Nicola Masini

Nicola Masini (born 1965) is an Italian scientist of CNR noted for his work on exploring traces of Andean civilizations in Peru and Bolivia using spatial technologies and Remote Sensing.

Degree in Engineering in 1990, Researcher at CNR in 1995, Senior scientist at CNR-IBAM in 2003, professor of Science for Conservation and Architectural Restoration at University of Basilicata, his dominant scientific interest has been focused on the application and the development of new approaches to archaeological research by integrating satellite remote sensing, LiDAR and geophysical prospecting.

Since 2007 he has been the Director of Italian Archaeogeophysics Missions in Peru. From 2007 to 2015 he directed several scientific investigations in the Nasca ceremonial center of Cahuachi, in Pachacamac, in Tiwanaku and in a number of archaeological sites in Nasca province and Lambayeque region, in collaboration with Rosa Lasaponara of CNR-IMAA, and the archaeologists Giuseppe Orefici, Walter Alva, Ignacio Alva, Denise Pozzi-Escot.

The most remarkable results of ITACA Missionhave been the discovery of a settlement on the Nasca riverbed, some findings in some temples of Cahuachi, the monitoring of archaeological looting in South and North Peru, the study of the ancient system of channeling water in Pachacamac.

Since 2013 he has been the scientific responsible of a research project with Chinese Academy of Sciences in Henan (China) focused on the use of digital space technologies for archaeological investigations and cultural resources management. In this context he is conducting some investigations aimed at identifying unknown sites and routes along Silk Road by using satellite imagery, including SAR

His scientific interest is focused on the application and the development of methodologies for the conservation of Cultural Heritage and the archaeological research. He pursued this major interest through spatial technologies and non invasive diagnostics and geophysics in an interdisciplinary vision including history, archaeology and conservation

Books

• Lasaponara R., Masini N. (Eds) 2012, Satellite Remote Sensing: a new tool for Archaeology, Springer, Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, ISBN 978-90-481-8800-0, http://www.springer.com/la/book/9789048188000.

Papers

• Masini N., Rizzo E., Lasaponara R. 2009a. Teledeteccion y Investigaciones geofísicas en Cahuachi : primeros resultados. In Nasca. El Desierto de los Dioses de Cahuachi, Graph Ediciones, Lima, pp. 250–277
• Masini N., Lasaponara N., Orefici G. 2009b, Addressing the challenge of detecting archaeological adobe structures in Southern Peru using QuickBird imagery, Journal of Cultural Heritage, 10S, pp. 3–9.
• Lasaponara R., Masini N., Rizzo E., Orefici G. 2011. New discoveries in the Piramide Naranjada in Cahuachi (Peru) using satellite, Ground Probing Radar and magnetic investigations, Journal of Archaeological Science, 38, 2031-2039, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2010.12.010
• Lasaponara R., Masini N. 2014. Beyond modern landscape features: New insights in the archaeological area of Tiwanaku in Bolivia from satellite data. International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, 26, 464–471, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jag.2013.09.00.