Measure and material of the 18th- 20th century masonry techniques. Archaeological analysis of the University building in Cagliari (Italy)

Abstract

The University building represents a valid benchmark of the 18th century civil architecture in Cagliari. It consists of two separate architectures, initially seat of the Rectorate and of the Tridentine seminary, which over time have taken on a homogeneous character. The research, facilitated by the realization of a recent restoration project, was aimed to examine the masonry techniques that characterize the building, following an interdisciplinary approach by means of archaeological analyses. The investigation consisted of two main phases, indirect and direct, carried out in parallel. Specifically, it has been based on a thorough survey of the masonries and on mineralogical and petrographic characterization of the natural and artificial stone materials. The data obtained directly and through experiments were compared with the information found in the archival sources related to the construction phases. In the context of reference, the contribution is significant to facilitate the recognition, the dating, and the preservation of coeval architectures that, unlike the one examined, are not philologically dated.