For centuries, art forgery has threatened our cultural heritage’s intangible values and undermine... more For centuries, art forgery has threatened our cultural heritage’s intangible values and undermined fundamental concepts like public trust, ownership, knowledge, and identity. Moreover, honest copies and digital technologies like virtual or augmented reality nuance the uniqueness on which the protection of cultural objects is based. Beyond Forgery. Collecting, Authentication and Protection of Cultural Heritage explores the blurry notions of original, fake, and copy, the stimuli to forgery and its implications, and the authentication techniques from a historical perspective and within a broader discourse about securing cultural heritage. The book includes some reflections on forgery and art collecting and the role of museums in representing authenticity. The relationship between forgery and illicit trade in cultural goods is also addressed. Gathering contributions by scholars in the fields of archaeology, art history, history, anthropology, philosophy, museum studies, legal studies, psychology, and natural science, this book offers a wide perspective on some of the most significant threats and challenges our cultural heritage has posed and poses to us. Acknowledging such threats and challenges is crucial for understanding, protecting, and valorizing our cultural heritage.
Progetto espositivo e didattico presso le Gallerie d'Italia - Palazzo Leoni Montanari di Vicenza,... more Progetto espositivo e didattico presso le Gallerie d'Italia - Palazzo Leoni Montanari di Vicenza, coordinato da Monica Salvadori, Monica Baggio, Luca Zamparo (Intesa Sanpaolo - Direzione Arte, Cultura, Beni Storici - Progetto Cultura in collaborazione con il Dipartimento dei Beni Culturali dell'Università degli Studi di Padova).
The forgery of archaeological artefacts and works of art is an ancient and complex phenomenon, st... more The forgery of archaeological artefacts and works of art is an ancient and complex phenomenon, strictly connected to the history of discoveries and the history of collecting, to the development of the antiquities market, the progress in restoration techniques, and, lastly, to the history of archaeology and art criticism. What is the relationship between counterfeit, restoration, and reproduction of an object? How does this relationship change over time, and in relation to the place and the social and cultural context? What are the tools and methods for the authentication of an allegedly archaeological artefact? Can a fake become a historical tool useful to understand the history of taste and ideas? How may the currently rampant forgery be countered? Trying to answer these and other questions, this volume looks at the falsification of archaeological and art objects through the prism of several disciplines, with contributions of academics, administrators of the cultural heritage, and market professionals. It opens with a historical overview of restoration and reproduction methods between the 16th and 19th centuries, followed by a series of recent case studies that confirm the manifold nature of fakes and describe some authentication methods. The book continues with a collection of essays that aim to revaluate the fake object as a document for the history of culture, and it closes with some remarks on the legislation on counterfeiting and on the antiquities market. This volume is an interesting instrument to understand an extremely pressing, relevant phenomenon for cultural heritage, put in a historical perspective.
La falsificazione dei reperti archeologici e delle opere d’arte è un fenomeno antico e complesso, strettamente connesso alla storia delle scoperte e del collezionismo, allo sviluppo del mercato antiquario, al progresso delle tecniche di restauro e alla storia dell’archeologia e della critica d’arte. Qual è il rapporto tra contraffazione, restauro e riproduzione di un oggetto? Come cambia questo rapporto in funzione del tempo, del luogo e del contesto sociale e culturale? Quali sono gli strumenti e i metodi dell’autenticazione di un presunto reperto archeologico? Un falso può diventare uno strumento ermeneutico per la storia del gusto e delle idee? Com’è possibile combattere l’attuale dilagante falsificazione? Per tentare di rispondere a queste e altre domande, il volume scompone il fenomeno della falsificazione degli oggetti archeologici e artistici nel prisma di varie discipline, raccogliendo contributi di accademici, amministratori del patrimonio culturale e professionisti del mercato. Si apre con un panorama storico delle pratiche di restauro e riproduzione tra XVI e XIX secolo, seguito da una serie di casi di studio recenti che confermano la multiforme natura del falso e illustrano alcuni metodi di autenticazione. Si prosegue con una raccolta di saggi che propongono di rivalutare l’oggetto falso come documento per la storia della cultura e si conclude con alcune note sulla legislazione in materia di contraffazione e sul mercato antiquario. Il libro offre dunque un interessante strumento per comprendere un fenomeno urgente e di grande rilevanza e attualità per il patrimonio culturale, in prospettiva storica.
In archaeology, the topic of fakes, copies, and imitations has been around since the 18th century... more In archaeology, the topic of fakes, copies, and imitations has been around since the 18th century. Recent studies have found that the phenomenon of counterfeit pottery worked in the ancient Greek world is very present in private and public collections, thus showing the extent of an issue that, in fact, pervades the history of archaeology. One of the MemO Project pillars, launched in March 2018 by the Department of Cultural Heritage of the University of Padova, stems from an awareness of this reality. The MemO Project is dedicated to enhancing the effectuation of archaeological artefacts (especially ceramics) within academic training and research. Accessing the technical, formal and iconographic universe of objects made thousands of years ago requires a wide-ranging apprenticeship: this is why the "Laboratory of Authentication of Archaeological Heritage" was created, an absolute novelty in the Italian academic panorama. Through the analysis of concrete cases, teachers and s...
The task of archaeologists is to study the material culture of the past to pass it on to current ... more The task of archaeologists is to study the material culture of the past to pass it on to current and future generations. Each object preserves a memory, deriving from its production, its use, its breaking and deposition. This memory can also be reactivated in the modern and contemporary world through trade, collecting and exhibition of various artefacts. In order to preserve and safeguard this memory, synonymous with past civilizations and as an example for present and future ones, contemporary archaeologists are called upon to study the most current trends in society in order to prevent illegal activities (such as clandestine excavations, forgeries, trafficking, theft, etc.) and to preserve the original idea of history and culture. Through a multidisciplinary approach (historical, archaeological, anthropological, legal), this contribution presents some activities undertaken by the Paduan archaeological school, focusing on the analysis of the phenomenon of falsification, its positive and negative implications, leading to a proposal for the definition of a new branch of archaeology at the service of contemporary society.
This article presents FakeMuse, a serious game about forgery and authentication in archaeological... more This article presents FakeMuse, a serious game about forgery and authentication in archaeological museums that aims at letting users playfully approach this issue. The player takes on the role of a museum curator who is presented with several artifacts that s/he must decide whether they are authentic or not. As the player progresses in the game, s/he can gather additional information by reading magazine articles or earn cultural money by playing minigames with archaeological content. In this way, s/he will be able to make more informed decisions about the authenticity of artifacts. FakeMuse is an Android application that can be played also while visiting an archaeological museum. Evaluation with a group of selected testers showed promising results.
The present archaeometric study of the Punic black-gloss ware found at the "Roman Temple" of Nora... more The present archaeometric study of the Punic black-gloss ware found at the "Roman Temple" of Nora (south-western Sardinia, Italy), dated at the end of the IV century BCE and the beginning of the II century BCE, was addressed to better define the exchanges of Punic ware, ideas and production skills within the west Mediterranean Sea. Petrographic and microstructural analyses at the scanning electron microscope (SEM) clearly indicate that the analysed pottery can be referred to two different productions, for which different base-clays were used, indicating different geological origin. On the basis of chemical composition, the black-gloss ware found at Nora can be traced back in part to the northern African area and in part to the western Sardinia coast at Tharros. None local production was identified. Moreover, on the basis of both the mineralogical composition and the microstructural features, samples produced in the northern African area and in western Sardinia definitely differ in terms of firing temperature. Therefore, on the basis of these results, a more complete scenario can be drawn on the commercial traffic active in the Western Mediterranean and in Sardinia between the end of the IV century and the first half of the II century BCE. Under a social perspective, Sardinia, thanks to its Phoenician, Punic and Italic influences, became an incubator of ideas, techniques and production knowledge that, from the interaction of the preceding cultures and their influences, gave life to many local productions, which were part of the greater phenomenon of Punic black-gloss ware in the western Mediterranean (Sardinia, Sicily, Northern Africa and the southern coasts of the Iberian Peninsula).
Heir to a centuries-old tradition, the phenomenon of collecting ancient pottery, especially Greek... more Heir to a centuries-old tradition, the phenomenon of collecting ancient pottery, especially Greek and Southern-Italian, is still particularly active, and denoting a still lively adherence to classical taste. The materials of these collections, however, often appear decontextualized, that is to say deprived of their fundamental informative component. Since 2018, through a multidisciplinary approach, the MemO Project, directed by the Department of Cultural Heritage of the University of Padova, has dealt with the study of these materials in order to reconstruct their history and origin, i.e. to systematically recount their memory. This contribution intends to analyze the complexity of the narration of the archaeological data for the decontextualized material and, above all, to detect its informative potential in order to recreate the original context. Through a multidisciplinary teamwork, we intend to present the results obtained in the context of the reconstruction of the history of inevitably inaccessible materials.
FALSO! IL PATRIMONIO CULTURALE E LA DIFESA DELL’AUTENTICITÀ, Quaderni del Master, 5, 2020
Donata all’Università di Padova nel 2015, la collezione di oggetti (presumibilmente) antichi riun... more Donata all’Università di Padova nel 2015, la collezione di oggetti (presumibilmente) antichi riunita da Bruno Marchetti ha portato all’apertura di una nuova linea di ricerca sul materiale archeologico senza provenienza. Inoltre, essa ha costituito la base per lo sviluppo del “Progetto MemO – La Memoria degli Oggetti”, che mira allo studio, alla digitalizzazione e alla valorizzazione della ceramica greca e magno-greca in Veneto. Questo articolo presenta le linee di ricerca del “Progetto MemO” e alcuni risultati preliminari dello studio e autenticazione del nucleo di presunti vasi dell’Italia Meridionale della Collezione Marchetti, mostrando che è possibile trarre vantaggio da essa come “strumento” di ricerca e di didattica per studiosi, studenti e professionisti, oltre che come cardine per la promozione di una cultura della legalità nell’ambito del patrimonio culturale presso il grande pubblico.
The task of archaeologists is to study the material culture of the past to pass it on to current ... more The task of archaeologists is to study the material culture of the past to pass it on to current and future generations. Each object preserves a memory, deriving from its production, its use, its breaking and deposition. This memory can also be reactivated in the modern and contemporary world through trade, collecting and exhibition of various artefacts. In order to preserve and safeguard this memory, synonymous with past civilizations and as an example for present and future ones, contemporary archaeologists are called upon to study the most current trends in society in order to prevent illegal activities (such as clandestine excavations, forgeries, trafficking, theft, etc.) and to preserve the original idea of history and culture. Through a multidisciplinary approach (historical, archaeological, anthropological, legal), this contribution presents some activities undertaken by the Paduan archaeological school, focusing on the analysis of the phenomenon of falsification, its positive and negative implications, leading to a proposal for the definition of a new branch of archaeology at the service of contemporary society.
ACM Journal on Computing and Cultural Heritage, 2021
This article presents FakeMuse, a serious game about forgery and authentication in archaeological... more This article presents FakeMuse, a serious game about forgery and authentication in archaeological museums that aims at letting users playfully approach this issue. The player takes on the role of a museum curator who is presented with several artifacts that s/he must decide whether they are authentic or not. As the player progresses in the game, s/he can gather additional information by reading magazine articles or earn cultural money by playing minigames with archaeological content. In this way, s/he will be able to make more informed decisions about the authenticity of artifacts. FakeMuse is an Android application that can be played also while visiting an archaeological museum. Evaluation with a group of selected testers showed promising results.
In archaeology, the topic of fakes, copies, and imitations has been around
since the 18th century... more In archaeology, the topic of fakes, copies, and imitations has been around since the 18th century. Recent studies have found that the phenomenon of counterfeit pottery worked in the ancient Greek world is very present in private and public collections, thus showing the extent of an issue that, in fact, pervades the history of archaeology. One of the MemO Project pillars, launched in March 2018 by the Department of Cultural Heritage of the University of Padova, stems from an awareness of this reality. The MemO Project is dedicated to enhancing the effectuation of archaeological artefacts (especially ceramics) within academic training and research. Accessing the technical, formal and iconographic universe of objects made thousands of years ago requires a wide-ranging apprenticeship: this is why the “Laboratory of Authentication of Archaeological Heritage” was created, an absolute novelty in the Italian academic panorama. Through the analysis of concrete cases, teachers and students can work systematically on each artefact using techniques that integrate humanistic diagnostics with the most advanced analytical and digital imaging techniques. The workshop experience is an essential practical activity essential to which students are introduced to the drawing up of concrete expert reports to training increasing professionals to defend the genuineness of art. In addition, all materials inspected in the Laboratory and archived due to forgeries will be included in an accessible database. This tool will contribute to the defence of cultural heritage.
Anthropology of forgery. A multidisciplinary approach to the study of archaeological fakes, 2019
The aim of this article is to provide some reference points for the authentication of a presumabl... more The aim of this article is to provide some reference points for the authentication of a presumably archaeological artefact with no context of provenance. First of all, this contribution analyses the Italian laws most relevant to authentication, while also presenting the history of the main research on the subject, and proposing definitions for “authentic” and “fake” items. Then, the fundamental procedures to carry out during archaeological authentication analyses are examined.
For centuries, art forgery has threatened our cultural heritage’s intangible values and undermine... more For centuries, art forgery has threatened our cultural heritage’s intangible values and undermined fundamental concepts like public trust, ownership, knowledge, and identity. Moreover, honest copies and digital technologies like virtual or augmented reality nuance the uniqueness on which the protection of cultural objects is based. Beyond Forgery. Collecting, Authentication and Protection of Cultural Heritage explores the blurry notions of original, fake, and copy, the stimuli to forgery and its implications, and the authentication techniques from a historical perspective and within a broader discourse about securing cultural heritage. The book includes some reflections on forgery and art collecting and the role of museums in representing authenticity. The relationship between forgery and illicit trade in cultural goods is also addressed. Gathering contributions by scholars in the fields of archaeology, art history, history, anthropology, philosophy, museum studies, legal studies, psychology, and natural science, this book offers a wide perspective on some of the most significant threats and challenges our cultural heritage has posed and poses to us. Acknowledging such threats and challenges is crucial for understanding, protecting, and valorizing our cultural heritage.
Progetto espositivo e didattico presso le Gallerie d'Italia - Palazzo Leoni Montanari di Vicenza,... more Progetto espositivo e didattico presso le Gallerie d'Italia - Palazzo Leoni Montanari di Vicenza, coordinato da Monica Salvadori, Monica Baggio, Luca Zamparo (Intesa Sanpaolo - Direzione Arte, Cultura, Beni Storici - Progetto Cultura in collaborazione con il Dipartimento dei Beni Culturali dell'Università degli Studi di Padova).
The forgery of archaeological artefacts and works of art is an ancient and complex phenomenon, st... more The forgery of archaeological artefacts and works of art is an ancient and complex phenomenon, strictly connected to the history of discoveries and the history of collecting, to the development of the antiquities market, the progress in restoration techniques, and, lastly, to the history of archaeology and art criticism. What is the relationship between counterfeit, restoration, and reproduction of an object? How does this relationship change over time, and in relation to the place and the social and cultural context? What are the tools and methods for the authentication of an allegedly archaeological artefact? Can a fake become a historical tool useful to understand the history of taste and ideas? How may the currently rampant forgery be countered? Trying to answer these and other questions, this volume looks at the falsification of archaeological and art objects through the prism of several disciplines, with contributions of academics, administrators of the cultural heritage, and market professionals. It opens with a historical overview of restoration and reproduction methods between the 16th and 19th centuries, followed by a series of recent case studies that confirm the manifold nature of fakes and describe some authentication methods. The book continues with a collection of essays that aim to revaluate the fake object as a document for the history of culture, and it closes with some remarks on the legislation on counterfeiting and on the antiquities market. This volume is an interesting instrument to understand an extremely pressing, relevant phenomenon for cultural heritage, put in a historical perspective.
