The brick material culture of Urbino (UNESCO World Heritage, Central Italy) as inferred from a multidisciplinary archaeometric study on the historic architecture

A multidisciplinary archaeometric study on the brick material culture of Urbino, Italy, reveals that the city's historic architecture, from Roman to Modern times, relied consistently on raw materials sourced from nearby deposits. Thermoluminescence (TL) dating confirms the prolonged construction periods of key structures, including the Cathedral, which spanned over three centuries. The study highlights a progressive improvement in brick quality and preparation techniques, with firing temperatures reaching at least 850–900°C, though incomplete calcite breakdown due to inconsistent pyrotechnological processes. Uniaxial Compressive Strength of historic bricks aligns with modern standards, underscoring the enduring significance of Urbino's brick material culture, which continued seamlessly until the mid-20th century.

Santi, P., Veneri, F., Tonelli, G., Tramontana, M., Panzeri, L., Galli, A., & Renzulli, A. (2025). The brick material culture of Urbino (UNESCO World Heritage, Central Italy) as inferred from a multidisciplinary archaeometric study on the historic architecture. Built Heritage, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s43238-025-00233-9