Paolo Mazzoleni
Biographic Data
| ID | 94455 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Paolo Mazzoleni |
| GIVEN NAMES | Paolo |
| FAMILY NAME | Mazzoleni |
| SIGNATURE | MAZZOLENI P |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Catania |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-7281-923X |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 26 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 82 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 26 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1996 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 5 |
Conserving the Memory of Hammurabi
An archaeological project requires a complex heritage management approach that includes excavation, scientific research, conservation of unearthed objects, protection of the site’s architecture, and, finally, public engagement. Based on these premises, the Baghdad Urban Archaeological Project aims to create a model for Ancient Heritage Management that includes the research, conservation, and public outreach at the Old Babylonian site of Tell Muha…
Interdisciplinary Approaches to the Knowledge of Ancient Monuments
The Monastery of San Nicolò l’Arena in Catania, a UNESCO World Heritage site, embodies a complex architectural and historical stratigraphy, reflecting successive construction phases, functional changes, and the impact of catastrophic events, including the 1669 lava flow and the 1693 earthquake. As part of the CHANGES project, this study combines historical–archaeological research with non-invasive in situ scientific analyses to investigate the ma…
Chemical Investigation of Sicilian Red-Figure Pottery
The identification and location of Sicilian red-figure pottery workshops remain an unresolved issue in archaeological research. Recent studies propose various hypotheses based on the typological and stylistic analyses of the vases and on the distribution of the finds. This paper examines a corpus of red-figure vases from Gela (Sicily), dating from the late 5th to mid-4th centuries BC, attributed to prominent painters from Sicily and Magna Graecia…
First insight into gemstones on historical ecclesiastical artefacts in Sicily (17th‐19th centuries)
A wide production of ecclesiastical artefacts is traceable in Sicily between the 17th and 19th centuries, admirable in many diocesan museums. Nevertheless, these artefacts were never studied from an archaeometric point of view: Beyond their historical value, it is time to understand whether the information concerning the decorating gemstones is reliable. In situ investigations through portable instrumentations (Raman spectroscopy and portable X‐r…
Initial investigations of rubricated inscriptions from Roman Sicily
Although the polychromy of ancient statuary has become a regular topic in archaeological discussions, in part thanks to archaeometrical analyses, little attention has been given to such aspects in the field of epigraphy. The aim of this paper is to identify analytically the red pigments employed in inscriptions from southeastern Sicily in the Roman period (1st-6th c. CE), and to investigate the relationship between actual material practice and an…
X-ray Synchrotron Radiation to Look at Pigments in Antiquities
The recent upgrading of synchrotron radiation (SR) sources has favored, in the last few years, the construction and design of beamlines optimized for the study of cultural heritage materials, which may require ad hoc setups, specific spatial resolutions, and detection limits. In the field of cultural heritage, integrated approaches combining different techniques are often required, even at large facilities, where some beamlines offer the possibil…
New insights on the Western production of Ionian cups type B2
Ionian cups are a ceramic class widely spread in the Mediterranean basin from the second half of the VII century BCE and even more throughout the VI century and a little beyond. Initially imported from Eastern Greece, they were successively produced also in the West, in the colonies and in the indigenous hinterland. This research is a recent development of a study started about a decade ago aimed at identifying the production area of Ionian cups …
Ceramic technology and paintings of archaic architectural slabs, louteria and antefixes from the Palatine Hill in Rome (Italy)
Archaic Roman painted antefixes, architectural slabs and louteria from the Palatine Hill in Rome, Italy, were studied by non‐destructive and micro‐destructive methods: Portable X‐ray fluorescence (XRF), micro‐Raman spectroscopy, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy‐dispersive spectroscopy (SEM‐EDS) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD). The investigation enabled the characterization of raw materials and ceramic technology, providing…
