OVERVIEW

The course provides theoretical tools for the chemical and physical characterization of geomaterials (raw materials, artifacts, and composites) in the field of Cultural Heritage. Individual and group practical sessions are dedicated to the critical application of mineralogical and petrographic knowledge and analytical methods.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The aim of the teaching is to provide the advanced mineralogical and petrographic knowledge necessary to define a correct analytical protocol for the characterization of a raw material or a workpiece. Theoretical and practical tools for studying and predicting degradation based on the chemical and physical properties of geomaterial are also provided.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Attendance and active participation in the planned educational activities — lectures, practical exercises, and laboratory sessions — will enable students to acquire the fundamental knowledge necessary to undertake mineralogical and petrographic studies applied to the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage.

At the end of the course, students will be able to:

• know and describe the main classes of minerals used as raw materials in inorganic materials relevant to cultural heritage;
• understand the chemical and physical properties of minerals and rocks, relating them to the principal diagnostic methodologies and to processes of alteration and deterioration;
• distinguish and identify the main mineral constituents of stone materials, artifacts, pigments, and composite materials, applying both the theoretical knowledge and the practical and methodological skills acquired during laboratory activities;
• critically apply the acquired knowledge to interpret, process, and present analytical data obtained through laboratory investigations and field activities.

PREREQUISITES

The course is particularly beneficial for students who already possess a background in mineralogy and petrography.

TEACHING METHODS

he course consists of lectures and a theoretical-practical laboratory component. Classroom lectures are delivered through multimedia presentations and are aimed at providing the theoretical and practical knowledge necessary for the study of raw materials, artifacts, and composite products. During the first semester, classes will preferably be held in person, while still ensuring remote access through synchronous or asynchronous video recordings.

Field and laboratory activities are designed to provide practical application of the theoretical knowledge acquired during lectures.

In particular, the following activities will be developed:

• Individual and group practical exercises for the integrated study of raw materials through the use of mineralogical and petrographic diagnostic techniques;
• Group exercises focused on the interpretation and presentation of analytical data obtained during laboratory and field activities;
• Critical discussion of results aimed at the preparation of a professional scientific report.

Students with a valid certification of physical disability or learning disability filed with the University who wish to discuss possible accommodations or other circumstances related to lectures, assignments, and examinations are encouraged to contact both the instructor and Professor Sara Ferrando (sara.ferrando@unige.it), the Departmental Disability Coordinator.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The course program includes the presentation and discussion of the following topics:

• Systematic classification and chemical-physical properties of the main minerals used in pigments;
• Systematic classification and chemical-physical properties of clay minerals;
• Analytical techniques for determining the mineralogical composition of inorganic materials relevant to cultural heritage;
• Sample preparation techniques for chemical and mineralogical analyses;
• Techniques for the study of thin sections of stone materials, mortars, and plasters;
• Morphological analysis techniques: stereomicroscopy, transmitted polarized light microscopy, and SEM-EDS analysis applied to mortars, plasters, ceramics, and stone materials.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

The slides used during lectures and additional teaching materials will be made available on AulaWeb at the end of each cycle of lectures/laboratory sessions.

The books listed below are recommended as supporting texts; however, students may also use other university-level textbooks. The recommended texts are available for consultation at the School of Mathematical, Physical and Natural Sciences Library.

• Amoroso: Trattato di Scienza della conservazione dei monumenti. Alinea Ed.
• Armigliato A., Valdrè U. (1980), Microscopia elettronica a scansione e microanalisi. Lo Scarabeo, Bologna, Vols. 1–2.
• Borghini G. (2004), Marmi antichi. Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities, Central Institute for Cataloguing and Documentation.
• C. Klein, A.R. Philpotts (2018), Mineralogy and Petrology (edited by G. Gasparotto and R. Braga), Zanichelli, 532 pp.
• Deer W.A., Howie R.A., Zussman J. (1993), An Introduction to the Rock-Forming Minerals. Longman.
• Lazzarini & Tabasso: The Conservation of Stone. CEDAM Ed., 2003.
• Maggetti M., Messiga B. (eds.) (2006), Geomaterials in Cultural Heritage. Geological Society of London, Special Publication No. 257.
• Magrelli & Meucci: Decay and Conservation of Stone Materials. CEFME, Edilroma, 2000.
• Price M.T. (2008), Atlas of Decorative Stones. Illustrated Technical Guide. Hoepli.
• Turkington A.V. (2005), Stone Decay in the Architectural Environment. Geological Society of America, Special Paper 390.
• Rice (2005), Pottery Analysis. University of Chicago Press.
• Winkler (1994), Stone in Architecture. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

LAURA GAGGERO (President)

PIETRO MARESCOTTI (President)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

The lessons of the first semester (2 CFU Applied Petrography) will start from September 21, 2020 and will end by January 22, 2021. The lessons of the second semester (2 CFU Applied Mineralogy) will start from February 15, 2021 and will end by 11 June 2021.

Students are invited to consult the detailed timetable at the following link: https://easyacademy.unige.it/portalestudenti/

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam consists of a written and an oral part.
The written exam shall cover the subjects and practical activities carried out during laboratory exercises and shall include open questions for comment on case studies. The exam is passed if the student has obtained a grade greater than or equal to 18.
The oral exam is the answer to questions asked by the teacher on subjects dealt with during teaching.
The final score shall be the arithmetic mean between the score of the written exam and the score of the oral exam. The oral exam can be sustained in the same session as the written exam and in subsequent sessions published on the UNIGE website. Two calls will be available in the winter session (January-February) and 3 calls in the summer session (June, July, September).
Please refer to the specific AulaWeb page for any updates due to changes in the health and epidemiological situation.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Details of how to prepare for the exam and the degree of depth required for each topic will be provided during the lessons.

The written examination will verify the actual acquisition of knowledge of the methods of investigation and the application of diagnostic techniques for the mineralogical and petrographic study of raw materials, manufactures and composite products. Open questions will make it possible to assess the ability to apply the knowledge needed to develop analytical protocols appropriate to the case studies. The student must be able to connect and integrate the knowledge learned during the laboratory activities with the theoretical ones provided during the frontal lessons.

The oral examination will focus mainly on the subjects dealt with during the lessons and will aim at assessing not only whether the student has reached an adequate level of knowledge, but also if she/he has acquired the ability to recall the theoretical notions applying them to simple concrete contexts. The ability to present arguments in a clear and correct scientific-technical terminology will also be assessed.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Due to the highly experimental nature of the course, attendance is highly recommended.

Students with a certified physical disability or learning disability registered with the University can find information about support services on the webpage University of Genoa – Disability and DSA Services, managed by the “Student Inclusion Services for Students with Disabilities and Specific Learning Disorders (DSA)” office.

Students may also contact Professor Cristina Carbone (cristina.carbone@unige.it), the DISTAV representative for disabilities.