Professional profile
Geologist | Heritage Scientist | Conservation Scientist | Archaeometry | Mineralogy | Petrography
Starting from my thesis work in Applied Petrography at the University of Pisa, I have been involved in applying mineralogical and petrographic methods to the archaeometry and conservation of stone materials. During my PhD in Cultural Heritage Conservation Sciences at the University of Florence, I studied the causes and mechanisms of alteration and degradation in white marbles. Throughout my professional career, carried out at the Department of Restoration at the University of Florence and at the National Research Council, first at the Institute for the Conservation and Valorisation of Cultural Heritage, and later at the Institute of Cultural Heritage Sciences (ISPC), I have consistently addressed issues related to Cultural Heritage materials.
I have coordinated and participated to numerous research projects involving archaeologists, architects, and art historians, and I have developed strong communication and collaboration skills with researchers and professionals from all fields of Cultural Heritage at both national and international levels.
I collaborate with several universities in Italy and abroad and I have supervised many doctoral and master's theses. I have also participated to diagnostic campaigns at archaeological excavations in Italy and abroad.
I use mineralogical and petrographic methodologies to understand material selection criteria, circulation, production technologies, and durability.
I employ advanced X-ray-based and spectroscopic techniques, applying them to various cultural heritage materials (mortars, plasters, stones, ceramics, metals, pigments, glass, wood).
I study the decay mechanisms of architectural and archaeological materials and develop sustainable methodologies and products for their restoration and conservation.
CNR Disciplinary Fields and Research Management Sectors
- SH8_1 Science and Technologies for Cultural Heritage
- PE4_2 Spectroscopic and spectrometric techniques
- SH6_5 Archaeological science, bioarchaeology, environmental archaeology, geoarchaeology
MUR Italian Scientific-Disciplinary Sector
- GEOS-01/D Mineral Resources and Mineralogical-Petrographic Applications for the Environment and Cultural Heritage
Groups & Labs CNR ISPC
Heritage Materials Sciences Lab →
Heritage Conservation Lab Lab →
Publications
Highlight
S. Calandra, E. Cantisani, B. Salvadori (2026). Decoding ancient mortars: complementary strengths of SR-μXRPD and FPA-FTIR in high-resolution binder analysis. Talanta, Volume 299, 1 March 2026, 129076 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.talanta.2025.129076
S. Amicone, A. Orsingher, E. Cantisani et al (2025). Innovation through recycling in Iron Age plaster technology at Tell el-Burak, Lebanon. Scientific Reports, 15, 24284. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-05844-x
S. Calandra, E. Cantisani et al. (2024). A new multi-analytical procedure for radiocarbon dating of historical mortars. Scientific Reports, 14, 19979. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-70763-2