Two centuries of painted plasters from the Lateran suburban villa (Rome)
From βαλανεῖα to thermae
So far unexplored, the introduction and the spread of the Roman thermal buildings in the prima provincia (Sicily) are widely debated in the current archeological studies. Mainly due to the lack of systematic excavations and intensively technological studies, the assessment of thermae in the Hellenistic-Roman Sicily has been thus far interpreted as a new social and architectural experience. However, a more careful archeological investigation would…
Artificial neural network for the provenance study of archaeological ceramics using clay sediment database
Neighbourly ties
Exploring the Coroplasts’ ‘ Techne ’ in Greek Architectural Terracottas from Sicily
The study intends to support the archaeological questions about the technological choices related to the manufacturing of an important class of archaic artefacts—the fictile roof revetments of the temples—in the Greek colonies of Sicily, unveiling the possible relations among raw materials, decorative and firing techniques and functionality of the architectural terracottas. By applying a multidisciplinary and a multimethodological archaeometric a…
Archeometric characterization of prehistoric grindstones from Milazzo Bronze Age settlement (Sicily, Italy)
Portable XRF
Origin of gemstones is a key aspect not only in gemological field but also in Cultural Heritage studies, for the correct evaluation of precious artifacts. The studies on gems require the application of non-invasive and non-destructive methods; among them, portable spectroscopic techniques has been demonstrated as powerful tools, providing a fingerprint of gems for origin and provenance determination. In this study, portable XRF spectroscopy has b…
The Hellenistic and Roman Syracuse (Sicily) Fine Pottery Production Explored by Chemical and Petrographic Analysis
The chemical composition and petrographic features of 51 samples of fine pottery selected from the archaeological site of Syracuse have been established by means of optical microscopy and X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, with the aim of creating a reference group for the ceramics produced in this important Greek colony during the Hellenistic–Roman period. This reference group is constrained by the analysis of six kiln wasters and of raw materials…
Spectroscopic analyses of Hellenistic painted plasters from 2nd century B.C., Sicily (South Italy)
Small angle neutron scattering study of ancient pottery from Syracuse (Sicily, Southern Italy)
Petrographic and chemical characterisation of fine ware from three Archaic and Hellenistic kilns in Gela, Sicily
Archaeometric evidences of the 4th–2nd century BC amphorae productions in north eastern Sicily
The transport amphorae of Gela
A volcanic inclusions based approach for provenance studies of archaeological ceramics
Petrographic and Chemical Characterization of Pottery Production of the Late Minoan I Kiln at Haghia Triada, Crete
Pottery from the Late Minoan I kiln at Haghia Triada in the Mesara Plain, southern Crete, was analysed by a range of techniques, comprising thin‐section petrography, scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, X‐ray fluorescence and neutron activation analysis. The project characterizes the ceramic fabrics and probable raw materials, correlates paste recipes with shape, reconstructs the firing conditions of the kiln and establishes a chemica…
Chemical Characterization and Statistical Multivariate Analysis of Ancient Pottery From Messina, Catania, Lentini and Siracusa (Sicily)
This paper presents the chemical characterization of 79 fragments of Archaic and Hellenistic fine‐grained pottery from archaeological sites in Messina, Catania, Lentini and Siracusa (Sicily). The sherds were classified as ‘calcidian’, ‘banded’, ‘unvarnished’ and ‘black varnished’ pottery. The major and trace elements identified by X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) were statistically elaborated using the method proposed by J. Aitchinson in 1986 for the ana…
Archaeometric Analyses on ‘Corinthian B’ Transport Amphorae Found at Gela (Sicily, Italy)
The aim of this work is to throw light on the archaic production of ‘Corinthian B’ amphorae, which are widely diffused in the Western Mediterranean basin and are also present in Greece, but whose geographical provenance is still under discussion. We analysed a group of 37 samples belonging to different ceramic classes dated to the sixth and fifth centuries bc . In particular, there were 19 sherds of trade amphorae of the so‐called archaic ‘Corint…
