Nicola Masini | Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) (original) (raw)

Papers by Nicola Masini

International journal of applied earth observation and geoinformation, Aug 1, 2022

EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts, Apr 1, 2015

Springer eBooks, Feb 22, 2014

Springer remote sensing/photogrammetry, Jun 8, 2019

This paper provides an overview on the application of satellite synthetic aperture radar (SAR) te... more This paper provides an overview on the application of satellite synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology in archaeology. The growing developments of space SAR technologies in terms of observational capabilities (spatial, spectral, radiometric, and temporal coverage) had made the use of these technologies very attractive for archaeological investigations. Although several achievements have been made in recent years on the basis of pioneering efforts addressed to the assessment of the potentiality of the L-, C-, and X-band SAR in archaeology, the full capability of these technologies for archaeological site detection is still incompletely evaluated until now. Moreover, significant advances are expected from the most recent satellite data available at 25 cm in X-band (TerraSAR) and at 1 m in multipolarized L-band (PALSAR). These enhanced characteristics, in terms of spatial resolution and radiometric quality, take the most recent SAR technologies to a new level for archaeological applications, addressed to object detection and target recognition.

Springer eBooks, Jan 19, 2012

Journal of Cultural Heritage, Mar 1, 2019

IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Letters

Copernicus European Union Programme aiming at developing European information services based on s... more Copernicus European Union Programme aiming at developing European information services based on satellite Earth Observation and in situ (non-space) data, is coordinated and managed by the European Commission. Several Copernicus services are currently provided from the Sentinel satellites and other supporting missions. Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 can provide systematic radar and optical data worldwide with a high temporal resolution. This paper focuses on the potential use of these sensors for Cultural Heritage applications, providing in this way valuable information to stakeholders and other end-users as well as the archaeological community. Examples include the exploitation of the satellite products for the detection of damaged archaeological sites in the cities of Palmyra and Nimrud. CH sites in Syria and Iraq, as well as to examine potential soil marks in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of' Nea Paphos" in Cyprus. Looting marks have been based on supporting WorldView-2 produ...

Journal of Physics: Conference Series

Humidity is one of the most frequent causes of damage to the architectural heritage. An effective... more Humidity is one of the most frequent causes of damage to the architectural heritage. An effective and non-invasive way to detect the presence of humidity and identify the possible causes, from capillary rise to infiltration and condensation, is infrared thermography. The paper shows and describes the results from terrestrial and UAV-based (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) thermography for understanding the cause-effect mechanisms of infiltration humidity in some halls of the castle of Calvello (in Basilicata), some of them characterized by walls paintings. The analysis of the acquired data allowed us to understand the nature of the damage caused by humidity and water infiltration in the castle structures, and to be able to put in place a plan for risk mitigation and damage resolution.

Geoheritage, 2021

Knowledge and management of areas with various cultural and natural assets represent both a chall... more Knowledge and management of areas with various cultural and natural assets represent both a challenge and an opportunity: a challenge, since it is not so trivial to analyse and to correlate different assets in the same geographic area, and an opportunity, since it represents a chance for scientific cooperation, communication, and dissemination of activities in territorial and cultural enhancement and for approaching themes and topics that are often socially a bit known, or unknown. At the same time, this will lead to having more awareness of peculiarities present in one’s territory and consequently to operate in such a way for geoconservation. The Area of Multidisciplinary Interest (AMI) can offer copious literature on its cultural heritage, even if it is often referred to as specific and/or expert end users. A multidisciplinary approach to the cultural and environmental heritage and to its communication/dissemination is required to avoid dispersal of knowledge. The Mount Vulture area, in southern Italy, has been chosen as an example of testing the possibility to work out, on the trail of previous similar studies, multicultural subjects to enhance the cultural heritage of territory, for use by both geo and non-geo end users. The Vulture is a strato-volcano whose activity was developed in Middle Pleistocene times, and thus, its genesis and evolution are therefore linked to the recent deformation activity affecting the south-Apennine chain. Some Vulture areas have represented the ideal habitat for life, hunting, and gathering activities in prehistoric times. Many sites of interest have provided palaeontological and archaeological materials allowing a deeper knowledge of the environmental context of the human presence during Palaeolithic and Mesolithic times. Topics as human, environment, and landscape evolutions are here proposed and designed for students with a different educational degree.

