X-rays techniques present several valuable advantages in the field of archaeometry. Using X-rays, structural and chemical details can be obtained through a non-destructive and element-specific interaction. Synchrotron radiation sources can not only provide X-ray beams, but they can also offer extraordinary intensities and energy tunability, This results into unprecedented spatial resolution while maximising elemental selectivity and chemical sensitivity.
Archaometry, in its constant effort to interpret the past through the application of scientific techniques, has widely employed synchrotron radiation. Nevertheless, synchrotron facilities have evolved tremendously in the last decades. Thanks to the advancements in X-ray production, X-ray optics design, and to the acquisition of higher-level technical and scientific expertise, new frontiers have been approached.
In this contribution, we will present the recent achievements that could be of interest for the archaeometry field. After the analysis of the present situation, we will delve into future perspectives. Scientific case studies will be thoroughly discusses as well as technical potentialities yet to be fully exploited.

This paper focuses on the study of the Coronation of the Virgin altarpiece by the Bolognese painter Michele di Matteo (1410-1469).
In the field of diagnostics and conservation of cultural heritage, non-invasive techniques are increasingly used to study and understand works in depth. Only through these techniques is it possible to preserve the integrity of the work itself.
The aim of the study is therefore to investigate the pictorial composition of the work in a completely non-invasive and non-destructive manner in order to obtain useful information on the restoration methods that have been applied to the altarpiece over the years, and, where possible, to evidence the differences before and after cleaning.
For this purpose, colourimetric and visible reflectance analysis in addition to multispectral imaging techniques were employed.
Further analyses are necessary to better understand the composition of the work. Indeed, portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and iperspectral imaging measurements are ongoing, whose application could be useful to obtain information on the elements and compounds that make up the pigments used to paint and decorate the artwork.

This paper shows the results obtained in the chemical and dynamic vibrational characterization of a set of decorative tiles from the Capilla de los Reyes of the church of Nuestra Señora del Castillo at Flores de Ávila (Ávila, Spain). This tilework, dating from 1526, contains extraordinary pieces produced by the famous Renaissance ceramicist and painter named Francisco Niculoso El Pisano. However, this relevant tilework has been relocated and rearranged along history. The last arrangement of the tiles was quite arbitrary, potentially mixing the work of El Pisano with other tile sets. The main objective of this work is the identification of the types of pigments used in the different shades of color, relating them with other works of the same author.

This paper discuses a novel methodology for evaluating buildings performance through advanced Finite Element Analysis (FEA) based on the data given by Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR). A cracked wall of Vittoriano building, Rome, Italy is chosen as the case study. A detailed 3D numerical model of the wall was developed in ABAQUS. Concrete Damage Plasticity (CDP) model was utilized for defining the masonry material based on the macro-modeling approach. The ground deformation acquired by InSAR is applied to the wall s base. The crack propagation and stress concentration of the numerical model was in line with the real cracks observed on the wall. The results highlighted the high reliability of the InSAR data which could be used in structural behavior assessment.

The study of odontoskeletal remains of non-adult individuals provides important information on the cultural significance of childhood in past societies. Tophets, distinct burial areas for infant cremated remains found in several Phoenician-Punic colonies in the Mediterranean area, offer an ideal case study to test the potential of alternative analysis approaches on cremated remains. The study presents a non-destructive methodology using X-ray microscopy (XRM) to analyze a sample of cremated deciduous teeth from the Tophet of Motya, providing information on the demographic profile and age classes of the buried individuals. The results are consistent with previous studies on Tophets remains and highlight the importance of using non-invasive analytical techniques to collect new data useful for the interpretation of the burial practices of newborns and infants in Phoenician world.