Spectroscopic imaging and Chemometrics For the characterization of materials of artistic and cultural interest

Multidisciplinary Investigation and Multivariate Analysis for Cultural Heritage.The two days of the Christmas Workshop, held on 15 and 16 December 2022 at the Matera University Campus, as detailed in the program available in the Appendix, successfully ended with the BUP publication of this Volume. The event is part of the celebratory year for the fortieth anniversary of the University of Basilicata (UniBas 1982- 2022). The support and patronage of the rectorate of the University of Basilicata and the Department of European and Mediterranean Cultures: Architecture, Environment, Cultural Heritage (DiCEM) in Matera and the Department of Science (DiS) in Potenza with the involvement also of the administrative staff for the management of the event, is sincerely acknowledged. The Reports section of the Volume exemplifies, in the form of divulgation contributes, the collaborative research and study interests of UniBas, CNR, and other research institutions/industries operative in Basilicata and its surroundings. The published reports deal with thematic that enter the objectives of research projects dedicated to the conservation and planned and predictive maintenance of cultural heritage. The book testifies the ef- forts made by researchers at the University of Basilicata in adopting the methodological approach to conservation that requires dialogue and synergetic cooperation between different disciplines, too surreptitiously categorised into the humanities and sciences. The book also aims to raise awareness of the importance of diagnostics, the integrated use of spectral techniques, and the crucial role of specialist skills in data interpretation. An ana- lytical datum is nothing more than a datum. It becomes a result after a not-always-easy job of understanding and validation. The location of the chemometric Workshop in Matera was not accidental. The city has been the European capital of culture in 2019. It has a re- markable architectural heritage with the peculiar coexistence of excavated and built struc- tures. The millennial history of the city with settlements of prehistoric times is due to the calcarenite rock of the geographical area. The old town, called Sassi, and the Archaeolog- ical Park of the Rock Churches belong to the UNESCO World Heritage since 1993. The complexity and variety of the urban ecosystem with built heritage of remarkable historical and artistic value make the city an open laboratory of experimentation. The opening of the Workshop with scientific reports, preceding the interactive les- sons and laboratory exercises of the chemometric course, helped to illustrate multidisci- plinary research and innovative applications in the BB.CC area and also to demonstrate, in due cases, the need for statically advanced methodologies to extract the maximum information from the experimental data. The ‘heart’ of the Workshop is represented in the Volume by the Chemometrics lessons section contributed by the expert teachers (UniGE and UniBO) who oversaw the chemo- metrics course over the two days intending to stimulate the participants’ interest in the ‘multivariate analysis’ with computer-guided exercises on ‘case studies’ concerning the characterization of materials of artistic and cultural interest, with particular reference to spectroscopic imaging. In parallel, the Pra.Ma. Workstation was of fundamental importance during the Workshop, demonstrating the techniques used to characterize materials and advanced instrumentation released by SPECS and other manufacturing companies the group represents in Italy. As summarized in the introductory page of the ‘Innovative equipment’ section, the general information from Pra.Ma. group is followed by a specific note by SPECS on EnviroEsca, the newly released XPS instrumentation operative at near-ambient pressure. As reported in the final relation of the event to the University, thanks to the organizing committee and support of the Pra.Ma. group and UniGE, the primary aim of the Workshop to promote knowledge of multivariate analysis methodologies was achieved, considering the high number of participants registered (in person and online) to whom downloading of the dedicated software, used during the computer exercises for data processing, was allowed. At the same time, the dissemination of research topics on cultural heritage, the functioning of instruments in use, and new technological releases were also promoted. Finally, based on the success of the Workshop, the reproposition of more extensive workshops and ‘chemometrics schools’ was announced to complete the formation of ‘expert’ researchers who can then be able to give chemometrics lessons, thus contributing to expanding the didactic offer of the University.