Il territorio comunale di Calvello e ubicato nel cuore dell’Appennino Lucano, nella porzione nord... more Il territorio comunale di Calvello e ubicato nel cuore dell’Appennino Lucano, nella porzione nord-occidentale della Basilicata. Il centro demico, distante circa 40 Km a S da Potenza, sorge in buona parte su di un colle ad un’altitudine massima di m 795 s.l.m., di fronte al versante settentrionale del monte Volturino. Alle pendici del colle scorre la fiumara ‘La Terra’, affluente del Camastra, che divide l’abitato da un borgo, Sant’Antuono, sorto fuori delle mura in eta tardo medioevale. L’intero territorio e caratterizzato da un ricco patrimonio culturale, archeologico, paesaggistico e monumentale, in gran parte ancora poco noto e che necessita degli indispensabili interventi di studio, conservazione e valorizzazione. In quest’ottica ha preso avvio nel 2013 un progetto di ricerca promosso dall’Amministrazione comunale e affidato alla Scuola di Specializzazione in Beni Archeologici dell’Universita degli Studi della Basilicata e all’Istituto per i Beni Archeologici e Monumentali del C...

International journal of applied earth observation and geoinformation, Aug 1, 2022

EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts, Apr 1, 2015

Springer eBooks, Feb 22, 2014

Springer remote sensing/photogrammetry, Jun 8, 2019

Springer eBooks, Jan 19, 2012

Journal of Cultural Heritage, Mar 1, 2019

IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Letters

Journal of Physics: Conference Series

Geoheritage, 2021

un progetto di ricerca tra archeologia e geofisica.

… Remote Sensing for Archaeology …

The book collects the contributions presented by 240 scientists coming from 25 countries, during ... more The book collects the contributions presented by 240 scientists coming from 25 countries, during the 1st International EARSeL Workshop on “Advances on Remote Sensing for Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Management”, held in Rome on September 30 – October 4, 2008. The ...

Masini N.., Orefici G. et al. Cahuachi and Pampa de Atarco: Towards Greater Comprehension of Nasca Geoglyphs , 2016

Nasca Geoglyphs: Technical Aspects and Overview of Studies and Interpretations., 2016

In: The Encyclopedia of Archaeological Sciences. John Wiley & Sons, 2018

Sampling in Airborne Field

] Il Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche è impegnato da anni in attività di ricerca fina-lizzate a... more ] Il Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche è impegnato da anni in attività di ricerca fina-lizzate allo scavo, alla documentazione e alla conservazione del patrimonio culturale. Sfogliando le pagine di questo libro si percorre un viaggio stimolante alla scoperta dei progetti di ricerca svolti negli ultimi anni dal CNR in quei siti di lunga tradizione di studi che si trovano in Italia e nel bacino del Mediterraneo, ma anche in quei luoghi posti in Paesi di più recente interesse e spesso di difficile accesso come il Libano, l'Algeria e il Perù, dove l'opera dei ricercatori acquista un valore ancora più significativo concorrendo non solo alla creazione di nuova conoscenza, ma anche alla crescita culturale del Paese e al coinvolgimento delle comunità locali nella valorizzazione, anche turistica, del proprio patrimonio. ISBN 978 88 8080 195 5 € 5 0 , 0 0

The Nasca Lines are one of the most impressive examples of cultural heritage throughout the entir... more The Nasca Lines are one of the most impressive examples of cultural heritage throughout the entire world. Their exposure to damage and overall vulnerability are very high, much more than any other elements of cultural heritage, due to their intrinsic fragility and also because they are strongly threatened by several anthropogenic factors such as vandalism, ignorance, and urban sprawl. Moreover they are sparsely spread over large areas with easy and general access, which make their destruction almost effortless and their protection very challenging. This chapter is focused on the capability of remote-sensing technology capability for identifying and quantifying spatially-distributed damage to the geoglyphs, primarily caused by vandalism.
Masini N., Danese M., Pecci A., Scavone M., Lasaponara R.

