EXPLORE THE MUSEUM

Scientific Research

Research, Documentation and Heritage Enhancement

One of the Archaeological Museum of Finale’s core missions is scientific research, carried out both by the museum’s own staff and scholars, and by external researchers from Italian and international universities, heritage authorities, and research institutions with whom the museum maintains ongoing collaborations. Scientific research and study not only ensure the continuous development and updating of the museum’s exhibitions, but also contribute significantly to expanding our understanding of the region’s evolution, the communities that inhabited it over time, their material culture, and the organization of past societies.

Archaeological Collections and the Evolution of Material Culture

A chronological journey through the study of the artifacts that have shaped different historical periods.

Prehistory and Protohistory

Research on chipped and polished stone tools from the Paleolithic to the Neolithic, including the study of pottery and tools used by the earliest farming communities.

Metal Ages

Research on pottery, metallurgy, and specialized tools from the Bronze and Iron Ages.

Classical and Byzantine Periods

Analysis of tableware and cooking pottery, the study of amphorae, and research into the material culture of the Roman and Byzantine periods.

From the Middle Ages to the Early Modern Period

Research on imported and locally produced ceramics, everyday tools, and personal ornaments.

Numismatics

Study of coins and currency from Antiquity to the modern era to reconstruct historical economic systems and trade networks.

Research Methodologies

The integration of innovative techniques and historical sources to better understand the region and the people who inhabited it.

Archaeometry and Built Heritage

Archaeometric analyses and classification of ceramic materials, together with photogrammetry for the study of construction techniques in historic buildings.

Osteological Analysis

Research in paleoanthropology, paleobiology, paleopathology, dating techniques, and genomic analysis of human skeletal remains to investigate past lifestyles, diseases, and demographic characteristics.

Study of Archaeological Materials

Technological and functional analysis of stone tools, together with the identification and study of faunal remains.

Landscape Archaeology

A multidisciplinary approach to the landscape aimed at reconstructing settlement patterns and human interaction with the environment over time.

Archival Research

Study of historical and archival sources to reconstruct the evolution of social organization, economic systems, power structures, and cultural attitudes of the past.

La Biblioteca della
Sezione Finalese IISL

La biblioteca della Sezione Finalese dell’Istituto Internazionale di Studi Liguri (IISL) costituisce un polo documentale fondamentale per la ricerca e la diffusione del sapere specialistico nel territorio ligure occidentale.

La collezione si specializza in archeologia, storia, arte e discipline umanistiche, con particolare attenzione agli studi locali e regionali. Il patrimonio bibliografico comprende monografie, periodici specializzati, atti di convegni e pubblicazioni di carattere scientifico.

La biblioteca è accreditata al Servizio Bibliotecario Nazionale (SBN) e offre servizi di consultazione, prestito e scambio interbibliotecario. L’accesso è garantito durante gli orari di apertura del museo, previo appuntamento per consultazioni specialistiche.

La Biblioteca della
Sezione Finalese IISL

Roman and Post-Classical Archaeology Laboratory

In recent years, researchers working at the Archaeological Museum of Finale have carried out a series of studies on the Finale area through the analysis of artifacts recovered from earlier excavations, more recent archaeological investigations, and field surveys. These studies focus on understanding the evolution of settlement patterns, the ways in which the landscape was occupied, and the development of material culture across different historical periods.

Ceramics, Glass, and Soapstone Artifacts

Ceramic, glass, and soapstone artifacts from different historical periods have been studied from both functional and typological perspectives, as well as through archaeometric analyses carried out in collaboration with the University of Genoa.

Finale Stone

Research into the extraction and use of Finale Stone in historic architecture, works of art, and carved artifacts from different periods is continuously evolving. The study of sculptures and objects made from Finale Stone, other types of stone, and marble has led to the creation of the Corpus of Finale Sculptures, a comprehensive catalogue featuring descriptive records and photographic documentation of the various artifacts.

Numismatic Collection

The museum’s numismatic collection—including coins discovered throughout the Finale area, items from the G. A. Silla Collection, and donations from private collectors—has been fully researched, documented, and catalogued.

Ricerca e deposito dei reperti

Se le sale espositive sono la vetrina del nostro passato, il deposito archeologico è il vero e proprio cuore pulsante del Museo, dove si conservano, studiano e catalogano migliaia di reperti che testimoniano la continuità dell’insediamento umano nel territorio finalese.

