COSCH - Colour and space in cultural heritage, A new COST action starts

Abstract

True, precise and complete documentation of artefacts is essential for conservation and preservation of our cultural heritage (CH). By ensuring access to the best possible documentation of artefacts this COST Action contributes to the enhanced understanding of material CH and help its long-term preservation. Documentation of CH involves researchers, scientists and professionals from multiple disciplines and industries. There is a need to promote research, development and application of non-contact optical measurement techniques (spectral and spatial) - adapted to the needs of heritage documentation - on a concerted European level, in order to protect, preserve, analyse understand, model, virtually reproduce, document and publish important CH in Europe and beyond. Research in this field typically relies on nationally-funded projects with little interaction between stakeholders. This Action will provide a stimulating framework for articulating and clarifying problems, sharing solutions and skills, standardising methodologies and protocols, encouraging a common understanding, widening applications and dissemination. The Action will foster open standards for state-of-the-art documentation of CH. It will simplify the usage of high-resolution optical techniques in CH and define good practice and stimulate research. © 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.