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Iconographic themes alluding to salvific parousia created in the mosaic floors depicting divinities and heroes of the Villa del Casale in Piazza Armerina, dating back to the 4th century AD, and attributable to the new forms of philosophies and mystery religions known and professed within the Roman elite classes for whom the large monumental villas were intended during the Late Empire.

This study contributes to clarify certain aspects of Antonello Gagini's marble Tribune for the Cathedral of Palermo through the analysis of the 1701 engraving by Diego De Loya and the comparison between this and other iconographic, textual and material sources. Furthermore, through the analysis of decorations and frames of the pilasters of the dismembered Tribune, placed in the Chapel of Santa Rosalia since 1801 ca., it is revealed that the pilasters we see today are the result of a 19th-century assemblage and that through the study of the cuts in the marble, it is possible to trace their original appearance and hypothesize their placement in the monument.

The study takes its cue from new and relevant iconographic and iconological acquisitions of the famous Triumph of Death in Palermo which link the fresco to the story of blessed Matteo d'Agrigento, the friar companion of San Bernardino da Siena and protagonist of the Franciscan Observance reform in Sicily, leading to Salvatore Tramontana's hypothesis of an involvement in the creation of the fresco of the young Antonello da Messina.

The article “narrates” the probable discovery of a plant endemic to the island of Crete, Origanum dictamnus, in the Hellenistic-Roman district of Agrigento: an atypical place, which however becomes useful to advance a research with aesthetic characteristics, and to remember some information on the botanical knowledge of the Minoans and their presence in Sicily. Through this plant, whose identification is not certain, and despite the fact that it is impossible to reconstruct its itinerary, customs, agricultural knowledge, mythical, archaeological and geographical events of the ancient Cretans will be exposed, finally focusing on the curiosities of Origanum dictamnus and its medical properties.

This paper aims to collect and analyse the main historical and naturalistic “notices” about the coastline of Syracuse, contained in technical reports of the military engineers, who worked on the coastal defence system against corsair incursions (16th century), and in the erudite tradition. When possible, the information will be integrated with cartographic data or artistic representations. The evaluation of the acquired elements will offer an original reconstruction of the coastal landscape and relationship between human activities and territory from ancient to modern times.

An ancient testimony to the fame of the Bergamasks as iron craftsmen comes to us from Ludovico Ariosto’s Satira I: «in sin che i Bergamaschi / se levino a far chiodi». The fame, in fact, also concerns neighbouring Brescia and, for both territories, should refer not only to simple forms of craftsmanship, such as nail making, but also to more elaborate works, for which the adjective “artistic” can be used without problem. My proposal consists of a focus on the production of wrought iron objects in the Brescia and Bergamo area between the Renaissance and the eighteenth century: keys, locks, knockers, scissors, tinder knives, irons, fireplace tools, gratings, gates, signs, decorative accessories; I would tend not to dwell, however, on armour and weapons, as they constitute a separate sector, already much studied. I will focus on the nature of the artefacts, their decorative dimension and the techniques used. I will try to consider their peculiarities compared to examples made in the same period in other areas and the changes they underwent over the centuries. It will also be interesting to assess their relationship with local painting and sculpture and to reflect on the iconographic links they maintain with the territory (e.g. the Bergamasque knockers reproducing the traditional local viper). I will also deal with the depiction of metal objects in Brescian and Bergamasque paintings, from the case of the scissors depicted in Giovan Battista Moroni’s Tailor to that of the fireplace irons painted by Giacomo Ceruti.

