Application of Raman Spectroscopy to Ancient Materials: Models and Results from Archaeometric Analyses

Numerous experimental techniques of analysis find applications in many branches of the archaeometry. Among them, Raman spectroscopy carved out a niche in the field of diagnostic and conservation of cultural heritage. The exceptional ability to predict and discover the structural properties of materials set for Raman spectroscopy, an exclusive role among the analytic techniques, is further boosted when it is coupled with mathematical or statistical models able to deepen the studied phenomena. In this work, we present a review of recent studies where pairing Raman spectroscopy and mathematical models allowed achieving important results in the case of potteries, porcelains, ancient and modern paper, ancient jewelry, and pigment degradation. The potentialities of this approach are evidenced and analyzed in detail.