La falsificazione dei reperti archeologici e delle opere d’arte è un fenomeno antico e complesso, strettamente connesso alla storia delle scoperte e del collezionismo, allo sviluppo del mercato antiquario, al progresso delle tecniche di restauro e alla storia dell’archeologia e della critica d’arte. Qual è il rapporto tra contraffazione, restauro e riproduzione di un oggetto? Come cambia questo rapporto in funzione del tempo, del luogo e del contesto sociale e culturale? Quali sono gli strumenti e i metodi dell’autenticazione di un presunto reperto archeologico? Un falso può diventare uno strumento ermeneutico per la storia del gusto e delle idee? Com’è possibile combattere l’attuale dilagante falsificazione? Per tentare di rispondere a queste e altre domande, il volume scompone il fenomeno della falsificazione degli oggetti archeologici e artistici nel prisma di varie discipline, raccogliendo contributi di accademici, amministratori del patrimonio culturale e professionisti del mercato. Si apre con un panorama storico delle pratiche di restauro e riproduzione tra XVI e XIX secolo, seguito da una serie di casi di studio recenti che confermano la multiforme natura del falso e illustrano alcuni metodi di autenticazione. Si prosegue con una raccolta di saggi che propongono di rivalutare l’oggetto falso come documento per la storia della cultura e si conclude con alcune note sulla legislazione in materia di contraffazione e sul mercato antiquario. Il libro offre dunque un interessante strumento per comprendere un fenomeno urgente e di grande rilevanza e attualità per il patrimonio culturale, in prospettiva storica.
In archaeology, the topic of fakes, copies, and imitations has been around since the 18th century... more In archaeology, the topic of fakes, copies, and imitations has been around since the 18th century. Recent studies have found that the phenomenon of counterfeit pottery worked in the ancient Greek world is very present in private and public collections, thus showing the extent of an issue that, in fact, pervades the history of archaeology. One of the MemO Project pillars, launched in March 2018 by the Department of Cultural Heritage of the University of Padova, stems from an awareness of this reality. The MemO Project is dedicated to enhancing the effectuation of archaeological artefacts (especially ceramics) within academic training and research. Accessing the technical, formal and iconographic universe of objects made thousands of years ago requires a wide-ranging apprenticeship: this is why the "Laboratory of Authentication of Archaeological Heritage" was created, an absolute novelty in the Italian academic panorama. Through the analysis of concrete cases, teachers and s...
The task of archaeologists is to study the material culture of the past to pass it on to current ... more The task of archaeologists is to study the material culture of the past to pass it on to current and future generations. Each object preserves a memory, deriving from its production, its use, its breaking and deposition. This memory can also be reactivated in the modern and contemporary world through trade, collecting and exhibition of various artefacts. In order to preserve and safeguard this memory, synonymous with past civilizations and as an example for present and future ones, contemporary archaeologists are called upon to study the most current trends in society in order to prevent illegal activities (such as clandestine excavations, forgeries, trafficking, theft, etc.) and to preserve the original idea of history and culture. Through a multidisciplinary approach (historical, archaeological, anthropological, legal), this contribution presents some activities undertaken by the Paduan archaeological school, focusing on the analysis of the phenomenon of falsification, its positive and negative implications, leading to a proposal for the definition of a new branch of archaeology at the service of contemporary society.
This article presents FakeMuse, a serious game about forgery and authentication in archaeological... more This article presents FakeMuse, a serious game about forgery and authentication in archaeological museums that aims at letting users playfully approach this issue. The player takes on the role of a museum curator who is presented with several artifacts that s/he must decide whether they are authentic or not. As the player progresses in the game, s/he can gather additional information by reading magazine articles or earn cultural money by playing minigames with archaeological content. In this way, s/he will be able to make more informed decisions about the authenticity of artifacts. FakeMuse is an Android application that can be played also while visiting an archaeological museum. Evaluation with a group of selected testers showed promising results.
The present archaeometric study of the Punic black-gloss ware found at the "Roman Temple" of Nora... more The present archaeometric study of the Punic black-gloss ware found at the "Roman Temple" of Nora (south-western Sardinia, Italy), dated at the end of the IV century BCE and the beginning of the II century BCE, was addressed to better define the exchanges of Punic ware, ideas and production skills within the west Mediterranean Sea. Petrographic and microstructural analyses at the scanning electron microscope (SEM) clearly indicate that the analysed pottery can be referred to two different productions, for which different base-clays were used, indicating different geological origin. On the basis of chemical composition, the black-gloss ware found at Nora can be traced back in part to the northern African area and in part to the western Sardinia coast at Tharros. None local production was identified. Moreover, on the basis of both the mineralogical composition and the microstructural features, samples produced in the northern African area and in western Sardinia definitely differ in terms of firing temperature. Therefore, on the basis of these results, a more complete scenario can be drawn on the commercial traffic active in the Western Mediterranean and in Sardinia between the end of the IV century and the first half of the II century BCE. Under a social perspective, Sardinia, thanks to its Phoenician, Punic and Italic influences, became an incubator of ideas, techniques and production knowledge that, from the interaction of the preceding cultures and their influences, gave life to many local productions, which were part of the greater phenomenon of Punic black-gloss ware in the western Mediterranean (Sardinia, Sicily, Northern Africa and the southern coasts of the Iberian Peninsula).
Heir to a centuries-old tradition, the phenomenon of collecting ancient pottery, especially Greek... more Heir to a centuries-old tradition, the phenomenon of collecting ancient pottery, especially Greek and Southern-Italian, is still particularly active, and denoting a still lively adherence to classical taste. The materials of these collections, however, often appear decontextualized, that is to say deprived of their fundamental informative component. Since 2018, through a multidisciplinary approach, the MemO Project, directed by the Department of Cultural Heritage of the University of Padova, has dealt with the study of these materials in order to reconstruct their history and origin, i.e. to systematically recount their memory. This contribution intends to analyze the complexity of the narration of the archaeological data for the decontextualized material and, above all, to detect its informative potential in order to recreate the original context. Through a multidisciplinary teamwork, we intend to present the results obtained in the context of the reconstruction of the history of inevitably inaccessible materials.
FALSO! IL PATRIMONIO CULTURALE E LA DIFESA DELL’AUTENTICITÀ, Quaderni del Master, 5, 2020
Donata all’Università di Padova nel 2015, la collezione di oggetti (presumibilmente) antichi riun... more Donata all’Università di Padova nel 2015, la collezione di oggetti (presumibilmente) antichi riunita da Bruno Marchetti ha portato all’apertura di una nuova linea di ricerca sul materiale archeologico senza provenienza. Inoltre, essa ha costituito la base per lo sviluppo del “Progetto MemO – La Memoria degli Oggetti”, che mira allo studio, alla digitalizzazione e alla valorizzazione della ceramica greca e magno-greca in Veneto. Questo articolo presenta le linee di ricerca del “Progetto MemO” e alcuni risultati preliminari dello studio e autenticazione del nucleo di presunti vasi dell’Italia Meridionale della Collezione Marchetti, mostrando che è possibile trarre vantaggio da essa come “strumento” di ricerca e di didattica per studiosi, studenti e professionisti, oltre che come cardine per la promozione di una cultura della legalità nell’ambito del patrimonio culturale presso il grande pubblico.
The task of archaeologists is to study the material culture of the past to pass it on to current ... more The task of archaeologists is to study the material culture of the past to pass it on to current and future generations. Each object preserves a memory, deriving from its production, its use, its breaking and deposition. This memory can also be reactivated in the modern and contemporary world through trade, collecting and exhibition of various artefacts. In order to preserve and safeguard this memory, synonymous with past civilizations and as an example for present and future ones, contemporary archaeologists are called upon to study the most current trends in society in order to prevent illegal activities (such as clandestine excavations, forgeries, trafficking, theft, etc.) and to preserve the original idea of history and culture. Through a multidisciplinary approach (historical, archaeological, anthropological, legal), this contribution presents some activities undertaken by the Paduan archaeological school, focusing on the analysis of the phenomenon of falsification, its positive and negative implications, leading to a proposal for the definition of a new branch of archaeology at the service of contemporary society.
ACM Journal on Computing and Cultural Heritage, 2021
This article presents FakeMuse, a serious game about forgery and authentication in archaeological... more This article presents FakeMuse, a serious game about forgery and authentication in archaeological museums that aims at letting users playfully approach this issue. The player takes on the role of a museum curator who is presented with several artifacts that s/he must decide whether they are authentic or not. As the player progresses in the game, s/he can gather additional information by reading magazine articles or earn cultural money by playing minigames with archaeological content. In this way, s/he will be able to make more informed decisions about the authenticity of artifacts. FakeMuse is an Android application that can be played also while visiting an archaeological museum. Evaluation with a group of selected testers showed promising results.
In archaeology, the topic of fakes, copies, and imitations has been around
since the 18th century... more In archaeology, the topic of fakes, copies, and imitations has been around since the 18th century. Recent studies have found that the phenomenon of counterfeit pottery worked in the ancient Greek world is very present in private and public collections, thus showing the extent of an issue that, in fact, pervades the history of archaeology. One of the MemO Project pillars, launched in March 2018 by the Department of Cultural Heritage of the University of Padova, stems from an awareness of this reality. The MemO Project is dedicated to enhancing the effectuation of archaeological artefacts (especially ceramics) within academic training and research. Accessing the technical, formal and iconographic universe of objects made thousands of years ago requires a wide-ranging apprenticeship: this is why the “Laboratory of Authentication of Archaeological Heritage” was created, an absolute novelty in the Italian academic panorama. Through the analysis of concrete cases, teachers and students can work systematically on each artefact using techniques that integrate humanistic diagnostics with the most advanced analytical and digital imaging techniques. The workshop experience is an essential practical activity essential to which students are introduced to the drawing up of concrete expert reports to training increasing professionals to defend the genuineness of art. In addition, all materials inspected in the Laboratory and archived due to forgeries will be included in an accessible database. This tool will contribute to the defence of cultural heritage.
Anthropology of forgery. A multidisciplinary approach to the study of archaeological fakes, 2019
The aim of this article is to provide some reference points for the authentication of a presumabl... more The aim of this article is to provide some reference points for the authentication of a presumably archaeological artefact with no context of provenance. First of all, this contribution analyses the Italian laws most relevant to authentication, while also presenting the history of the main research on the subject, and proposing definitions for “authentic” and “fake” items. Then, the fundamental procedures to carry out during archaeological authentication analyses are examined.
The present archaeometric study of the Punic black-gloss ware found at the " Roman Temple " of No... more The present archaeometric study of the Punic black-gloss ware found at the " Roman Temple " of Nora (southwestern Sardinia, Italy), dated at the end of the IV century BCE and the beginning of the II century BCE, was addressed to better define the exchanges of Punic ware, ideas and production skills within the west Mediterranean Sea. Petrographic and microstructural analyses at the scanning electron microscope (SEM) clearly indicate that the analysed pottery can be referred to two different productions, for which different base-clays were used, indicating different geological origin. On the basis of chemical composition, the black-gloss ware found at Nora can be traced back in part to the northern African area and in part to the western Sardinia coast at Tharros. None local production was identified. Moreover, on the basis of both the mineralogical composition and the microstructural features, samples produced in the northern African area and in western Sardinia definitely differ in terms of firing temperature. Therefore, on the basis of these results, a more complete scenario can be drawn on the commercial traffic active in the Western Mediterranean and in Sardinia between the end of the IV century and the first half of the II century BCE. Under a social perspective, Sardinia, thanks to its Phoenician, Punic and Italic influences, became an incubator of ideas, techniques and production knowledge that, from the interaction of the preceding cultures and their influences, gave life to many local productions, which were part of the greater phenomenon of Punic black-gloss ware in the western Mediterranean (Sardinia, Sicily, Northern Africa and the southern coasts of the Iberian Peninsula).