Illegal excavations represent one of the main risk factors which affect the archaeological herita... more Illegal excavations represent one of the main risk factors which affect the archaeological heritage in Peru, in general, and in Nasca region, in particular. Looting in Peru has an ancient “tradition”, starting from the Spanish Conquistadors (and before); but since the 1960s, it has been strongly intensifying to supply the growing national and international markets. After the famous plundering of Sipán, an agreement was reached with the United States in 1997 to restrict the import of Pre-Columbian and ethnographic material from Peru. But, unfortunately, since the signing of the bilateral agreements with the United States, the traffic has shifted and been directed more towards Northern and Central Europe. Steps were taken to prevent illegal excavations through the forced return of looted archaeological objects; but this only partially addressed the problem because, even if the objects have been returned, the archaeological context from which they were stolen cannot be recovered. To stop, or at least limit, the illicit trade, it would be necessary to improve the present national and international laws and make available the resources necessary for their enforcement and for a wider understanding and systematic monitoring of the archaeological areas by using effective techniques of surveillance, including remote sensing. This chapter deals with the results obtained by using an automatic procedure applied to multitemporal satellite images of some areas in the Río Grande de Nasca Drainage for the detection of looted areas. The rate of success in detecting changes related to the archaeological looting has been successfully tested in significant selected areas using complementary tools such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV ), a Global Positioning System (GPS ), Ground-penetrating radar (GPR ), and field surveys . Satellite technologies can provide reliable information: (i) to quantify the looting phenomenon even if it is on an “industrial scale” over large areas, and (ii) to set up a systematic monitoring tool to trace the illicit trade in antiquities. This study has implications for the protection of archaeological sites, not only in Nasca but also across the world

Some new considerations about the characterization of pigments on polychromatic Nasca pottery by ... more Some new considerations about the characterization of pigments on polychromatic Nasca pottery by the use of PIXE-alpha and XRD nondestructive and in situ techniques are presented. The investigation, in particular, is focused on the compositional study of painted surfaces on selected archaeological Nasca fragments coming from the ceremonial center of Cahuachi in Southern Peru. Quantitative data are also discussed, with the aim of identifying the raw materials. A review of the nondestructive instruments and methods developed at the Laboratori Nazionali del Sud (LNS) of the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) and at the Istituto per i Beni Archeologici e Monumentali (IBAM) of Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) is given. In particular, this article revisits the PIXE-alpha (Particle Induced X-ray Emission) system, based on the use of a 210Po radioactive-source-emitting alpha particles, the XRF (X-ray Fluorescence), and the micro XRF and XRD portable spectrometers . It also describes an analytical protocol for fully quantitative data, based on the combined use of the portable PIXE-alpha and XRD nondestructive techniques.
Pappalardo L., Masini N., Rizzo F., Romano F. P.,

The investigations conducted previously on the Nasca puquios, with particular reference to those ... more The investigations conducted previously on the Nasca puquios, with particular reference to those systematically performed by Schreiber and Lancho Rojas (1995), Schreiber and Lancho Rojas (Los puquios de Nasca: un sistema de galerías filtrantes. Editorial Los Pinos, Lima, 1998), Schreiber and Lancho Rojas (Aguas en el Desierto. Los puquios de Nasca. Fondo Editorial, Lima, Perú, 2006), have had the merit of placing the theme of Nasca water management in the center of debate on the ancient Nasca world. Water has become the crossroads of all the other research lines focused on the influence of environment and climate on the Nasca culture, as well as on the geoglyphs, ceremonial architecture, and settlements. In this cultural framework, some studies based on multitemporal, multiscale, and multisensor analyses have been performed in the Río Grande de Nasca drainage in order to investigate the interaction between the puquios and environmental conditions, as well as to improve knowledge of the local environmental settings. Herein we present and discuss the investigations, based on the integration of remote sensing, GIS -based analyses, and geophysical prospecting, in the framework of the ITACA mission of the Italian CNR. Outputs from satellite-based investigations, along with all the information already available from previous studies, were the input data used in the statistical spatial analyses and geophysical prospecting. The main findings provided information useful to: (i) improve the current knowledge on the puquios at both intra-site and inter-site levels and their relationship with environmental and human settings, (ii) identify unknown puquios, (iii) and support planning for subsequent archaeological excavations. As a whole, the investigations based on the adopted integrated approach provided new insights into this hyper-arid area which has been the homeland for numerous civilizations, despite the extreme physical environment that presents serious obstacles to human occupation.

This chapters presents and discusses the results of investigations performed by ITACA Mission of ... more This chapters presents and discusses the results of investigations performed by ITACA Mission of CNR in the Nasca drainage basin, including the ceremonial center of Cahuachi, from 2007 to 2014. The employed approach was based on the multiscale and multisensor integration of remote-sensing methods, including geophysics . Most of the applications have been intended for preventive archaeology, in particular, for providing information on the presence of buried sites and structures by identifying different surface characteristics such as arid bare ground in the Pampas and vegetated areas in the river oases. The operational use of earth-observation technologies has been the occasion to develop ad hoc approaches to data acquisition, processing, and interpretation for the detection of earthen buried structures that is a crucial and challenging issue due to the subtle physical contrast between earthen remains and the surrounding subsoil. This made necessary amassing experience in, and the testing of, various techniques to investigate the subsoil by geophysical and remote methods, working side by side with archaeologists, involved in the interpretation of the results. The obtained results have been the discovery of previously unknown sites in the Nasca drainage basin, the identification of buried ritual offering, the characterization of the stepped structure of Templo Sur, and the mapping of areas of archaeological interest.
Masini N., Rizzo E., Capozzoli L., Leucci G., Pecci A., Romano G., Sileo M., Lasaponara R.

