Eur. Phys. J. Plus (2018) 133: 367
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/i2018-12234-4

Regular Article

Cultural Heritage and historical earthquakes: The diagnostic methodologies applied in an integrated project of conservative restoration in St. Maria Assunta’s church (Cirella di Platì, Italy)

¹ Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences (DIBEST), University of Calabria, Rende (CS), Italy
² Department of Chemistry, CISRiC, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
³ Anna Arcudi Restauro e Conservazione Beni Culturali, Gallina (RC), Italy
⁴ Department of Musicology and Cultural Heritage, CISRiC, University of Pavia, Cremona, Italy

^* e-mail: natalia.rovella@unical.it

Received: 28 June 2018
Accepted: 4 August 2018
Published online: 17 September 2018

Abstract

The historical earthquake known as “Terremoto delle Calabrie” in 1783 heavily damaged the Cultural Heritage of Southern Italy. Many buildings were recovered and revalued in the subsequent reconstruction, among which the Saint Maria Assunta church. It is rich in stuccoes and false marble decorations, which have never been restored after that reconstruction. The results of the diagnostic campaign carried out throughout OM, FT-IR, EPMA-EDS, provided important information on the ancient executive techniques in Southern Italy useful in the project of conservative restoration of the church.