Contributo al Convegno Nazionale "L'Arte non vera non può essere Arte" organizzato dal Comando Ca... more Contributo al Convegno Nazionale "L'Arte non vera non può essere Arte" organizzato dal Comando Carabinieri Tutela Patrimonio Culturale in collaborazione con il Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali, l'Università degli Studi di Roma Tre e dal Consiglio Nazionale Anticontraffazione (Roma 5 dicembre 2017)
In the framework of the International Spring School "Risk Management for Cultural Heritage. Chall... more In the framework of the International Spring School "Risk Management for Cultural Heritage. Challenges and Strategies for the GLAM Sector and UNESCO Sites", the University of Padova (Italy) announces a Call for Abstracts for the editing of a scientific volume on theories and the most up-to-date practices for the management of Cultural Heritage.
The book will be edited by Dr Luca Zamparo (Department of Biology - Department of Cultural Heritage), Prof. Fabrizio Nestola (Department of Geosciences) and Prof. Monica Salvadori (Department of Cultural Heritage), and it will be published by Padova University Press in Open Access.
The University of Padova is organising the International Spring School "Risk Management for Cultu... more The University of Padova is organising the International Spring School "Risk Management for Cultural Heritage. Challenges and Strategies for the GLAM Sector and UNESCO Sites", an intensive week of training, discussion, guided tours and practical activities to learn how to identify, manage, mitigate and monitor the risks that daily affect the cultural heritage preserved in museums, archives, libraries or at UNESCO sites.
Theft, trafficking, wars, counterfeiting, climate change, earthquakes, floods or fires are just some of the dangers to which movable and immovable cultural heritage is subject in every part of the world: the International Spring School aims to provide all participants with theoretical knowledge and practical skills thanks to the participation of professionals, academics and companies involved in the preservation of cultural heritage.
Il Progetto MemO del Dipartimento dei Beni Culturali dell'Università degli Studi di Padova, in co... more Il Progetto MemO del Dipartimento dei Beni Culturali dell'Università degli Studi di Padova, in collaborazione con l'Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti, organizza una settimana di studi e confronto multidisciplinare sui temi della tutela dell'arte e del patrimonio culturale Eventi Il museo e la cultura della legalità: storie e strategie italiane
The Ph.D. course in History, Criticism and Conservation of Cultural Heritage of the University of... more The Ph.D. course in History, Criticism and Conservation of Cultural Heritage of the University of Padua is promoting the organisation of the International Conference entitled “Interrupted Stories. The recognition and valorisation of forgotten heritage”. The conference will be held in Padua on 25 and 26 November 2021 and is an opportunity for Ph.D. students from national and international universities to come together and share their expertise. The sessions will be dedicated to exploring theoretical and methodological issues related to the disciplines of Archaeology, History of Art and Performing Arts, with particular attention to the opportunities for the professional and personal growth of young researchers. The conference aims to investigate the underlying complexities in the process of historical reconstruction intrinsic in every research project. These involve the gap in various forms of documentation that disrupt the history of an artwork, an artifact, a place, and a civilisation.
The University of Padova organised the International Spring School "Risk Management for Cultural ... more The University of Padova organised the International Spring School "Risk Management for Cultural Heritage. Challenges and Strategies for the GLAM Sector and UNESCO Sites", an intensive week of training, discussion, guided tours, and practical activities to learn how to identify, manage, mitigate and monitor the risks that daily affect the cultural heritage preserved in museums, archives, libraries or at UNESCO sites.
Theft, trafficking, wars, counterfeiting, climate change, earthquakes, floods, or fires are just some of the dangers to which movable and immovable cultural heritage is subject in every part of the world: the international Spring School aims to provide all participants with theoretical knowledge and practical skills thanks to the participation of professionals, academics and companies involved in the preservation of cultural heritage.
The University itself is called upon on a day-to-day basis to manage a vast and heterogeneous cultural heritage that stretches from the collections of the University Centre for Museums to the books and archives of the University Centre for Libraries, in addition to the care and management of the Botanical Garden - a World Heritage Site since 1997 - coordinated by the University Centre for Botanical Garden and the Permanent Events Office.
Giornata di Studio "I musei e la cultura della legalità: storie e strategie italiane" organizzata... more Giornata di Studio "I musei e la cultura della legalità: storie e strategie italiane" organizzata in collaborazione con l'Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti e con ICOM Italia (Coordinamento Triveneto e Gruppo di Lavoro "Musei, legalità e territorio"). Convegno di Studi "L'arte del falso. Poliedricità dell'inganno e tutela del patrimonio culturale". Venezia, Padova, 16-19 ottobre 2023
Immagini senza forma. Il potenziale informativo della documentazione grafica relativa alle collez... more Immagini senza forma. Il potenziale informativo della documentazione grafica relativa alle collezioni vascolari ottocentesche nell'ottica della loro valorizzazione attuale Giuseppina Gadaleta La collezione de Brandis del Museo Archeologico di Udine. Nuove opportunità di disseminazione tra accessibilità e digitalizzazione Paola Visentini Sur la piste des vases antiques: datavisualisation des parcours anciens et modernes des oeuvres Cécile Colonna Animating Ceramics: nuovi metodi di comunicare l'antico. Un caso studio presso il Museo Archeologico di Agrigento Barbara Cavallaro, Giulio Doria, Emidio Sarpietro Dal reperto al paesaggio: analisi archeologica e modellazione virtuale nelle necropoli picene di Numana (AN)
Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Padova (Italy)
in collaboration with University of... more Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Padova (Italy) in collaboration with University of Thessaly (Greece) and Aarhus University (Denmark)
Scientific Direction: Prof. Monica Salvadori Co-Direction: Dr. Monica Baggio
Scientific Board: Vinnie Nørskov (Aarhus University), Christina Mitsopoulou (University of Thessaly), Luca Zamparo (University of Padova)
Organized by the MemO Project together with Aarhus Universitet and the University of Thessaly, our third edition will be completely online and free! The selected candidates will have the opportunity to follow a multidisciplinary video-course on ceramic productions thanks to our Moodle platform, to interact with the speakers and freely discuss these topics. Participants will receive a certificate of participation valid for 4 CFU / ECTS. Registration by April 28 through the form: https://forms.gle/SP9SRr4DUp1dXZvr7
Ciclo di seminari su Arte e Cultura promossi dalla Scuola Superiore per Mediatori Linguistici LIM... more Ciclo di seminari su Arte e Cultura promossi dalla Scuola Superiore per Mediatori Linguistici LIMEC di Milano e Genova - Istituto a Ordinamento Universitario.