Copertura cronologica

Il deposito conserva materiali che coprono un arco cronologico dal Paleolitico al Medioevo, con particolare ricchezza per i periodi preistorico e protostorico.

Ruolo scientifico

Il deposito non è solo un luogo di conservazione, ma un vero laboratorio di ricerca dove studiosi e ricercatori possono accedere ai materiali per studi specialistici e pubblicazioni scientifiche.

Collaborazioni istituzionali

Il deposito conserva materiali che coprono un arco cronologico dal Paleolitico al Medioevo, con particolare ricchezza per i periodi preistorico e protostorico.

Tecnologie moderne

Il deposito non è solo un luogo di conservazione, ma un vero laboratorio di ricerca dove studiosi e ricercatori possono accedere ai materiali per studi specialistici e pubblicazioni scientifiche.

Archaeobotany Laboratory

Archaeobotanical research plays a fundamental role in reconstructing past relationships between humans and the environment. By studying plant remains, researchers can interpret how natural resources were used and trace the evolution of the landscape over thousands of years.

The laboratory specializes in the analysis of plant remains recovered from archaeological contexts, contributing to the understanding of subsistence strategies, agricultural practices, and the evolution of the natural environment in the Finale area.

Using advanced scientific methodologies, the laboratory provides essential data for paleoenvironmental reconstruction and for understanding ancient settlement dynamics.

Types of Analysis

Pollen and Spore Analysis

Pollen, spores, and other palynomorphs are extracted from sediments and a wide range of materials—including resins, encrustations and residues found inside ceramic vessels, mastics, stalagmites, coprolites, and other deposits—using state-of-the-art physicochemical techniques, including heavy-liquid separation methods.

Palynological samples are examined using transmitted-light optical microscopy at magnifications ranging from 400× to 1000×.

Pollen analysis provides both qualitative and quantitative evidence of changes in vegetation over time, allowing researchers to reconstruct environmental transformations and identify the effects of human activities such as agriculture, livestock farming, deforestation, and fire.

Wood and Charcoal Analysis

Wood and charcoal remains recovered from archaeological contexts are identified through anatomical analysis under reflected-light microscopy. These studies make it possible to determine the tree and shrub species used in the past for construction, fuel, craft production, and other activities.

The results provide valuable information on past vegetation, woodland management, resource exploitation, and environmental change, while also contributing to the reconstruction of ancient landscapes and human interaction with local ecosystems, human activities such as agriculture, livestock farming, deforestation, and fire.

Seed and Fruit Analysis

The study of seeds, fruits, and floral remains recovered from archaeological contexts provides valuable information about the selection and use of herbaceous and woody plants. These remains offer insights into ancient diets, subsistence strategies, the history of plant domestication, and the composition of local flora.

Plant macroremains are generally preserved through carbonization, waterlogging, or mineralization. They are recovered by flotation and water sieving using fine-mesh screens (0.25– 0.5 mm and 2 mm), while identification is carried out using stereomicroscopy (7×–75× magnification) with fiber-optic illumination.

Textile Fibres, Fabrics, and Basketry Analysis

The study of archaeological textile fibres, fabrics, and woven materials provides valuable information about the raw materials, manufacturing techniques, and technologies used in the past. These analyses contribute to our understanding of clothing production, textile craftsmanship, daily life, and the exploitation of plant and animal fibres by ancient communities.

Laboratory Equipment

The Archaeobotany Laboratory is equipped with specialized scientific instruments for the recovery, preparation, and analysis of archaeological plant remains. The equipment includes flotation and water-sieving systems, optical and stereomicroscopes, and other analytical tools that support the identification and study of pollen, spores, wood, charcoal, seeds, fruits, and other botanical remains using stereomicroscopy (7×–75× magnification) with fiber-optic illumination.

Scientific Collaborations and Educational Activities

The laboratory maintains ongoing collaborations in the study of archaeobotanical remains with Italian Regional Heritage Authorities (Soprintendenze), Italian and international universities, and research centres.

The facility is also open to partnerships with research institutions and welcomes university students interested in carrying out undergraduate or postgraduate dissertations, research internships, and training placements through dedicated collaboration agreements.

The laboratory can be visited by appointment and offers educational activities for schools of all levels, from primary through secondary education.