This workshop will bring together Swedish and international scholars in Heritage Science to share their experiences and findings through lectures and hands-on sessions.
This workshop will bring together Swedish and international scholars in Heritage Science to share their experiences and findings through lectures and hands-on sessions. Participants will explore and discuss novel methods for material characterisation, innovations in sampling, and non-invasive analytical techniques. The program will also highlight recent advancements and case studies involving chemical analysis in Heritage Science.
The workshop is suitable for master’s students, PhD students, researchers, and professionals working in the field of heritage science.
The workshop and all presentations will be conducted in English.
In recent decades, the application of science and technology to address questions posed by archaeologists, conservators, and art historians has advanced significantly, giving rise to a new field within cultural heritage studies known as Heritage Science. This interdisciplinary field has also gained momentum in Sweden, with a growing number of research projects and publications. Developed over the past twenty years, Heritage Science has served as a bridge between conservation, art history, and scientific research, aiming to deepen our understanding of cultural and historical heritage through scientific methods and tools.
Although it is a relatively new discipline, Heritage Science remains in its early stages in Sweden. A limited number of institutions and experts have recently come together to form a network called Heritage Science Sweden, which conducts regular meetings. This network focuses on the scientific analysis of archaeological materials and artworks to address questions rooted in the humanities while exploring opportunities for sharing research infrastructure. The growing interest among scholars from various disciplines reflects a broader commitment to analyzing ancient and historical objects to gain a better understanding of material culture, technology, trade, and production practices in past societies.
This network program aims to establish a unique two-year research initiative for Heritage Science in Sweden by fostering collaboration with both national and international scholars and scientists. Many of these partners work in research environments with long-standing traditions in cultural heritage studies and have recently been actively exploring new possibilities in Heritage Science and Archaeological Science.
12:00-13:00
Welcome Session
13:00-14:00
Lecture by the keynote speaker
Rocco Mazzeo, University of Bologna
14:00-14:30
Heritage Science in Sweden
Sara Norrehed, Swedish National Heritage Board
14:30-15:00
Coffee Break
15:00-15:30
Portable, Non-Invasive Methods for Preliminary Assessment of Archeological Burnt Bones
Zohreh Chahardoli, University of Bologna
15:30-16:00
The power of combining elemental, microscopic and molecular techniques in the characterizations of heritage materials: Some cases from Rogaland in Norway and beyond
Kidane F. Gebremariam, Museum of Archaeology, University of Stavanger (UiS)
16:00-16:30
Coffee Break
16:30-17:30
Roundtable
9:00-12:00
Practical Workshops (to be announced)
12:00-13:00
Lunch Break
13:00-14:00
Heritage Science, Archaeological Science, and Archaeometry, and their Connection to the Natural Sciences: Where are we today?
Omid Oudbashi, University of Gothenburg
14:00-14:30
MiCorr - a non-invasive approach to documentation and diagnosis of corroded metal artifacts
Ida Langemark, Copenhagen
14:30-15:00
Coffee Break
15:00-15:30
The Multidisciplinary Conservation Project of the Mural Paintings of the Cathedral of Amfissa City, Greece
Georgios Tavlaridis, Greece
15:30-16:00
From Workshop to Wall: Techniques and Materials of Ctesiphon Stucco in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Collection
Atefeh Shekofteh, University of Gothenburg
16:00-16:30
Evaluating Chemical Reduction as a Cleaning Method for Silver Tarnish on Daguerreotype Photographs
Sebastian Karlsson, University of Gothenburg
16:30-17:00
Closing Remarks
Participation is 400 SEK for the attendees outside the Department of Conservation (the event is free for speakers, employees, and students of the department). Payment instructions will be added in January.
The registration deadline is Friday, 9 January 2026.
Register to the seminar by emailing your contact information to the registration to the event administrator.