Acoustic Vases in Europe: A Review of Documentation, Approaches, Measurement Methodologies, and Preliminary Proposal for a Methodological Framework

Research on acoustic vases embedded in historical buildings has progressively developed through archaeology, architectural history, and acoustics, producing extensive documentation on their distribution, geometry, installation and possible acoustic role, with experimental evidence from in situ measurements, laboratory tests, and numerical analyses. However, documentation and measurement procedures remain highly heterogeneous, limiting reproducibility and comparative interpretation. Within this context, the present work proposes a preliminary methodological framework for future investigations. It reviews the principal European documentation, census, experimental, and numerical approaches identified by the authors. Particular attention is given to the recording system developed by Palazzo-Bertholon and Valière and to the experimental methodologies adopted in previous studies, including procedures, acoustic descriptors, and instrumentation. A possible extension of the “fiche d’information” is discussed to make geometrical, spatial, and installation-related data more explicit for comparative analyses, acoustic modelling, and measurement planning. A documented case study is used to illustrate the proposed organization of information, followed by a simplified acoustic simulation showing how structured data may support model construction and interpretation. The proposed procedure therefore combines simulation and in situ measurements, with standard and advanced investigation levels. The study is aimed at improving documentation quality, consistency, and comparability rather than providing definitive evidence of acoustic effectiveness.