About – CHNet – Cultural Heritage Network

INFN-CHNet was founded to put together and enhance the different competences of INFN laboratories about the development and the applications of analytical techniques aimed at the study and the diagnostics applied to materials in the Cultural Heritage framework.

INFN-CHNet is present in most of the INFN sites, also in connection with local Universities.
The network is monitored by CNTT (Comitato Nazionale di Trasferimento Tecnologico), the technology transfer commitee of INFN. The LABEC laboratory, INFN unit of Florence, is the reference structure.

INFN-CHNet is working in both national and international contexts as a reference actor which is capable to aggregate the multidisciplinary community of researchers and restorers involved in the study and the diagnostics of Cultural Heritage. Since many years, INFN has applied the most advanced technologies and has also developed new techniques and devices to solve the questions of archaeologists, historians, restorers and curators.

Scientific analyses on Cultural Heritage can allow us to collect important knowledge on artworks:

to support in defining the best approach for restoration;
to study materials and artists’ techniques;
to perform provenance studies (so that we can reconstruct e.g. ancient supply sources);
to date artworks and/or archaeological sites and events;
to support authenticity studies.

Link to the network guidelines

Level 1 nodes

INFN sites (Units and/or National Laboratories and/or Centres) – INFN employees and associates – INFN equipments

Sezione di Bari – Sezione di Bologna – CNAF – Sezione di Catania – Sezione di Firenze – Sezione di Ferrara – Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati – Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso – Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro – Sezione di Milano Bicocca – Sezione di Napoli – Sezione di Pavia – Sezione di Roma3 – TIFPA – Sezione di Torino

Level 2 nodes

Universities, restoration centres, associations and other subjects not directly related to INFN but that work together with CHNet on common projects about research, education and technology transfer, thanks to specific conventions

Opificio delle Pietre Dure – CCR La Venaria Reale – Istituto Centrale per il Restauro – Università di Salerno – Università di Sassari – Università di Venezia Ca’ Foscari – Associazione Italiana di Archeometria (AIAr)

Level 3 nodes

International institutes (Universities and research centres) that work with CHNet as the level 2 nodes

TAREA, IIPC Institudo de Investigaciones sobre el Patrimonio Cultural, Universidad Nacional de San Martin, Buenos Aires, Argentina – NYUAD, New York University Abu Dhabi, Emirati Arabi Uniti – SESAME, Giordania