greater depth of analysis and a better integration of the compositional data. The aim of the work has been to integrate data from different analytical methodologies in order to identify technology transfer and/or production features, as well as the circulation of the goldsmith’s artefacts. La caractérisation de la composition et de la structure des alliages en métal précieux est fondamentale pour la compréhension des procédés technologiques liés à l’orfèvrerie antique. Ce travail décrit un nouveau protocole d’analyse dédié à l’étude des technologies de fabrication de bijoux anciens, grâce à l’utilisation de méthodes non traditionnelles. Le développement de méthodes originales, utilisant entre autres des dispositifs expérimentaux et des logiciels, permet de dépasser les limites d’application de l’analyse traditionnelle. Par exemple, dans l’étude de boucles d’oreilles de la collection Castellani, l’analyse statistique réalisée au moyen du Coefficient de corrélation de Pearson et de l’analyse par nuage de points ont permis d’identifier la corrélation entre les éléments entrant dans la composition de la soudure. Dans le cas de la fibule de Tarquinia, une méthodologie basée sur l’analyse d’images a été utilisée pour mesurer les paramètres géométriques associés à la construction du bijou. Simultanément, un nouvel équipement a été créé pour individualiser des marqueurs à l’échelle micro/nanométrique. Il s’agit du couplage d’un microscope électronique à balayage équipé d’un système de dispersion en énergie X (MEB-EDS) avec la fluorescence à rayons X (FX) pour obtenir une profondeur d’analyse plus grande et une meilleure intégration et reproductibilité des données concernant la composition élémentaire. Le but de ce travail a été d’intégrer les données de différentes méthodes d’analyse afin d’identifier le transfert de technologie et/ou de travail lié à la production et circulation d’objets d’orfèvrerie.

Gold jewellery produced in antiquity consists in many cases of a combination of gold parts joined together. During quite a few historical periods, these parts were multiple and minute, such as granulation, wires, leaves, die formed pendants, and so on. By copying and reproducing these tiny parts, modern goldsmiths were able to restore and reproduce ancient items, but could also produce jewellery ranging from the mere copy to the invented object. The difficulty of separating ancient items from modern objects depends on the skill of both the ancient and the modern goldsmiths, and on the degree of information about the ancient techniques we have access to nowadays. For this reason, scientific techniques of examination and analysis provide paramount information on the different steps of production of an object and allow comparing modern and ancient productions (Guerra 2005).

International audience

International audience