Preliminary study for the preservation of two natural horns from the end of the 17th century

A recent finding at the Castello Sforzesco in Milan of two brass natural horns of the end of the 17th century and assigned to the Haas family from Nuremberg, brought to light new information about this class of objects. The instruments were heavily damaged, but their historical value is great. A multidisciplinary collaboration supported by a scientific non-invasive approach, including stereomicroscopic observations of the surface, X-ray radiography and 3D scanning followed by 3D model creation, was employed to discuss numerous issues concerning the knowledge of the artefacts and their preservation: i) executive techniques for archaeometric purposes; ii) study of the shapes with the aim to reconstruct the original model of the instruments; iii) identification and mapping of the damages and the alterations of the structure and the surface.