A role for microbial selection in frescoes' deterioration in Tomba degli Scudi in Tarquinia, Italy
Mural paintings in the hypogeal environment of the Tomba degli Scudi in Tarquinia, Italy, show a quite
dramatic condition: the plaster mortar lost his cohesion and a white layer coating is spread over almost
all the wall surfaces. The aim of this research is to verify if the activity of microorganisms could be one of
the main causes of deterioration and if the adopted countermeasures (conventional biocide treatments)
are sufficient to stop it. A biocide treatment of the whole environment has been carried out before the