Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Archaeometric study of fictile tubes from three churches in Milan

  • Published:
Applied Physics A Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Fictile tubes (or vaulting tubes) are architectural elements that sustain and underline the shapes of cupolas and vaults. Several of these, sampled in three churches of Milan (S. Ambrogio, S. Lorenzo and Duomo) have been recently dated at the Archaeometry Laboratory of Milano Bicocca University.

These architectural elements, differently shaped, styled and sampled from different structures, were all produced, according to thermoluminescence (TL), in the period 970–1080 AD.

Energy dispersive X-rays fluorescence (EDXRF) measurements were performed to obtain the elemental composition of the clays and to attempt a classification of the samples. Multivariate PCA (principal components analysis) analyses and HCA (hierarchical clusters analysis) did not show any grouping of similarity. On the basis of the results, a tentative historical interpretation could be proposed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. L. Fieni, L’architettura medievale, in: La costruzione della basilica di San Lorenzo a Milano (Silvana Editore, Cinisello, Balsamo, Milano, 2004)

  2. N. Gallo, M. Martini, E. Sibilia, Building archaeology, 14C and thermoluminescence: two examples in comparison, in: 3th Symp. 14C and archeology, 6–10 April 1998, Lyon France

  3. M.J. Aitken, Thermoluminescence Dating (Academic Press, London, 1985)

    Google Scholar 

  4. D.W. Zimmermann, Archaeometry 13, 29 (1971)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. L. Bonizzoni, L’analisi chimica nello studio delle ceramiche archeologiche, PhD Thesis, Università degli Studi di Milano (2006)

  6. R.A. Jones, Greek and Cypriot Pottery (The British School Eds., Athens, 1986)

    Google Scholar 

  7. M.J. Baxter, C.E. Bluck, Data Handling and Statistical Analysis, in: Modern Analytical Methods in Art and Archaeology, ed. by E. Ciliberto, G. Spoto (Wiley Interscience, New York, 2000), p. 681

  8. H. Neff, Neutron Activation Analysis for Provenance Determination in Archaeology, Modern Analytical Methods in Art and Archaeology, ed. by E. Ciliberto, G. Spoto (Wiley & Sons, New York, 2000)

  9. R. Aruga, Talanta 47, 1053 (1998)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. S.S. Shapiro, M.B. Wilk, Biometrika 52, 591 (1965)

    MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  11. C. Capelli, La caratterizzazione minero-petrografica dei laterizi di San Lorenzo. Dati preliminar, in: L’eredità di Monneret de Villard a Milano (Ed. Insegna del Giglio, Firenze, 2004)

  12. B. Oltrocchi, Ecclesiae Mediolanensis historia ligustica, in: Romanam Gothicam Langobardicam (Galeati, Milano, 1795)

  13. E.A. Arslan, Bollettino d’Arte I-II gennaio-giugno 45 (1965)

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. CNR-INFM and Dipartimento di Scienza dei Materiali, Università di Milano Bicocca, via R. Cozzi 53, 20125, Milano, Italy

    A. Galli

  2. Istituto di Fisica Generale Applicata, Università degli Studi Milano, via Celoria 16, 20133, Milano, Italy

    L. Bonizzoni

  3. INFN e Dipartimento di Scienza dei Materiali, Università di Milano-Bicocca, via R. Cozzi 53, 20125, Milano, Italy

    M. Martini & E. Sibilia

Authors
  1. A. Galli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. L. Bonizzoni
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. M. Martini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. E. Sibilia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. Galli.

Additional information

PACS

78.66.Jg; 87.60.Kn; 78.70.En

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Galli, A., Bonizzoni, L., Martini, M. et al. Archaeometric study of fictile tubes from three churches in Milan. Appl. Phys. A 92, 117–121 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-008-4457-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-008-4457-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation