It's All a Matter of Time: Exploring the Past, Present and Future of Artworks through Dating, Authentication, Material Characterization, Monitoring and Restoration

This Reprint gathers papers from the 2024 National Conference of the Italian Archaeometric Society, but the ultimate goal is to open up, through original research articles and review papers, to the worldwide community and provide insights into the new frontiers of dating in the widest possible sense. Absolute dating techniques such as radiocarbon, thermoluminescence and dendrochronology-among the first scientific applications in the field of historical, artistic, and cultural heritage-but also analytical techniques for the study of cultural heritage that provide information related to the passing of time, such as degradation processes and the evolution of the materials used, are presented.

The concept of dating has taken on new meanings that go beyond the temporal location of the cultural asset, including aspects of technological evolution, the genesis of the creative process and the evolution and deterioration of the works themselves, both in terms of their material composition and the artist's intention. Artworks can be seen as witnesses of their own time that tell their own story of identity and culture as they allow us to connect with the past, reflect on the present and build a perspective for the future. Only careful time management can help to preserve and conserve works through monitoring and restoration measures.