Search results for "Wooden"
showing 10 items of 71 documents
Microbiological characterization of the biofilms of wooden shelves used for ripening of traditional raw milk cheeses produced in Sicily (South Italy).
The production of artisanal Sicilian cheeses is generally carried out with wooden equipment. For centuries, wood has been the main material used in cheese making due to its availability, low cost and resistance over time. Among dairy wooden equipment, the wooden vat used for milk curdling plays a role of paramount importance to inoculate the bulk milk with desired lactic acid bacteria (LAB) responsible for the acidification of the curd. In the last few years, the biofilms associated to these containers have been object of study of different research groups, mainly Italian and French, but so far, very little is known about the microbiological characteristics of the wooden shelves used for ch…
Wooden, gypsum and cork floor in the Sicilian construction tradition
2014
This presentation deals with a part of a wider and more complex outline of the Sicilian construction tradition characterised by the presence of gypsum technologies. Gypsum is a very common material used in the island for the realisation of all building elements; its use is commonly spread throughout Sicily thanks to several and wide superficial out crops located in some parts of the island that make this material very easy to find. This presentation is particularly focused on wooden and gypsum floors found and analysed during searches and surveys in the regional area. Outline on criteria for some consistent and appropriate consolidation and restoration interventions are here proposed.
Intelaiature lignee leggere quale presidio antisismico nell'architettura tradizionale di area mediterranea
2017
L’accresciuta attenzione nei confronti degli aspetti costruttivi dell’edificato storico, associata all’analisi delle tecniche attraverso la ricerca archivistica, ma ancor più gli interventi di restauro e recupero che punteggiano i centri storici per iniziativa pubblica e privata consentono di ritrovare -nascoste anche all’occhio attento che le sa riconoscere- le intelaiature a graticcio ligneo: teatri ad intera struttura lignea, la configurazione interna di saloni ed ambienti di rappresentanza di palazzi nobiliari, chiese, conventi o monasteri ed anche l’edilizia diffusa che definiremmo “di base” testimoniano la capillare applica-zione del sistema costruttivo, con invarianti ed originalità …
The muqarnas ceiling of the Palatina Chapel in Palermo
2018
St. Peter’s Basilica inside the Royal Palace of Palermo, known as the Palatina Chapel, is one of the most popular medieval monuments in Sicily. Built between 1130 and 1163, it contains interesting wooden framings that represent both bearing and finishing structures. Studies about the Arab-Norman church have often concentrated on the very rich and suggestive decorative mosaic apparatus of walls and floorings, as well as the pictorial cycle of wooden ceilings. Knowledge about the constructive techniques adopted and, in particular, about the realization of the coverings, is very limited: there are wooden floors built at different levels, vaults and wooden ceilings and among these is the portio…
Characterisation of the microflora contaminating the wooden vats used for traditional Sicilian cheese production
2015
Traditional Sicilian cheese productions are carried out employing traditional wooden vats, called <em>tina.</em> Many studies have highlighted the beneficial role of wooden dairy equipment by contributing to enriching the milk microflora and improving the acidification processes. The present work was undertaken to evaluate the safety of the wooden vats used to coagulate milk. To this purpose, the different microbial populations hosted onto the internal surfaces of the vats used to produce two different stretched cheeses, namely <em>Caciocavallo Palermitano</em> and <em>Vastedda della valle del Belìce DOP</em>, were investigated for the presence of spoilag…
Sperimentazione di una procedura per la creazione di un atlante digitale per la documentazione dei soffitti lignei dipinti di Sicilia
2021
The naves of churches and the halls of noble palaces. The paintings that decorate these ceilings are precious evidence of the wide cultural connections that linked Sicily to Europe and to the Mediterranean area. The paper reports the results of research aiming at the development of a workflow for the creation of a digital atlas of these ceilings. Digital representation overcomes one of the main obstacles to the study, the preservation and the dissemination of these works of art, i.e. the traditional dichotomy between photographic images and drawings. The chosen case study is the ceiling that covers the main hall of the Steri in Palermo, a 14th-century palace that today hosts the offices of …
Trecento gotico doloroso e cortese in Sicilia: le opere in mostra
2020
Il saggio descrive molte delle opere d'arte del XIV e XV secolo esposte in mostra (dipinti su tavola, sculture lignee, oggetti in argento con smalti, cofanetti in avorio e legno), di fattura locale, italiana, cipriota-egea, iberica, francese e tedesca, tutte provenienti dalla Sicilia, alcune legate alla famiglia Chiaromonte. The essay describes many of the 14th and 15th century works of art on display (paintings on wood, wooden sculptures, silver objects with enamels, ivory and wooden boxes), of local, Italian, Cypriot-egean, Iberian, French and German manufacture, all from Sicily, some related to the Chiaromonte family.
Statue lignee nel Settecento nelle chiese di Ficarazzi: aggiunte alla produzione di Filippo Quattrocchi e della sua bottega
2020
Il contributo esamina quattro statue lignee, due delle quali inedite, custodite nelle chiese di Ficarazzi, piccolo centro delle province di Palermo. Si tratta di sculture realizzate tra la fine del Settecento e i primi decenni del secolo successivo, che vengono ricondotte per la prima volta al noto Filippo Quattrocchi e alla sua bottega, in particolare al figlio Francesco. Tra queste si cita l’Immacolata Concezione della chiesa di San Girolamo che, restaurata di recente, afferisce ad un prototipo iconografico divulgato dal pittore Vito D’Anna e dallo scultore Ignazio Marabitti su influsso di modelli accademici romani considerato che entrambi gli artisti lavorarono nella Città Eterna. The co…
Ecology of Vastedda della valle del Belìce cheeses: A review and recent findings to stabilize the traditional production
2018
The increasing request for classic foods has led to a higher demand for cheeses enjoying a “recognition of quality” status. This phenomenon has also affected Sicilian dairy products, in particular protected designation of origin (PDO) “Vastedda della valle del Belìce” (VdB), a cheese traditionally available only during the summer season, but requested year round. The variations of the microbial populations of raw milk among the seasons influence the microbiological quality of the cheeses produced. This review article reports the historical importance of cheeses and the traditional equipment used for dairy productions in Sicily with a specific focus on VdB. The microbial ecology of this chee…
Scientific studies for the restauration of two wooden arm reliquaries from the Cathedral of Palermo
2017
Dedicated to Saint Generosi and Saint Rosana, the reliquary arms, recalling the shape of a body part, are today located in the Relics Chapel in Palermo Cathedral. They are probably dated to the second half of the 18th century and are attributed to an unknown artist. The aims of this study were to investigate the decorative techniques, verify the state of conservation of the constitutive materials, measure the microclimate condition in the Relics Chapel, in order to set up a correct preventive conservation strategy. In this regard, an integrated scientific investigation was performed focusing on environmental monitoring (thermo-hygrometric parameters) by HOBO system, characterization of mate…