In this chapter, we provide an overview on the state of the art of the investigations conducted u... more In this chapter, we provide an overview on the state of the art of the investigations conducted up to now on the ancient Nasca filtration galleries, locally known as puquios. They are located in the three valleys of the Nasca, Taruga, and Las Trancas rivers. The technological characteristics of puquios, along with the main archaeological issues still open today such as, for example, the dating and potential relationships between puquios and the Nasca Lines, are briefly summarized. Finally, outputs from satellite-based investigations along with a brief overview on the location of the existing puquios, their current conditions, and management issues are provided.

In the Nasca world, the geoglyphs represented a concept of sacredness, complementary, and alterna... more In the Nasca world, the geoglyphs represented a concept of sacredness, complementary, and alternative to, the ceremonial centers. In order to provide more data on the complementary nature of the sacred spaces of the geoglyphs and the temples , some investigations have been performed in Pampa de Atarco. The results from the surveys and mapping show intensive use of the desert pavement. The patterns analysis placed into evidence at least five groups of ground drawings, each of them characterized by a specific motif and shape, and associated with a distinct function. The morphological analysis reveals the centrality of one group characterized by a meandering figure, with a clear and distinct ceremonial function, which stands out on a number of trapezoids and lines, superimposed one on the other. The survey conducted by remote/sensing techniques revealed the presence of aligned along the directions of winter solstice and equinox sunset. As a whole, the complex of the geoglyphs of Atarco presents the spatial and functional characteristics of the venue of collective gatherings where ceremonial events linked to agriculture calendar were celebrated.

Archaeologists and scholars have long debated the purpose of the Nasca lines. During the last two... more Archaeologists and scholars have long debated the purpose of the Nasca lines. During the last two decades, significant advances in the understanding of cultural and functional aspects of geoglyphs have been achieved. This chapter deals with the state of the art of studies, research, and field activities in various areas of the Nasca territory. In particular, the technical aspects related to the execution of the geoglyphs and dating issues are discussed. The chapter ends with reprise of the debate on the functions and significance of the Nasca lines from the Spaniard chroniclers to the most recent investigations, oscillating from calendrical/astronomical theories to approaches closer to the Andean model.

The Nasca Project, which can be considered the longest-running archaeological mission in Peru, ca... more The Nasca Project, which can be considered the longest-running archaeological mission in Peru, came into being in 1982. The project, sponsored by the Centro Italiano Studi e Ricerche Archeologiche Precolombiane (CISRAP) in Brescia, was conducted uninterruptedly in the Nasca area of the Ica region in Peru from 1982 to 2014, thanks to a bilateral agreement between the Permanent Director of the Mission, Giuseppe Orefici, and the Peruvian Ministerio de Cultura (formerly the Instituto Nacional de Cultura). It is part of the Peru–Italy Cultural Agreement, and is renewed periodically thanks to an agreement between the presidents of the two republics. The research program, still ongoing, is dedicated to archaeological excavations in various areas, as well as to the iconographic analysis of Nasca (culture) and the study of rock art . The first twenty years of research activity were devoted to the study of several archaeological sites, including San Jose, Pueblo Viejo, Cahuachi, Huayurí, Santa Clara, Atarco, Quemado, Usaka, Jumana, and Estaquería. Since 1984, the excavation of the ceremonial center of Cahuachi occupied much of the time spent on research, this being the world’s largest ceremonial center built with adobe. Since 2002, in combination with art chaeological excavation, the Nasca Project began the rehabilitation and partial restoration of the monumental structures of Cahuachi, focusing on Zone A. The excavations in large areas has also enabled us to discover most of the existing buildings in the ceremonial center and the relationship between them. Since 2008, the research has been conducted in collaboration with the Mission ITACA of CNR, directed by Nicola Masini, that, with integrated investigations based on geophysics and remote sensing, has played a decisive role in for the management of excavation planning. In some cases, archaeo-geophysical research has enabled the discovery of several structures, tombs, and ritual offerings .

The widespread presence of movable and immoveable high cultural value assets make crucial the nec... more The widespread presence of movable and immoveable high cultural value assets make crucial the necessity of their protection, especially in order to mitigate the vulnerability to extreme environmental events, such as the seismic one. The latter represents the environmental risk factor which affect more than other environmental events the cultural heritage because of the big concentration of monuments and archaeological resources in several seismogenetic areas of the Mediterranean Basin, Middle East, South and Central America. Protecting monumental heritage, historical centres and archaeological sites from the effects of devastating earthquakes has been the focus of scientific and engineering endeavour for more than 50 years. Each earthquake not only provides additional information from the seismological point of view but it also stimulates effort to develop new and more advanced operative intervention strategies for the ready protection and restoration of damaged artefacts and struct...

Remote Sensing and Digital Image Processing, 2011

Illegal excavations represent one of the main risk factors which affect the archaeological herita... more Illegal excavations represent one of the main risk factors which affect the archaeological heritage all over the world, in particular in those countries, from Southern America to Middle East, where the surveillance on site is little effective and time consuming and the aerial ...

ABSTRACT ITACA (Italian heritage Conservation and Archaeo-geophysics) is an international mission... more ABSTRACT ITACA (Italian heritage Conservation and Archaeo-geophysics) is an international mission of the Italian CNR which applies different scientific methodologies, strongly based on the use of Earth Observation, to contribute to the study of the precolombine archaeology and the cultural heritage conservation and management in Peru and Bolivia. From 2007 up to today the research activity of the ITACA, funded by the Italian Foreign Ministry Affairs, has been focused on the Nasca Ceremonial Centre of Cahuachi, the Nasca geoglyphs (both of them in Southern Peru), the Ceremonial center of Tiwanaku (Bolivia) and the archaeological sites of Arenal and Ventarron in the Lambayeque region (Northern of Peru). Most of the scientific investigations have been carried out in Cahuachi and in the drainage basin of the Rio Nasca, with the aim of supporting archaeological studies and excavations of the Centro de Estudios Arqueolo´gicos Precolombinos directed by Giuseppe Orefici. The main activity has been the archaeo-geophysics based on the integration of ground, aerial and satellite remote sensing methods, thus allowing the archaeologists to find buried walls, tombs and ceremonial offerings in Cahuachi and to discover a large buried settlement in the Nasca riverbed.

Remote Sensing and Digital Image Processing, 2011

Advances in Geosciences, 2010

Journal of Cultural Heritage, 2009

Journal of Geophysics and Engineering, 2010

The School aims at giving the opportunity to scholars, PhD students, researchers and specialists ... more The School aims at giving the opportunity to scholars, PhD students, researchers and specialists in Archaeology, Geophysics, Remote Sensing, Geoscience and Science for Conservation of Cultural Heritage to deepen their knowledge and expertise with geophysical and remote sensing techniques for archaeology and cultural heritage documentation and management.
The school consists of lectures and practical work in laboratory and on-field at the prestigious site of Pompei. The course will provide the basics about data collection, processing and interpretation for geophysical techniques (GPR, magnetic, ERT, seismic), passive and active remote sensing

Masini N., Liberatore D., Pagliuca A. 2016. il restauro strutturale come atto critico. il caso del rosone di Troia. In Atti del Convegno Colloqui.AT.e 2016, 2016

In Atti del Convegno Colloqui.AT.e 2017. " Demolition or Reconstruction" pp. 149-162., 2017

For the preservation of earthen architecture it is crucial the study of different regional buildi... more For the preservation of earthen architecture it is crucial the study of different regional building cultures, with an approach based on the analysis and cataloging of the building techniques and the degradation diseases. In Basilicata the first evidence of earthen architecture date from the 4th century. B.C., during which the use of pisè and adobe techniques are documented. In particular, it documented the use of rammed earth and adobe techniques. Research on the historical and constructive-typological aspects of buildings in adobe conducted in south and southeast of Basilicata showed an articulate constructive culture but also a fragili-ty linked to abandonment and lack of earthen built heritage. This article is fo-cused on the conservation problems with particular reference to structural instability. The study area is the low valley of Sinni river where the clay of the St Arcangelo Basin Formation is extracted by at least two centuries to build one to two storey rural and residential buildings. The survey conducted on about 40 buildings has highlighted the main causes of instability such as seismic loads, humidity, foundation subsidence, the poor quality of the material. The study was conceived to provide the basis for conservation interventions in the context of ur-ban and landscape rehabilitation projects.