This article aims to reconstruct, in the form of an interview, the history of the Forlenza company, a jewelry studio active in Rome since the 1960s, engaged in unexpected collaborations that go beyond the typical industry commissions. In 2005, the company expanded beyond its traditional production activities by closely collaborating with the Rome School of Aerospace Engineering, and in 2016, with the prestigious Vatican Medagliere. I have had the pleasure of getting to know Gianfranco Forlenza, born in 1942 and the founder of Forlenza Jewelry, located at 79 Via Tagliamento, in his studio-laboratory. During our conversations, which took place from November 2021 to May 2022, he recounts his long and illustrious career filled with public recognition, displaying an impressive memory for dates and figures. Today, the family tradition is carried on by Gianfranco’s two sons, Michele and Alessandro, who bring new energy to Forlenza’s production with a contemporary twist. While maintaining the distinctly artisanal character, they highlight in their jewelry the synthesis of historical craftsmanship and modern design. The company, over time, has become a well-known Roman entity recognized for its goldsmithing expertise and has been chosen for two significant commissions. In 2005, upon the request of the Rome School of Aerospace Engineering, engaged in the UniSat program focused on the design and launch of microsatellites, Forlenza produced six golden spheres for the UNISAT-4 triple spacecraft. In 2016, the Vatican Medagliere entrusted Forlenza with the restoration of 64 settings from the collection of 595 works created by the famous Italian engraver Luigi Pichler between 1819 and 1820. Originally, Emperor Francis I of Austria had commissioned the pieces to be presented as a gift to Pope Pius VII. In these restorations, and truly in all of family’s work, we see how the knowledge of traditional goldsmithing techniques and craftsmanship can effectively bridge the gap between seemingly distant worlds, enabling Forlenza to tackle unimaginable challenges.

It was 1963 when a serious infection forced Ettore Sottsass to a delicate, long stay in a hospital bed. In a period of time poised between "the darkness of death" and the inevitability of hope in life, Sottsass dreams, confides, plans, reflects on the history and potential of the humblest of materials: ceramic. The scattered sheets of a written dream retrace the thousand-year journey of a collective manual making which often resurfaces in contemporary creative aspiration.

This study examines a series of nine unpublished paintings, dating between the 16th and 18th centuries, whose iconography derives from a lost prototype by Rogier van der Weyden, documented only through a drawing released from his workshop. This is the Madone embrassée par l'Enfant whose replicas have been cataloged several times with more and more additions, until recently reaching over 200, also distinguished by the different iconological meanings they have assumed over time, while maintaining the same composition. The new replicas demonstrate even more the diffusion of the model, both half-figure and full-figure.

In Loredana Longo’s works, one often sees an aesthetic contrast between the material used and the way it is treated: explosions, blows, impacts, are the actions reserved for the plastic definition of the final object that appears discomposed, but visually mindful of the energy released. In her works, precious or traditional materials – silk, gold, velvet, clay – are treated in an unconventional way. In the Carpet series (2012-2020), the artist uses an electric soldering iron to engrave iconic phrases on Persian carpets; a similar thing happens in Victory/tapestry (2016-2021), where scenarios of conflict and tragedy appear in negative on velvet, through burns. Raw materials, belonging to the construction sector, are the raw material for some important works such as Floor (2011-2013), in which the artist exploits the aggregating capacity of concrete to create walkable installations, through a mixture of impoverished concrete and common objects (clothes or low-cost porcelain). Particular attention is also paid to ceramics, which takes shape after a long, often performative process. In Gold Heel (2018), the artist interacts with a punching bag that he hits forcefully when the clay is still raw: the sculpture is then fired, leaving visible the artist's imprints. In the Creative Execution series (2019), painted clay vases are arranged in a row and then detonated with gunpowder and electric igniters; the resulting decomposed shape is then blocked by the firing process. We therefore propose an analysis of the techniques used by Loredana Longo in some works that favor malleable raw materials, but worked with a vigor and a method outside traditional schemes. Attention is also paid to social and political references, then moving on to their definition in the framework of the languages of contemporary art.

The article Alice Rahon. Surrealist journey to discover the marvelous presents the biography and production of the artist and poet Alice Rahon (1904, Chenecey-Buillon, France-1987, Mexico City, Mexico). Describing her life, passions, meetings, formal and ideological choices, the text retraces the most significant stages of her identity as an artist. Alice Rahon, still little known today, brought important innovations to the art world, such as the sgraffito technique, an innovative practice that consisted of scratching the surface of paintings to reveal the lower layer of contrasting color. The strong suggestions received from the places she visited (Spain, India, Mexico) and the encounter with Surrealism guided her on a long journey to discover the marvelous.

This paper is dedicated to the image of the Adoration of the Magi imprinted in the center of a thin golden bractea exposed at the Archaeological Museum of Locri, in Calabria. Dating back to the early Byzantine period, the lamella is not an isolated case, rather, it fits into a wider context of bracteates made with the same technique and bearing different sacred representations dating back to the same time (6th – 10th-century) and found throughout the southern part of the Peninsula, especially in the Ionian Calabria. It also belongs to a wider context of precious artifacts (coins, amulets, medallions and jewelry in general) that bear the same theophanic representation and that is believed to protect against evil those who possess them by virtue of the depictions they contain. It would seem that these small objects have spread in the West thanks to the practice of pilgrimages: the story of the Magi, in fact, becomes exemplum and archetype for Christian pilgrims who, like the three Kings, they face a long journey to reach the Holy Places in Palestine. Through the iconographic analysis of the scene of the Epiphany, the document proposes to signal and motivate the interdependence between these small objects and the monumental depictions of the scene, offering an explanation to the diffusion of the image. It will also try to demonstrate the continuity between Greek-Roman pagan culture and Christian art of the early centuries through the deepening of two important aspects: 1. the dependence on pre-existing models of the image of the enthroned Virgin and the offering Magi; 2. the apotropaic value conferred on this kind of Christian objects related to magical-religious practices banned by the Church.

The essay analyzes in depth, according to a historical-aesthetic view, one of the earliest Italian texts concerning pre-cinema. Francesco Avelloni’s play La lanterna magica (1788), is presented as a historical account of how the magic lantern worked and what the intended audience was.

Rediscovered in the 1960s, the figure of Francesco La Marra (1728-1787), a master originally from Martina Franca who arrived in Naples in 1748, just one year after Francesco Solimena’s death, continues to reveal new surprises. La Marra's reputation has primarily endured thanks to a series of etchings based on designs attributed to Mattia Preti, Luca Giordano, and Francesco Solimena—the Raccolta dei Cinquanta Disegni Originali, published posthumously in Naples in 1792 by the Terres brothers—and his fame as a marginal figure in the Neapolitan artistic scene. However, La Marra was not merely the creator of numerous figurative sketches, often distinguishable by their defined neoclassical style, nor did he confine himself to producing pastiches of others' compositions. Like one of his principal influences, Luca Giordano, La Marra distinguished himself by his ability to surprise and deceive with drawings executed à la manière de Solimena, Giordano, and Francesco De Mura. His graphic corpus, along with his rarer and exquisitely refined oil sketches on paper, long believed to be 18th-century French works, continues to unveil new discoveries. On this occasion, new attributions are presented in the collections of the Louvre, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Prado, the Albertina, and the State Museum of Copenhagen.

This contribution intends to illustrate an unprecedented aspect of the personality of the sculptor Pietro Tenerani and the architect Luigi Poletti, highlighting how their friendship, which blossomed in Rome around 1826, was a bond so strong as to have repercussions both on a human level and on on the artistic choices of both, in a continuous exchange of ideas and projects that also influenced other colleagues of the time. Tenerani chose Poletti to restore both the house where he went to live, in via delle Quattro Fontane 173-175, and the ateliers that he had gradually purchased on the same street, thanking him with a chalk representing the portrait of his friend. Poletti, for his part, not only involved the sculptor in the restoration site of the basilica of San Paolo f.m., where the two collaborated together in the chapel of San Benedetto, but named him first in the list of his closest friends in his will, giving him a painting from his prestigious collection.The two artists were also united by a particular attention towards the education of young people: Tenerani through the desire to open his own plaster cast gallery to the public, Poletti through teaching and the establishment of a scholarship. The concrete result of the friendship between Poletti and Tenerani was Carlo, the sculptor's son, who had studied with Poletti and became an architect and engineer. As such, he built a new palace on the land purchased by his parent in what would be called Via Nazionale, managing to set up the plaster cast gallery his father had dreamed of.

The emperor Hadrian (117 – 138 AD) is known for his contribution to Roman architecture characterized by an equilibrium between respect for tradition and innovation. This article will analyze the main architectural works, such as the Pantheon, the temple of Venus and Rome, Hadrian’s Villa (Tivoli) and the Mausoleum, promoted throughout his reign, highlighting how these landmarks not only reflect the architectural taste of the time but also Hadrian’s adherence to Pythagorean philosophy. Through the study of ancient literary sources, archeological data and the most recent historigraphical readings , it will reflect on how Hadrian used architecture to express his role as refounder of Rome, a Kosmocrator (ruler and builder of the world) and a Pythagorean scholar in the pursuit of harmony with the cosmos. The results highlight an exact correspondence between Pythagorean school precepts and the political and architectural expressions of this emperor. This study will, not only, contribute to a better understanding of Hadrianic architecture as the expression of imperial power, but also as necessary vehicle of philosophical communication and a new political ideology.

Portraits of the XV and XVI centuries sometimes feature unusual accessories - zibellini. They repeat the shape of wild animals from the Mustelidae: ermines, martens, sables. Such jewelry was made of animal fur, sometimes complemented by muzzles, earrings and paws made of precious metals and stones. Typically ladies wore zibellini on shoulders, held them in hands or attached them to the girdles with gold chains. The fashion for zibellini spread rapidly, first occupying Italy in twenty years and then spreading over Europe. Proactive discussion is being held about the function of the zibellino. In the XIX century one believed that fur was aimed to attract fleas and lure them away from the costume and hair. We consider the version about the meaning of zibellini as a talisman during pregnancy far more convincing. In Ovid’s Metamorphoses (IX, 280-323) the marten was directly connected with the servant Galanthis who helped Heracles to be born and as punishment was turned into a beast. It was in the form of the marten that Galanthis often appeared on special birth trays deschi da parto. In the context of pregnancy zibellino was depicted by Masaccio, Apollonio di Giovanni, Leonardo da Vinci, Lorenzo Lotto, Paolo Veronese; the accessory repeatedly appears in inventories of property. We managed to discover a mention of the zibellino in the Venetian wedding ceremony and prove that the connection with pregnancy was attached to the accessory from the very moment of its acquisition - on the occasion of the girl’s wedding, and was subsequently expressed in direct connection with the wedding belt. Our study also provides a rare example of a golden zibellino head from Musée Cluny, which has not previously been considered as part of an accessory. The zibellino was a luxurious piece of jewelry with the help of thus a lady could demonstrate her wealth and status. At the same time, it served as an amulet during the period of greatest fragility and defenselessness of the Renaissance woman.

In 1915 Giacomo Balla and Fortunato Depero, signing the Futurist manifesto Ricostruzione futurista dell’universo, extended the field of action of the Futurists to every aspect of everyday life. This first publication was followed by a series of programmatic texts that proposed, at least in theory, the ‘reconstruction’ of every sphere of contemporary living. Thus the Case d’Arte were founded, veritable atelier-workshops where artists tried their hand at the most original creations - often working together - in the most diverse fields: from fashion to furniture, but also publishing, advertising and design tout court. Heirs to the Wagner’s ideal of Gesamtkunstwerk, the Futurists broke down the fences separating the ‘major’ and ‘minor’ arts. But if between Central and Northern Italy there were many Case d’Arte, in Southern Italy the reality was quite different: the only two Case d’Arte founded in Palermo were those of Pippo Rizzo and Vittorio and Gigia Corona (Cf. Crispolti, 1980; Ruta, 1985; Gueci, Troisi, 2018). Laying the foundations of the research on the previous studies carried out in this field, the project’s first objective is a concrete historical valorisation of Palermo’s second futurism, a field of research that has experienced moments of intense activity but which - despite this - still remains a topic explored only at the margins. Through an overview of that brief but intense period of creative fervour, the aim will be to restore the analogies of the work of Sicilian masters compared to the great names of futurism such as Depero, Balla and Prampolini, but above all to highlight their identifying characteristics of ‘Mediterranean-ness’ (Cf. Di Stefano, 1975, 1985; Ruta, 2012). Recognition through writings, exhibitions and works will make it possible to analyse its founding aspects and highlight the intrinsic limits of a provincial cultural reality .

This article studies the composition of the altar and retablo of Saint Anthony of Padua in the church of San Francisco in Priego de Córdoba (Spain), and its primitive foundation, as well as the existing sculpture of this saint in the church of San Pedro in this same town, venturing the hypothesis that its author was Alonso Cano, as it shows similar features to the one in the Museum of Fine Arts in Granada.

Field research with non-invasive methods completes the database of archaeological sites in the Prut-Dniester interfluve. is also the case of a new discovery made in the Răut river basin, near the locality of Cașunca (Florești district), where as a result of magnetometric prospecting of a series of tumuli a flat necropolis from the Sarmatian period was discovered. The necropolis contains 23 square ritual structures and 63 circular and oval grave pits. It is worth mentioning that such works have never been done before in the Răut river basin and the new discovery completes the database with information on the presence of Sarmatian communities in the North Pontic region.

Even though ovens are the most prominent feature in the Vinča culture houses, they have often been neglected in the archaeological publications. Usually, only the information about their location or number of floors is provided, but more detailed descriptions are missing. This is also influenced by their poor preservation in the archaeological record, as parts of their upper structure are often missing. But, although fully preserved ovens represent quite a rarity, contexts surrounding them are usually filled with different categories of artefacts and architectural features. These complex contexts that include ovens, offer plethora of information about different socio-economic phenomena in the Late Neolithic of the Central Balkans. Therefore, ovens should be perceived as more than just fire installations for food processing and house heating, as they can offer insight into household organization and symbolic aspects of the Neolithic life. Additionally, ovens located in the outdoor spaces can provide information about settlement organization and social dynamics on a larger scale. In this paper, different contexts around ovens are presented and interpreted – from functional, economic, social, and symbolic perspective.

The Dacian fortress at Cucuiș- Dealul Golu (Hunedoara County) is a lesser-known fortified hilltop situated not far from the capital of the Dacian Kingdom. Discovered in the 1970s, it underwent several systematic research campaigns in the 1990s; however, the published information remains scarce. There is no record of a published plan, and the research reports do not include any visual documentation. The entirety of Hunedoara County is now covered by ANCPI’s recently released digital terrain model, which was generated from LiDAR data. This offers a remarkable potential for conducting archaeological landscape research, particularly with regard to the Dacian era. By utilizing the most recent data, this article presents a fresh viewpoint on the layout of the Dacian fortress at Cucuiș, specifically highlighting the terraces, fortifications, and pathways.

The present paper deals with a whole series of ceramics from a private collection belonging first to Vasile Cosma and then sold in 1976 and in 2009 to the National Museum of History and Archaeology of Bucharest (MNIR). These objects, essentially amphora, come from late sixties-early seventies underwater discoveries, in the Mangalia harbor, 2 May village and Constanța harbor areas.

The article discusses various aspects of the Kostrzewski G type fibulae found in the Carpathian-Dnepr foreststeppe. So far, three such brooches have been discovered in this area. Regrettably, in the Southeast European speciality literature, these pieces have not aroused interest despite their value; they are only mentioned in passing. The return to the interpretation of these fibulae, by examining them and documenting the existing analogies, has made it possible to establish their chronological framework and origin. The study of these staples may provide evidence of links between Central Europe and the Carpathian-Dnepr foreststeppe at the end of the first millennium BC.

This article delves into the structure of Iupiter Dolichenus temples, focusing on its sanctuaries in the Danubian Provinces of Dacia, Pannonia Inferior, Pannonia Superior, Raetia, and Noricum. It emphasizes the need for a nuanced understanding of the cult’s role in the religious landscape, cautioning against oversimplified theoretical approaches. Eight Dolichenus cult structures had archaeologically been identified in these provinces (Mehadia, Porolissum, Brigetio, Vetus Salina, Carnuntum I, Carnuntum II, Virunum, Vetoniana), showcasing the cult’s manifestation on a broader scale. The study focuses on analyzing these temples’ architectural features and functionalities, highlighting both differences and similarities. The article aims to provide a detailed examination of each sanctuary, considering phases of construction, alterations, and factors contributing to variations, through the analysis of archaeological finds and architectural characteristics related to the sanctuaries, it seeks to establish patterns and understand the role of specific chambers within these sacred precincts.

The role of women in Roman religious communication is a growing research field, with several significant focus points and case studies. Understanding the role of women in religious communication within provincial contexts is one of the most fertile areas of research, yet it has not been thoroughly examined within the Danubian provinces. This study marks the first instance in historiography of Dacia where the focus is placed on exploring the role of women in Roman religious communication within the province, employing the comprehensive analysis of all available epigraphic evidence (112 inscriptions). The study provides methodological insights and underscores key research points for future systematic work that needs to be undertaken in the Danubian provinces.

Our study proposes to discuss several aspects related to the gladiators attested in the Greek cities of the Pontus Euxinus (Chersones, Histria, Tomis, Callatis, Dionysopolis, Odessos, Byzantion, Sinope, Amisos), such as the names, social status and mentality of these amphitheatre fighters. Our analysis also focuses on the equipment and weapons of the gladiators, their fighting techniques and the various aspects of the organisation of gladiatorial combat. Our research is based on the study of epigraphic and archaeological documents (bas-reliefs). Inscriptions and reliefs attest several types of gladiators, such as retiarius, secutor, scissor, provocator and bestiarius. The names of the gladiators reflect their winning qualities and their physical or moral qualities. Most gladiators were slaves or free men. Documents from Tomis from the 2nd-3rd centuries AD confirm that gladiatorial fights and beast hunts in the amphitheatre are closely linked to the imperial cult. At Tomis, Odessos, Sinope and Amisos, the organisers of these spectacles were at the same time pontarchs and high priests of the imperial cult. Gladiator fights took place in amphitheatres (at Tomis) and other specially designed venues such as theatres (at Odessos). Nemesis and Ares are the patron deities of gladiators.

Along with several other pre-Roman centers of power along the Lower Danube’s final section, such as Troesmis, Noviodunum, or Aegyssus, Axiopolis (Hinog Hill, Cernavoda, Constanța county) was one of the longest and most intensively occupied archaeological sites on the territory of Dobrudja in ancient times. It was initially a Hellenistic emporium, then an attested strategia of the client Odrysian kings, and later an important military and naval, commercial and religious center in Roman and Middle Byzantine times. During the Principate, the nautae universi Danuvii had their headquarters (collegium) there and it is very likely that a statio portorii of the publicum portorium Illyrici utriusque ripae Thraciae was in place at Axiopolis during the 2nd-3rd centuries AD. During the Dominate, the city with Christian martyrs mentioned by the martyrologies was chosen seat for the pedatura superior of the Scythian legio II Herculia and subsequently raised to the rank of bishopric in the 6th century. Its chronology begins with the hypothetical foundation by Lysimachus and continues to the mid 11th century, under Constantine IX (1042-1055), at the time when the last known coin from Cernavoda dates. The Axiopolis site is located approx. 3 km S of the dobrudjan end of the “King Carol I” bridge at Cernavodă, next to Hinog island, more precisely on a triangular plateau on the right bank of the Danube, at the entrance to a deep valley. It was archaeologically investigated by Pamfil Polonic in 1898-1899 and the results of the excavations were briefly published by Grigore Tocilescu in 1903. Given its importance in ancient times, with its remarkable position on the Danube line and at the mouth of the Carasu valley, Axiopolis remained, unjustly, little known for well over a century. The article aims to systematize the available information and outline the most important moments in the history of the site, based upon the known archaeological data. It includes a systematic description and interpretation of the sequence of the three enclosures of the edifices and artifacts found here, including the numismatic evidence, but also of the limestone quarry that provided building material for the erection of defensive system in the Roman and Middle-Byzantine times.

For more than ten years in a row, archaeologists of the Institute for Balkan Studies of SASA of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, in cooperation with the Ausonius Institute from Bordeaux, have been conducting archaeological research on the Roman and Byzantine settlement located in the area of the village of Niševac near Svrljig, in the Svrljiški Timok River valley. It was the first station on the Roman itinerary road between Naissus (Niš) and Trajan’s colony of Ratiaria on the Danube (Archar in northwestern Bulgaria). In addition to significant architectural remains and various archaeological findings, some inscriptions in Latin and Greek are also known from this area. This bilingualism of the texts indicates the very location of Timacum Maius, which was located on a vital communication line and a linguistic and administrative interprovincial barrier. Although chronologically different, the epigraphic findings I report raise broader scientific questions about the significance of this ancient settlement and its population, especially in the early military history of the Naissus region.

In this brief paper 34 earrings are presented, all of which are curated in the Archaeological Museum of İznik in south-western Marmara region of Turkey. They are significant, as very few items of jewellery from Bithynia have been published.

The repair of ancient ceramics has become a topic of growing interest to scholars of Greek and Roman ceramics. This study focuses on the ancient ceramic repairs uncovered at the city of Myra in the Lycian region. An analysis is presented regarding the repairs made to the Roman and Byzantine pithos, amphorae and green glazed bowl uncovered in the Myros Valley, the Acropolis and the Agora. The reasons for the ceramic repair in Myra are also discussed.

The article is devoted to the problem of attributing monuments of medieval nomads from the Ukrainian steppe in the period of X-XIV centuries on the example of three burials from the Novosilsky Kurgan group located in the North-Western Black Sea coast. The attribution of such burials is problematic for the archaeology of Ukraine. The number of modern studies on this topic is rather small, which is determined by the somewhat biased attitude of scientists towards the monuments of medieval nomads of the 10th-14th centuries as those left by a certain homogeneous community, as evidenced by the still used term „late nomads”. However, such a strong generalization does not reflect reality. During the Middle Ages, the steppe of Ukraine was replaced one after another by waves of multi-ethnic nomads who migrated here from Central Asia. The ethnic diversity of the Pechenegs, Torks, Cumans, and the Central Asian peoples who came with the Mongols, but also their similarities, including the significant similarity of funeral rites, made it difficult to attribute and identify features for certain ethnocultural groups and chronological periods. The purpose of this paper is to trace possible solutions to this problem. Modern technologies can also help with this – namely, 3-D modelling of artefacts from burials, which allows us to learn the detailed parameters of each object and visualize it in high resolution. For this work, three 3-D models were created – one object from each burial site, which will be characterized in the paper. The models also perform an important task of preserving cultural heritage, because unfortunately, since 2014, because of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation, nomadic monuments from the medieval steppe of Ukraine have been destroyed.

This study is based on a mixed figure on a ring stone from the Roman period (1st – 2nd. century AD) preserved in the Konya Archaeology Museum. This figure is seen as a combination of four elements: a horse protome, a Silenus mask body, rooster feet and a ram’s head. This depiction, which is encountered in different typologies in Antiquity, is called Grylloi. A Greek-Roman word, widely used on ring stones since the 1st century BC, this depiction is also known by other names such as mask-animal, multi-headed creatures and fantastic concoction. These beings, usually depicted on oval rings with easily workable jasper stones, were thought to be worn as talismans or amulets with an apotropaic function. In this way, they were probably intended to ward off evil, possibly as amulets.

The article focuses on the epigraphic legacy of the Armenian Cathedral of St. James in Jerusalem and its recently discovered inscriptions. Since the late 19th century, scholars have been gathering and publishing epigraphs from the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem, encompassing not just the Cathedral but also other sanctuaries, and the neighbourhoods within the convent. These efforts have provided a valuable resource for those interested in the history of Armenians in the Holy Land. Similar to inscriptions found in other sanctuaries across the Holy Land, those found in the St. James Cathedral were left by both congregants of the Cathedral and Armenian pilgrims who visited the Holy Land over the centuries. Local inscriptions typically include details about the individuals mentioned, such as their families, birthplaces, and occupations. These sources frequently document renovations or constructions, shedding light on known and previously unknown projects undertaken in the area. Through epigraphic research conducted in Jerusalem in 2019 and 2022, several inscriptions previously absent from earlier editions were discovered in the Cathedral. This article presents 10 of these newly found inscriptions, accompanied by images and explanatory notes.

This article focuses on six Sassanian plates that have caused contradictory opinions about those depicted on them. Considering these works and a historical context, the authors have assessed the prevailing opinions and expressed their own views and probabilities. As such, the person engraved on the four Sassanian works is probably a prince who ruled northern and northeastern regions of Iran during the 4th and early 5th centuries AD and was in contact with nomadic tribes between Iran and China.

The stove tiles from the 15th and 16th centuries discovered in some countries in Central Europe often approach, as decoration, the theme of the medieval knight. The archaeological research carried out on the territory of Romania brought to light a vast and diverse material related to this subject. The present study analyzes three stove tiles discovered in Muntenia – at Târgovişte and Curtea de Argeş, former princely courts and capitals of Wallachia, in the Middle Ages, pieces whose iconographic theme is “the knight in the tournament”. The specimens, chronologically dated between the end of the 14th century and the 16th century, stand out for the original character of the compositions.

In recent years, the concept of gamification has acquired increasing relevance, becoming a valid and recognized learning methodology. Gamification, using characteristic elements of games, such as prizes, timed challenges and competitions, makes the learning process more engaging and interactive, thus promoting the acquisition of knowledge. When integrated with technology, this method turns into a highly effective tool, also capable of improving the user experience, especially in certain contexts such as, for example, the cultural one. The adoption of gamification in cultural contexts not only attracts a larger and more diverse audience, but stimulates a more dynamic approach to culture and education.

The archaeological site of Tyndaris (currently Tindari, municipality of Patti, province of Messina, Italy) served as the backdrop for an important technological and cultural initiative organized by mediaGeo on May 30, 2024: the “Technology for All on the Road 2024”. The event brought together university professors, experts in geomatics, archaeology, and engineering, as well as industry professionals engaged in applying advanced surveying methodologies. The main objective was to create precise and detailed digital documentation of a site useful for conservation, study, and tourism enhancement. During the event, a series of stateof- the-art surveying technologies were employed to map and meticulously document the topography and monuments of the ancient Greek, and later Roman, city in Sicily— an area for which a complete survey is still lacking.

For several decades now, we have been living through rapidly accelerating technological change, at a moment in history in which digitization is remaking the relationship between knowledge and humanity. Until recently, the act of passing down our history from generation to generation was entrusted to the voluntary or involuntary production of material witnesses. But in today’s growing digital ecosystem, historical memory has turned into data, computer architectures, and algorithmic interpretations. It is important not to approach this in purely technological terms, but instead as a real epistemological revolution. This not only changes the way we do things; it is also changing the ways we perceive them, know them, interpret them, and rework them. History, culture, and knowledge are all part of an evolving information ecosystem, which today, more than ever, is based on the possibility of direct interaction, immediate accessibility, and dynamic modularity. All of this requires new skills and new methodologies, born from an encounter between humanistic knowledge and technology.

Thermography is the ideal choice for protecting historical treasures. Using this technique, we are able to identify imperfections that can damage our artifacts, such as water infiltration or mold, invisible to the naked eye. This technology is increasingly widespread as a preventive maintenance method for cultural and artistic heritage throughout the world. Thermography is not a measurement of temperature, but is based on the principles of thermodynamics: each body is characterized by its own thermal emission depending on its surface temperature, which is in turn conditioned by the thermal conductivity and specific heat of each material. In fact, each material has a different capacity to transmit or retain heat. Thermography allows us to investigate and identify internal problems that are not visible to the naked eye and is very useful in various applications for the protection of artistic and cultural heritage.

The use of Virtual Reality (VR) is becoming increasingly popular in the creation of innovative content archiving and cataloguing solutions. In the field of archaeology, the utilisation of VR for both professional and non-specialist applications remain a relatively unexplored area. To address this gap, we present a VR application designed to streamline the storage and access of critical data for archaeological studies, while facilitating the presentation of these studies to the public. The application interface facilitates direct interaction with 3D models generated through photogrammetry and modelling techniques, facilitating two distinct yet complementary objectives: firstly, a detailed examination of the data collected, which in turn improves research activities; secondly, it brings visitors closer to the world of archaeological research. We applied this system to the case study of excavations at the Temple of Juno in Agrigento, Italy.

The "Johannes" project represents an innovative intersection of archaeology and artificial intelligence, aiming to reconstruct and simulate the consciousness of a medieval individual based on extensive archaeological data. By utilizing AI, specifically a ChatGPT model, the project seeks to bridge the gap between material culture and digital self-awareness. The AI is populated with data from the archaeological site of Miranduolo, integrating information about the village's historical context, material culture, and societal structures from the 7th to the early 14th century. This project explores the challenges of limiting the AI's knowledge to what would have been known by a 12th-century individual, thereby enriching the AI's "memories" with sensory experiences and historically plausible narratives. The project raises significant questions about the potential of AI in historical reconstruction, particularly in the simulation of emotions, empathy, and self-awareness. Ultimately, "Johannes" is not merely an intelligent collection of data but an experimental artificial being capable of critical thought, subjective experiences, and emotional expression. The implications of this project extend beyond archaeology, offering new perspectives on the use of AI in understanding the past and its potential as a teaching tool and a medium for theoretical exploration.

Makros founded in 2018, is based in Ferrara, Emilia Romagna. its organization includes a technical scientific committee of biologists, mathematicians, physicists, computer technicians and scientists, architects, who direct research and development, to which about half of the profits are allocated. Makros owns six patents, which can be combined together. Clients are public, private and even religious authorities and institutions.