28 maggio 2021
Giornata di Studi online per l'analisi delle ricadute della diffusione del COVID-... more 28 maggio 2021
Giornata di Studi online per l'analisi delle ricadute della diffusione del COVID-19 sul mondo dei musei e, soprattutto, sull'ambito dell'educazione museale, con l'obiettivo di delineare anche il futuro delle istituzioni culturali e museali.
Incontro realizzato dalla Scuola Superiore per Mediatori Linguistici LIMEC di Milano e Genova, Istituto a Ordinamento Universitario, in collaborazione con il Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli.
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Books by Luca Zamparo
La falsificazione dei reperti archeologici e delle opere d’arte è un fenomeno antico e complesso, strettamente connesso alla storia delle scoperte e del collezionismo, allo sviluppo del mercato antiquario, al progresso delle tecniche di restauro e alla storia dell’archeologia e della critica d’arte. Qual è il rapporto tra contraffazione, restauro e riproduzione di un oggetto? Come cambia questo rapporto in funzione del tempo, del luogo e del contesto sociale e culturale? Quali sono gli strumenti e i metodi dell’autenticazione di un presunto reperto archeologico? Un falso può diventare uno strumento ermeneutico per la storia del gusto e delle idee? Com’è possibile combattere l’attuale dilagante falsificazione? Per tentare di rispondere a queste e altre domande, il volume scompone il fenomeno della falsificazione degli oggetti archeologici e artistici nel prisma di varie discipline, raccogliendo contributi di accademici, amministratori del patrimonio culturale e professionisti del mercato. Si apre con un panorama storico delle pratiche di restauro e riproduzione tra XVI e XIX secolo, seguito da una serie di casi di studio recenti che confermano la multiforme natura del falso e illustrano alcuni metodi di autenticazione. Si prosegue con una raccolta di saggi che propongono di rivalutare l’oggetto falso come documento per la storia della cultura e si conclude con alcune note sulla legislazione in materia di contraffazione e sul mercato antiquario. Il libro offre dunque un interessante strumento per comprendere un fenomeno urgente e di grande rilevanza e attualità per il patrimonio culturale, in prospettiva storica.
Papers by Luca Zamparo
valorizzazione della ceramica greca e magno-greca in Veneto. Questo articolo presenta le linee di ricerca del “Progetto MemO” e alcuni risultati preliminari dello studio e autenticazione del nucleo di presunti vasi dell’Italia Meridionale della Collezione Marchetti, mostrando che è possibile trarre vantaggio da essa come “strumento” di ricerca e di didattica per studiosi, studenti e professionisti, oltre che come cardine per la promozione di una cultura della legalità nell’ambito del patrimonio culturale presso il grande pubblico.
since the 18th century. Recent studies have found that the phenomenon of
counterfeit pottery worked in the ancient Greek world is very present in private and public collections, thus showing the extent of an issue that, in fact, pervades the history of archaeology.
One of the MemO Project pillars, launched in March 2018 by the Department of Cultural Heritage of the University of Padova, stems from an awareness of this reality.
The MemO Project is dedicated to enhancing the effectuation of archaeological artefacts (especially ceramics) within academic training and research.
Accessing the technical, formal and iconographic universe of objects made
thousands of years ago requires a wide-ranging apprenticeship: this is why the “Laboratory of Authentication of Archaeological Heritage” was created, an absolute novelty in the Italian academic panorama.
Through the analysis of concrete cases, teachers and students can work systematically on each artefact using techniques that integrate humanistic diagnostics with the most advanced analytical and digital imaging techniques. The workshop experience is an essential practical activity essential to which students are introduced to the drawing up of concrete expert reports to training increasing professionals to defend the genuineness of art.
In addition, all materials inspected in the Laboratory and archived due to forgeries will be included in an accessible database.
This tool will contribute to the defence of cultural heritage.
