Professor DIANA from Torino University visited Okayama University and participated in the "EUROPE" event of June 27th Organized at Okayama University. On June 29th he also gave a seminar about archaeometry.(Poster)
Date: 2017/6/29 Professor Diana visited Okayama University from Tuesday June 27th to Thursday June 29th -2017.
He was welcomed by Professors N. Matsumoto and I. Niiro from the Archaeological Dept of the Faculty of Letters and by the URA Division. His visit was the second one following a visit of an Italian Delegation (Torino University and INRIAE - Naples -) in February 2016. This time, his main goal was to meet Okayama University scientists to strengthen the preparation of the H2020 - BE-ARCHAEO proposal currently under evaluation by the EU Commission.
BE-ARCHAEO (BEyonfd ARCHAEOlogy) is a 3-year multidiscplinary RISE project aiming at combining simultaneous scientic analysis and excavation in the Tottori, Shimane and Okayama prefecture. The ultimate goal is to define a new archeometry methodolgy to strengthen origin and dating of archaeology remains to improve the understanding of social evolutions among Jomon, Yayoi and Kofun period populations.
On his first day at Okayama University, Prof. Diana gave a talk at the "EUROPE" event organised at Okayama University - He presented the guidelines of BE-ARCHAEO.
And on June 29th in an audience coming mainly from the Archaeology Dept he gave a talk titled "Wooden dynasty:a mingqi material characterization冥器of the eastern Han".
Among the funerary goods, a relevant role is played by miniature tombs figurines (yong 俑),also called mingqi (冥器), representing humans, animals, models of vehicles and edifices, that are integral part of funerary rites from the early fifth century BCE onwards. Commonly, mingqi are wooden figurines or modelled and painted pottery materials, depending on location, time and quantity. In order to better understand the significance and the value of the materials employed in the tombs, a precise knowledge of the material composition is highly necessary.
Considering the lack of informations about the wood species, the materials employed in the decoration and the carving technique, Professor Diana explained the audience material characterizations by preferring , when possible, non-destructive techniques. like Infra-Red or Raman spectroscopy.His goal is to develop the research to the objects preserved in other museums, with the aim to verify if the materiality of these wooden mingqi is linked to their symbolic meaning.
