Project description
Decoding ancient flames
Ancient soot deposits on archaeological artifacts are usually treated as unwanted residues to be removed during conservation, yet they preserve valuable evidence of past human activities. The Decode Ancient Flame project, supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, will establish the first comprehensive database of ancient soot fingerprints by analysing soot from more than 20 Egyptian artifacts using advanced molecular and spectroscopic techniques. By linking soot chemical signatures with archaeological evidence, the project will develop a new framework for reconstructing ancient fuel use, domestic activities and cultural practices. It will also develop and validate innovative non-contact cleaning protocols based on atomic oxygen plasma and laser technologies, integrated with real-time monitoring systems, ensuring effective soot removal while preserving the integrity of fragile heritage materials.
Objective
Ancient soot accumulation on cultural artifacts poses critical conservation challenges while offering unprecedented insights into historical human activities. This interdisciplinary project combines cutting-edge conservation technology with novel archaeometry analysis to revolutionize both artifact preservation and archaeological understanding.
We will develop a complementary non-contact cleaning technique integrating atomic oxygen plasma and laser cleaning to remove more than 90% of ancient soot while preserving artifact integrity. This green technology eliminates chemical solvents, addressing current limitations of traditional mechanical and wet cleaning methods that cause irreversible damage to sensitive ancient materials.
Analysis of more than 20 diverse cultural artifacts using advanced analytical and spectroscopic techniques (GC-MS, FT-IR) will create the first comprehensive database of ancient soot chemical signatures across geographical locations and historical periods in ancient Egypt.
Soot composition analysis will reconstruct daily life practices of ancient communities, including cooking methods, heating systems, fuel sources, and industrial activities. This novel approach bridges conservation science with historical research, generating new knowledge about technological advancement, diet, trade, and rituals of past societies.
Selected artifacts from Egyptian civilization will undergo systematic investigation using optical/electron microscopy, chemical analysis, and radiocarbon dating. Real-time integration of cleaning techniques with chemical analysis will increase efficiency by 50% compared to current separate processes.
The project will establish safety protocols exceeding current conservation standards. This proposal addresses urgent conservation needs while opening new frontiers in archaeometry, demonstrating how advanced analytical chemistry can unlock historical secrets preserved in ancient contamination layers.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences chemical sciences analytical chemistry
- humanities history and archaeology history ancient history
- natural sciences physical sciences optics microscopy
- humanities history and archaeology archaeology archaeometry
- natural sciences physical sciences optics laser physics
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
56126 Pisa
Italy
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.