2023

Heritage Conservation and Science

Name: Heritage Conservation and Science
Code: QUI12124L
6 ECTS
Duration: 15 weeks/156 hours
Scientific Area: History of the Art, Chemistry

Teaching languages: Portuguese
Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese, English
Regime de Frequência: Presencial

Sustainable Development Goals

Learning Goals

Objectives: The preservation of architectural, archaeological and artistic heritage is not only due to the
nature of the materials used but also of the interaction with the environment. This course aims to sensitize
students to the study and conservation of cultural heritage by providing them with skills in relation to
materials usage, causes of degradation and pathologies, and analytical methodologies for characterization
and diagnosis.
Skills:
-Acquire an historical perspective of the conservation-restoration profession, the specificity of this activity
and the ethical framework.
-Acquire an historical perspective of the materials usage in artistic production and identify practical
consequences of such use
-Recognize the importance of conservation sciences in the identification of materials used and the
associated pathologies, helping to find solutions to the problems encountered.
- Understanding the basics of characterization and diagnosis techniques of cultural artifacts

Contents

Introduction and background: Art versus Cultural heritage. Concepts of preservation, conservation and
restoration of cultural heritage.
Historical perspective. The science behind conservation and restoration. Deontological code of the
conservator-restorer, and the regulatory principles of the activity (minimal intervention, reversibility,
compatibility).
Color: physical, chemical and physiological properties.
Historical perspective of materials usage (pigments, dyes, stone, textiles, agglutinants, polymers, metals,
ceramics, photography).
The processes and agents of degradation of cultural heritage materials and the challenges of conservation.
The heritage and conservation sciences and the importance of the scientific examination of cultural
heritage. Brief overview of the techniques of physical and chemical analysis of cultural and artistic artifacts
- area exams, in-situ analytical techniques, microanalysis techniques. Planning of integrated conservation
projects and studies.

Teaching Methods

The teaching is based on theoretical, practical and tutorial classes. The laboratory classes are coordinated
and complementary to the theoretical, applying the subjects in concrete practical situations. The tutorial
guidelines will serve to support scientific-pedagogical monitoring of students, particularly in implementing
a complementary and integrator work.
The evaluation is based on an appreciation of the acquired concepts and the capacity to use them in
practical situations and has a theoretical and a practical component. Practical Component: This includes
continuous evaluation, classification of reports of practical classes and field trips. Theoretical Component:
Includes the performance of three tests and an essay / expository work. Final = 70% + 30% theoretical
practical component