Petrographic and Chemical Characterization of Pottery Production of the Late Minoan I Kiln at Haghia Triada, Crete
Pottery from the Late Minoan I kiln at Haghia Triada in the Mesara Plain, southern Crete, was analysed by a range of techniques, comprising thin‐section petrography, scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, X‐ray fluorescence and neutron activation analysis. The project characterizes the ceramic fabrics and probable raw materials, correlates paste recipes with shape, reconstructs the firing conditions of the kiln and establishes a chemica…
A volcanic inclusions based approach for provenance studies of archaeological ceramics
The transport amphorae of Gela
Chemical Characterization and Statistical Multivariate Analysis of Ancient Pottery From Messina, Catania, Lentini and Siracusa (Sicily)
This paper presents the chemical characterization of 79 fragments of Archaic and Hellenistic fine‐grained pottery from archaeological sites in Messina, Catania, Lentini and Siracusa (Sicily). The sherds were classified as ‘calcidian’, ‘banded’, ‘unvarnished’ and ‘black varnished’ pottery. The major and trace elements identified by X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) were statistically elaborated using the method proposed by J. Aitchinson in 1986 for the ana…
Artificial neural network for the provenance study of archaeological ceramics using clay sediment database
Archeometric characterization of prehistoric grindstones from Milazzo Bronze Age settlement (Sicily, Italy)
Archaeometric evidences of the 4th–2nd century BC amphorae productions in north eastern Sicily
Exploring the Coroplasts’ ‘ Techne ’ in Greek Architectural Terracottas from Sicily
The study intends to support the archaeological questions about the technological choices related to the manufacturing of an important class of archaic artefacts—the fictile roof revetments of the temples—in the Greek colonies of Sicily, unveiling the possible relations among raw materials, decorative and firing techniques and functionality of the architectural terracottas. By applying a multidisciplinary and a multimethodological archaeometric a…
The Hellenistic and Roman Syracuse (Sicily) Fine Pottery Production Explored by Chemical and Petrographic Analysis
The chemical composition and petrographic features of 51 samples of fine pottery selected from the archaeological site of Syracuse have been established by means of optical microscopy and X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, with the aim of creating a reference group for the ceramics produced in this important Greek colony during the Hellenistic–Roman period. This reference group is constrained by the analysis of six kiln wasters and of raw materials…
Characterization and Thermoluminescence Dating of Prehistoric Pottery Sherds From Milena
This paper reports the results obtained applying absolute dating methodologies and mineralogical, petrographical and micropalaeontological characterization techniques to prehistoric pottery sherds varying in age from the Sicilian Middle Neolithic to Bronze Age. All samples came from the archaeological area of Milena (Caltanissetta, Sicily); those of the Bronze Age were found on a site with a precise stratigraphic succession. The investigation has…
Neighbourly ties
Portable XRF
Origin of gemstones is a key aspect not only in gemological field but also in Cultural Heritage studies, for the correct evaluation of precious artifacts. The studies on gems require the application of non-invasive and non-destructive methods; among them, portable spectroscopic techniques has been demonstrated as powerful tools, providing a fingerprint of gems for origin and provenance determination. In this study, portable XRF spectroscopy has b…
Archaeometric Analyses on ‘Corinthian B’ Transport Amphorae Found at Gela (Sicily, Italy)
The aim of this work is to throw light on the archaic production of ‘Corinthian B’ amphorae, which are widely diffused in the Western Mediterranean basin and are also present in Greece, but whose geographical provenance is still under discussion. We analysed a group of 37 samples belonging to different ceramic classes dated to the sixth and fifth centuries bc . In particular, there were 19 sherds of trade amphorae of the so‐called archaic ‘Corint…
Two centuries of painted plasters from the Lateran suburban villa (Rome)
From βαλανεῖα to thermae
So far unexplored, the introduction and the spread of the Roman thermal buildings in the prima provincia (Sicily) are widely debated in the current archeological studies. Mainly due to the lack of systematic excavations and intensively technological studies, the assessment of thermae in the Hellenistic-Roman Sicily has been thus far interpreted as a new social and architectural experience. However, a more careful archeological investigation would…
Small angle neutron scattering study of ancient pottery from Syracuse (Sicily, Southern Italy)
Petrographic and chemical characterisation of fine ware from three Archaic and Hellenistic kilns in Gela, Sicily
Characterization and Thermoluminescence Dating of Prehistoric Pottery Sherds From Milena
This paper reports the results obtained applying absolute dating methodologies and mineralogical, petrographical and micropalaeontological characterization techniques to prehistoric pottery sherds varying in age from the Sicilian Middle Neolithic to Bronze Age. All samples came from the archaeological area of Milena (Caltanissetta, Sicily); those of the Bronze Age were found on a site with a precise stratigraphic succession. The investigation has…
Archaeometric Analyses on ‘Corinthian B’ Transport Amphorae Found at Gela (Sicily, Italy)
The aim of this work is to throw light on the archaic production of ‘Corinthian B’ amphorae, which are widely diffused in the Western Mediterranean basin and are also present in Greece, but whose geographical provenance is still under discussion. We analysed a group of 37 samples belonging to different ceramic classes dated to the sixth and fifth centuries bc . In particular, there were 19 sherds of trade amphorae of the so‐called archaic ‘Corint…
Chemical Characterization and Statistical Multivariate Analysis of Ancient Pottery From Messina, Catania, Lentini and Siracusa (Sicily)
This paper presents the chemical characterization of 79 fragments of Archaic and Hellenistic fine‐grained pottery from archaeological sites in Messina, Catania, Lentini and Siracusa (Sicily). The sherds were classified as ‘calcidian’, ‘banded’, ‘unvarnished’ and ‘black varnished’ pottery. The major and trace elements identified by X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) were statistically elaborated using the method proposed by J. Aitchinson in 1986 for the ana…
Petrographic and Chemical Characterization of Pottery Production of the Late Minoan I Kiln at Haghia Triada, Crete
Pottery from the Late Minoan I kiln at Haghia Triada in the Mesara Plain, southern Crete, was analysed by a range of techniques, comprising thin‐section petrography, scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, X‐ray fluorescence and neutron activation analysis. The project characterizes the ceramic fabrics and probable raw materials, correlates paste recipes with shape, reconstructs the firing conditions of the kiln and establishes a chemica…
A volcanic inclusions based approach for provenance studies of archaeological ceramics
Archaeometric evidences of the 4th–2nd century BC amphorae productions in north eastern Sicily
The transport amphorae of Gela
Spectroscopic analyses of Hellenistic painted plasters from 2nd century B.C., Sicily (South Italy)
Small angle neutron scattering study of ancient pottery from Syracuse (Sicily, Southern Italy)
Petrographic and chemical characterisation of fine ware from three Archaic and Hellenistic kilns in Gela, Sicily
The Hellenistic and Roman Syracuse (Sicily) Fine Pottery Production Explored by Chemical and Petrographic Analysis
The chemical composition and petrographic features of 51 samples of fine pottery selected from the archaeological site of Syracuse have been established by means of optical microscopy and X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, with the aim of creating a reference group for the ceramics produced in this important Greek colony during the Hellenistic–Roman period. This reference group is constrained by the analysis of six kiln wasters and of raw materials…
Portable XRF
Origin of gemstones is a key aspect not only in gemological field but also in Cultural Heritage studies, for the correct evaluation of precious artifacts. The studies on gems require the application of non-invasive and non-destructive methods; among them, portable spectroscopic techniques has been demonstrated as powerful tools, providing a fingerprint of gems for origin and provenance determination. In this study, portable XRF spectroscopy has b…
Neighbourly ties
Exploring the Coroplasts’ ‘ Techne ’ in Greek Architectural Terracottas from Sicily
The study intends to support the archaeological questions about the technological choices related to the manufacturing of an important class of archaic artefacts—the fictile roof revetments of the temples—in the Greek colonies of Sicily, unveiling the possible relations among raw materials, decorative and firing techniques and functionality of the architectural terracottas. By applying a multidisciplinary and a multimethodological archaeometric a…
