The National Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN) has a network – CHNet – made up of twenty units spread over the whole Italian territory, with strong competencies in archaeometry and diagnostic techniques for cultural heritage. The INFN laboratories have used for decades the most modern technologies in this field and have developed new ones through specific research projects. Aim of this technological research is to look for solutions for problems faced by archaeologists, historians, restorers, conservators and other researchers of this field.
The information obtained by each of these techniques are complementary and can be used, for example, for:
– to plan the restoration and preservation work to the best ;
– to study the materials and the techniques used ;
– to identify the provenance of the raw materials used (for both answering questions about ancient commercial trades and having the possibility to use the original materials in case of restoration or consolidation work);
– to date artifacts or archaeological sites ;
– to contribute to artifact authentication .