INFRA-ART spectral library: A new open access infrastructure for heritage science

Abstract

Web-based open-access spectral databases relevant to conservation are nowadays a real necessity for heritage scientists and other heritage-related professionals that work with spectroscopic techniques. Fast and easy access to reliable high-quality databases is amplified by the fact that portable analytical techniques are becoming increasingly more used for in situ investigation of objects of art and archaeology. To address this need, within the frame of the postdoctoral project INFRA-ART, an open-access spectral library exclusively dedicated to art and cultural heritage materials has been developed. The INFRA-ART Spectral Library is an ongoing compilation of spectra that now contains over 1300 ATR-FTIR, Raman, and XRF spectra linked to over 680 known reference materials, and is currently part of the services offered by the Romanian hub within E-RIHS (European Research Infrastructure for Heritage Science) DIGILAB. This paper presents the key features of the INFRA-ART database, along some aspects regarding database accessibility, and upcoming developments.