CPP4All supported his stay at the Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences
Ratoui reports: I am delighted to share with all members of our community, supported by the CPP4ALL COST Action CA24119, my experience during the Short-Term Scientific Mission (STSM) carried out from 29 June to 8 July 2026 at the Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences of the University of Catania, under the close supervision of Dr Maria Cristina Caggiani.
Although brief, this highly focused visit enabled me to acquire valuable knowledge and technical skills in gemstone provenance studies using Raman spectroscopy. The interaction with my mentor, her expertise, and access to the laboratory facilities allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of material provenance studies, the characterization of these types of artefacts—often highly vulnerable to illicit trafficking—as well as authentication procedures and forgery detection. This newly acquired knowledge will contribute directly to achieving specific Action objectives and deliverables, including the development of a unified methodology for provenance and restitution.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Maria Cristina Caggiani, Dante Abate, Donna Yates, and Gulsu Simsek Franci for their efforts to strengthen and expand this community while supporting strategies to combat the illicit trafficking of cultural property.I am truly glad to be part of this group!