La falsificazione dei reperti archeologici e delle opere d’arte è un fenomeno antico e complesso, strettamente connesso alla storia delle scoperte e del collezionismo, allo sviluppo del mercato antiquario, al progresso delle tecniche di restauro e alla storia dell’archeologia e della critica d’arte. Qual è il rapporto tra contraffazione, restauro e riproduzione di un oggetto? Come cambia questo rapporto in funzione del tempo, del luogo e del contesto sociale e culturale? Quali sono gli strumenti e i metodi dell’autenticazione di un presunto reperto archeologico? Un falso può diventare uno strumento ermeneutico per la storia del gusto e delle idee? Com’è possibile combattere l’attuale dilagante falsificazione? Per tentare di rispondere a queste e altre domande, il volume scompone il fenomeno della falsificazione degli oggetti archeologici e artistici nel prisma di varie discipline, raccogliendo contributi di accademici, amministratori del patrimonio culturale e professionisti del mercato. Si apre con un panorama storico delle pratiche di restauro e riproduzione tra XVI e XIX secolo, seguito da una serie di casi di studio recenti che confermano la multiforme natura del falso e illustrano alcuni metodi di autenticazione. Si prosegue con una raccolta di saggi che propongono di rivalutare l’oggetto falso come documento per la storia della cultura e si conclude con alcune note sulla legislazione in materia di contraffazione e sul mercato antiquario. Il libro offre dunque un interessante strumento per comprendere un fenomeno urgente e di grande rilevanza e attualità per il patrimonio culturale, in prospettiva storica.
valorizzazione della ceramica greca e magno-greca in Veneto. Questo articolo presenta le linee di ricerca del “Progetto MemO” e alcuni risultati preliminari dello studio e autenticazione del nucleo di presunti vasi dell’Italia Meridionale della Collezione Marchetti, mostrando che è possibile trarre vantaggio da essa come “strumento” di ricerca e di didattica per studiosi, studenti e professionisti, oltre che come cardine per la promozione di una cultura della legalità nell’ambito del patrimonio culturale presso il grande pubblico.
since the 18th century. Recent studies have found that the phenomenon of
counterfeit pottery worked in the ancient Greek world is very present in private and public collections, thus showing the extent of an issue that, in fact, pervades the history of archaeology.
One of the MemO Project pillars, launched in March 2018 by the Department of Cultural Heritage of the University of Padova, stems from an awareness of this reality.
The MemO Project is dedicated to enhancing the effectuation of archaeological artefacts (especially ceramics) within academic training and research.
Accessing the technical, formal and iconographic universe of objects made
thousands of years ago requires a wide-ranging apprenticeship: this is why the “Laboratory of Authentication of Archaeological Heritage” was created, an absolute novelty in the Italian academic panorama.
Through the analysis of concrete cases, teachers and students can work systematically on each artefact using techniques that integrate humanistic diagnostics with the most advanced analytical and digital imaging techniques. The workshop experience is an essential practical activity essential to which students are introduced to the drawing up of concrete expert reports to training increasing professionals to defend the genuineness of art.
In addition, all materials inspected in the Laboratory and archived due to forgeries will be included in an accessible database.
This tool will contribute to the defence of cultural heritage.
The book will be edited by Dr Luca Zamparo (Department of Biology - Department of Cultural Heritage), Prof. Fabrizio Nestola (Department of Geosciences) and Prof. Monica Salvadori (Department of Cultural Heritage), and it will be published by Padova University Press in Open Access.
museums, archives, libraries or at UNESCO sites.
Theft, trafficking, wars, counterfeiting, climate change, earthquakes, floods or fires are just some of the dangers to which movable and immovable cultural heritage is subject in every part of the world: the International Spring School aims to provide all participants with theoretical knowledge and practical skills thanks to the participation of professionals, academics and companies involved in the preservation of cultural heritage.
Conference entitled “Interrupted Stories. The recognition and valorisation of forgotten heritage”.
The conference will be held in Padua on 25 and 26 November 2021 and is an opportunity for Ph.D. students from national and international universities to come together and share their expertise. The sessions will be dedicated to exploring theoretical and methodological issues related to the disciplines of Archaeology, History of Art and Performing Arts, with particular attention to the opportunities for the professional and personal growth of young researchers.
The conference aims to investigate the underlying complexities in the process of historical reconstruction intrinsic in every research project. These involve the gap in various forms of documentation that disrupt the history of an artwork, an artifact, a place, and a civilisation.
Theft, trafficking, wars, counterfeiting, climate change, earthquakes, floods, or fires are just some of the dangers to which movable and immovable cultural heritage is subject in every part of the world: the international Spring School aims to provide all participants with theoretical knowledge and practical skills thanks to the participation of professionals, academics and companies involved in the preservation of cultural heritage.
The University itself is called upon on a day-to-day basis to manage a vast and heterogeneous cultural heritage that stretches from the collections of the University Centre for Museums to the books and archives of the University Centre for Libraries, in addition to the care and management of the Botanical Garden - a World Heritage Site since 1997 - coordinated by the University Centre for Botanical Garden and the Permanent Events Office.
Convegno di Studi "L'arte del falso. Poliedricità dell'inganno e tutela del patrimonio culturale".
Venezia, Padova, 16-19 ottobre 2023
in collaboration with University of Thessaly (Greece) and Aarhus University (Denmark)
Scientific Direction: Prof. Monica Salvadori
Co-Direction: Dr. Monica Baggio
Scientific Board:
Vinnie Nørskov (Aarhus University),
Christina Mitsopoulou (University of Thessaly),
Luca Zamparo (University of Padova)
Organized by the MemO Project together with Aarhus Universitet and the University of Thessaly, our third edition will be completely online and free!
The selected candidates will have the opportunity to follow a multidisciplinary video-course on ceramic productions thanks to our Moodle platform, to interact with the speakers and freely discuss these topics. Participants will receive a certificate of participation valid for 4 CFU / ECTS.
Registration by April 28 through the form: https://forms.gle/SP9SRr4DUp1dXZvr7
Giornata di Studi online per l'analisi delle ricadute della diffusione del COVID-19 sul mondo dei musei e, soprattutto, sull'ambito dell'educazione museale, con l'obiettivo di delineare anche il futuro delle istituzioni culturali e museali.
Incontro realizzato dalla Scuola Superiore per Mediatori Linguistici LIMEC di Milano e Genova, Istituto a Ordinamento Universitario, in collaborazione con il Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli.