The presence of water in masonry, especially in confined spaces, is one of the most important causes of deterioration of stone building materials. If water is present, particularly rising damp, degradation processes such as loss of surface material, encrustations, micro-cracks, salt efflorescences, etc., may arise and be intensified. Treatment against these phenomena is therefore strongly recommended for the protection and conservation of ornamental materials and buildings in general, before their restoration. In the present work, a multi-analytical approach was employed to study the stone materials and determine their state of conservation in the washbasin of the sacristy of the Church of San Domenico in Cosenza. The results allowed us to reveal details not visible to the naked eye that was important to conduct its conservation intervention. As for the state of conservation, the integrated use of various techniques enabled the detection of phenomena generally correlated with the occurrence of water infiltration and migration which appear to affect a large part of the area in which the asset is located, causing noticeable damage. Results concerning the cleaning, consolidating, and protective treatments on the artifact are also presented.

A large number of ground stone tools have been unearthed in the archaic Messapian settlements of San Vito dei Normanni - Castello d Alceste (Brindisi) and Cavallino (Lecce), in southern Puglia. The questions raised by these tools concern exploitation of food resources and distribution of productive activities within the settlements. First results of phytolith analyses conducted on ten grinding tools are presented. Quantitative and morphological analysis aimed at estimating the amount of phytoliths in the sediment, but also at identifying the types of plants used in the sites. Phytoliths indicated the nature of the vegetal processed matter, including cereals plants used for human and animal nutrition. Together with those from the analysis of organic residues already conducted at the sites these results contribute to the understanding of the food processing and dietary practices of the archaic Messapic populations.

The text discusses the applications of the PICUS system in comparison to traditional auscultation techniques for analyzing detachments in historical and artistic artifacts. Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) techniques, although valuable for assessing the condition of materials and structures, face limitations in terms of feasibility, optimal operational conditions, and potential risks to delicate objects. In practical work environments, conservator-restorers often rely on traditional auscultation techniques, involving tapping the surface and observing vibrations, due to their accessibility, simplicity, and cost-effectiveness. These techniques provide immediate tactile feedback and insights into the condition and integrity of the artwork. However, they are subjective and rely on the expertise of the conservator-restorer. Overall, a combination of PICUS techniques and traditional auscultation can enhance the understanding of artifacts while considering practical constraints.

Plants in art are not only decorative elements, they have symbolic values that cannot be neglected, because are bearer of a message, which need to be understood. Moreover, they usually show the connection with the surrounding natural landscape. Indeed, the phytoiconographic elements are important tools to reconstruct the lost garden. Our works aims identifying the plant representation to provide useful information for the reconstruction of the the ancient villa’s garden. We studied decorated wall remains and ceiling structures identifying the plant species and attributing their symbolic value and garden role. Preliminary data show the presence of more than twenty plants, mainly Mediterranean. The symbolic groups present a slight prevalence of solar and salvific elements. For the garden we identified species to decorate and border the flowerbeds, but also with productive role. The analysis of these represented naturalistic elements gives support in understanding the historical landscape behind their representation.

Madeira Island (Portugal) is widely recognized for the exuberance of its landscape, largely anchored in the abundance of gardens, parks, and flowers. These are one of the biggest tourist attractions, as well as one of the great brand images of this region, which has helped to position the island on the route of a worldwide interest in visiting gardens. Garden tourism has therefore gained expression. This work aims to analyse the trajectory of the garden tourism in this destination by evaluating the supply and demand trends in the three main entrance-fee gardens. It goes beyond the strategies implemented and looks at the constraints that remain, the associated challenges and potentialities, finishing with suggestions to improve the garden experience in Madeira. It is a fact that tourism has acted as a vehicle for validating this heritage. The island has a huge range of spaces capable of positioning it as an outstanding garden destination. The demand for gardens has increased, although it is still firmly based on the three anchor-gardens. Improvements in maintenance and available information are highlighted, but Madeira s garden tourism lacks a strategic and comprehensive vision of its multiple actors and interests.