Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy in archeometry: A review of its application and future perspectives

Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) in the last decades has been more and more applied to the field of Cultural Heritage with great results obtained either alone or in combination with complementary laser techniques. Its ability to analyze, with a minimal loss, different kinds of materials in laboratory, in situ and even in hostile environments has been highly appreciated. The main aim of this paper is to present a review of LIBS applications in the interdisciplinary field of archeometry. The LIBS technique is shortly described both from a theoretical and practical point of view, discussing the instrumental setup, also in comparison with typical features of laser induced fluorescence (LIF) and Raman spectroscopy apparata. The complementary with multivariate analysis, a method that can help in reducing data set dimensions and in pulling out effective information, is stressed. In particular the role of LIBS in Cultural Heritage material characterization, recognition of fakes and indirect dating is described, reporting general considerations and case studies on metal alloys, mural paintings, decorated ceramics, glasses, stones and gems.