Archeometric characterization of prehistoric grindstones from Milazzo Bronze Age settlement (Sicily, Italy)
From βαλανεῖα to thermae
So far unexplored, the introduction and the spread of the Roman thermal buildings in the prima provincia (Sicily) are widely debated in the current archeological studies. Mainly due to the lack of systematic excavations and intensively technological studies, the assessment of thermae in the Hellenistic-Roman Sicily has been thus far interpreted as a new social and architectural experience. However, a more careful archeological investigation would…
Artificial neural network for the provenance study of archaeological ceramics using clay sediment database
Two centuries of painted plasters from the Lateran suburban villa (Rome)
Ceramic technology and paintings of archaic architectural slabs, louteria and antefixes from the Palatine Hill in Rome (Italy)
Archaic Roman painted antefixes, architectural slabs and louteria from the Palatine Hill in Rome, Italy, were studied by non‐destructive and micro‐destructive methods: Portable X‐ray fluorescence (XRF), micro‐Raman spectroscopy, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy‐dispersive spectroscopy (SEM‐EDS) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD). The investigation enabled the characterization of raw materials and ceramic technology, providing…
Initial investigations of rubricated inscriptions from Roman Sicily
Although the polychromy of ancient statuary has become a regular topic in archaeological discussions, in part thanks to archaeometrical analyses, little attention has been given to such aspects in the field of epigraphy. The aim of this paper is to identify analytically the red pigments employed in inscriptions from southeastern Sicily in the Roman period (1st-6th c. CE), and to investigate the relationship between actual material practice and an…
X-ray Synchrotron Radiation to Look at Pigments in Antiquities
The recent upgrading of synchrotron radiation (SR) sources has favored, in the last few years, the construction and design of beamlines optimized for the study of cultural heritage materials, which may require ad hoc setups, specific spatial resolutions, and detection limits. In the field of cultural heritage, integrated approaches combining different techniques are often required, even at large facilities, where some beamlines offer the possibil…
New insights on the Western production of Ionian cups type B2
Ionian cups are a ceramic class widely spread in the Mediterranean basin from the second half of the VII century BCE and even more throughout the VI century and a little beyond. Initially imported from Eastern Greece, they were successively produced also in the West, in the colonies and in the indigenous hinterland. This research is a recent development of a study started about a decade ago aimed at identifying the production area of Ionian cups …
Interdisciplinary Approaches to the Knowledge of Ancient Monuments
The Monastery of San Nicolò l’Arena in Catania, a UNESCO World Heritage site, embodies a complex architectural and historical stratigraphy, reflecting successive construction phases, functional changes, and the impact of catastrophic events, including the 1669 lava flow and the 1693 earthquake. As part of the CHANGES project, this study combines historical–archaeological research with non-invasive in situ scientific analyses to investigate the ma…
Chemical Investigation of Sicilian Red-Figure Pottery
The identification and location of Sicilian red-figure pottery workshops remain an unresolved issue in archaeological research. Recent studies propose various hypotheses based on the typological and stylistic analyses of the vases and on the distribution of the finds. This paper examines a corpus of red-figure vases from Gela (Sicily), dating from the late 5th to mid-4th centuries BC, attributed to prominent painters from Sicily and Magna Graecia…
First insight into gemstones on historical ecclesiastical artefacts in Sicily (17th‐19th centuries)
A wide production of ecclesiastical artefacts is traceable in Sicily between the 17th and 19th centuries, admirable in many diocesan museums. Nevertheless, these artefacts were never studied from an archaeometric point of view: Beyond their historical value, it is time to understand whether the information concerning the decorating gemstones is reliable. In situ investigations through portable instrumentations (Raman spectroscopy and portable X‐r…
Cultural Heritage Materials Analysis (22 works) · Archaeology (21 works) · Building materials and conservation (16 works) · Geography (16 works) · Geology (16 works) · Archaeological science (11 works) · Mineralogy (11 works) · Petrography (11 works) · Pottery (10 works) · Provenance (9 works)