The archaeological heritage includes a broad range of artifacts, from the remains of structures such as palaces, amphitheaters, temples (the so-called archaeological emergencies), to the most assorted objects as grave goods, everyday use tools, statues and other works of art. Although the diagnostic research needs therefore a wide range of possible analyses, depending on the material to be investigated: it is still important to remind the origin of these manufactures and their particular conservative story, which involves typical degradation phenomena and specific conservation strategies.
In particular, the diagnostic investigations are used for the characterization of the wall structures and their resistance, decorated or not surfaces, their state of conservation, the determining of the composition of the manufactures, the manufactures dating. For these studies are applied different techniques: thermography, georadar, probing ed borescopes testing and videoendoscopy for the study of structures; thin and cross sections, X-ray diffraction, ionic chromatography, electron microscopy observation coupled with microanalysis and eventual mappings of the element, for the identification of the materials and the study of surfaces carbon-14, thermoluminescence, dendrochronology for dating.