1. Issues in heritage materials science

Research into the materials that make up works of art aims to understand their history, from the acquisition of raw materials by man, right through to their use. This involves identifying the nature of the materials used, tracing the natural deposits of the raw materials exploited, determining all the stages in the transformation of the materials and manufacture of the objects, as well as their function and modes of use (table 1 ).

In the case of biological materials, approaches combining the morphological study of animal or human bones and the content of trace elements or isotopes of certain elements, make it possible to study the diet of populations, the diseases they developed, the climates in which they developed or the migrations of human groups [2]...