Paola Pesaresi | Herculaneum Conservation Project (original) (raw)
Papers by Paola Pesaresi
Feasible Management of Archaeological Heritage Sites Open to Tourism, 2018
The arrival of visitors to any destination introduces economic incentives for the development of ... more The arrival of visitors to any destination introduces economic incentives for the development of services and products. This holds true for archaeological sites that are open to visitation. As tourism increases, an expansion of physical infrastructure (e.g., buildings, roads, and utilities) becomes necessary. Modes of social interaction will change if traditional subsistence activities such as those centered on agriculture, animal husbandry, hunting, gathering, and nonmonetary exchange are replaced by vending to tourists or, in developed countries, if tourism-related business enterprises replace, compete with, or are not compatible with previously established businesses. Competition and friction among commercial enterprises can generate unprecedented sources of conflict. Construction can disturb or destroy archaeological deposits; in general, the closer the construction to the archaeological site to which visitors are attracted, the more likely that this will happen. A sustainable tourism at destination archaeological sites considers the social and environmental impacts of tourism infrastructure development and seeks to render these as beneficial. It anticipates and provides for a rewarding interaction between local populations and visitors. And, of course, it must provide authentic representations of the past that are associated with the physical remains of the archaeological site.
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This paper presents the results of an internship research project on sectilia in the Casa del Ril... more This paper presents the results of an internship research project on sectilia in the Casa del Rilievo di Telefo in Herculaneum and across the archaeological site in general. The main research objective was to identify and classify opus sectile and analyse the state of conservation by identifying the ancient stones and marbles. Herculaneum is an ideal place for such a study as it has an important collection of relatively well-preserved ancient marbles from all over the Mediterranean, dating from the first century BC to the first century AD. Special attention was paid to the Casa del Rilievo di Telefo and its so-called Marble Room. This research took place in the context of the Herculaneum Conservation Project HCP), a public-private partnership for the conservation and enhancement of Herculaneum. The study adopted HCP’s interdisciplinary approach, in particular, by using its GIS database.
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Conservation and Management of Archaeological Sites, 2019
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Conservation and Management of Archaeological Sites, 2019
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ISPRS - International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, 2019
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Feasible Management of Archaeological Heritage Sites Open to Tourism, 2018
This paper uses the archaeological site of Herculaneum, Italy, as a case study on which to ground... more This paper uses the archaeological site of Herculaneum, Italy, as a case study on which to ground the complex debate surrounding heritage ‘sustainability’. The authors seek to quantify and qualify current and potential ‘reciprocal heritage benefits’ thanks to available information from strategic research – including the development of improved visitor and engagement strategies. They argue that it is necessary to re-examine the dynamic role that cultural heritage could potentially play in contemporary society, not just looking to reduce threats but seeking to transform them, wherever possible, into opportunities for ensuring that cultural heritage can contribute benefits to the modern world and – within a reciprocal relationship – gain benefits from a society that is more involved in its management and conservation. The authors conclude that much more needs to be done not just in terms of measuring progress but also in terms of identifying the correct indicators to measure in the fir...
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The Herculaneum Conservation Project is a public-private initiative to conserve and enhance the R... more The Herculaneum Conservation Project is a public-private initiative to conserve and enhance the Roman city of Herculaneum, Italy. Emphasis is placed on simplifying and reducing costs of archaeological site management by reinstating site infrastructure, promoting rolling programmes of maintenance, and research and trials to improve conservation methods. After preliminary research in the site archives, the 100 Mortars Project is now underway and aims to study the wide range of mortars present in the archaeological site – both original Roman mortars and those used in twentieth-century restoration campaigns. More than one hundred mortars have been sampled for analysis so far and it is hoped that in a few years almost a complete range of ancient and modern mortars from Herculaneum will be available. This will not only increase knowledge about the site but will also contribute to the conservation of Herculaneum and other open-air archaeological sites, thanks to the development of works st...
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Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Historic Mortars and RILEM TC 203-RHM Final Workshop HMC2010, 2009
The Herculaneum Conservation Project is a public-private initiative to conserve and enhance the R... more The Herculaneum Conservation Project is a public-private initiative to conserve and enhance the Roman city of Herculaneum, Italy. Emphasis is placed on simplifying and reducing costs of archaeological site management by reinstating site infrastructure, promoting rolling programmes of maintenance and research and trials to improve conservation methods. After preliminary research in the site archives, the '100 Mortars Project' is now underway and aims to study the wide range of mortars present in the archaeological site – both original Roman mortars and those used in twentieth-century restoration campaigns. More than one hundred mortars have been sampled for analysis so far, and it is hoped that in a few years almost a complete range of ancient and modern mortars from Herculaneum will be available. This will not only increase knowledge about the site but will also contribute to the conservation of Herculaneum and other open-air archaeological sites, thanks to the development of work strategies that consider quality, cost and time parameters when working with each type of mortar identified. This paper reviews the results obtained so far.
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Monitoraggio e Manutenzione delle Aree Archeologiche. Cambiamenti climatici, dissesto idrogeologico, degrado chimico ambientale (Atti del Convegno Internazionale di Studi Roma, Curia Iulia, 20-21 marzo 2019), Roma, a cura di Alfonsina Russo, Irma Della Giovampaola, 2020
What is the future for large and complex archaeological areas, which are increasingly vulnerable ... more What is the future for large and complex archaeological areas, which are increasingly vulnerable to natural and anthropic pressures? The answer of the Parco archeologico di Ercolano (the local heritage authority) proposed in this paper was developed in the context of the Herculaneum Conservation Project and sees the systematic strengthening in recent years of site-wide monitoring and maintenance campaigns, a core outcome the long-standing partnership with the Packard Humanities Institute.The methods and processes that have been tested at Herculaneum are extremely innovative, not necessarily from the point of view of the technology or equipment used (which is simple and widely available), but with regards to the precision and wide-spread system of monitoring and maintenance, which will keep the archaeological site ‘under observation’ long into the future.Thanks to the long- term testing and the results obtained, the authors believe that – even without the catalysing effect of the public-private partnership –the methodological and management approaches adopted at Herculaneum can be replicated elsewhere and similar results obtained.
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Documenting large archaeological sites, managing data, planning conservation and maintenance: the Herculaneum Conservation Project experience" 2019 | 27th CIPA International Symposium “Documenting the past for a better future” (Volume XLII-2/W15), 2019
Herculaneum, buried by Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, was only extensively excavated during the twentie... more Herculaneum, buried by Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, was only extensively excavated during the twentieth century, revealing a remarkable level of preservation but also fragility of what had survived of this Roman seaside town. By the turn of the century, the conservation challenges, paired with the limited capacity of the authorities to respond, was putting the archaeological site at risk. The Herculaneum Conservation Project ('HCP'), a public-private project underway since 2001, has helped turnaround this situation with the presence of an interdisciplinary team working all year round alongside the public authority, today the Archaeological Park of Herculaneum. With the site in a more stable condition, HCP's attention in the last ten years shifted to building up knowledge and competencies for the self-sufficiency of the Park authority in the face of core long-term management obligations. A new focus on conservation proposals that meet the site's needs but are suited to public tendering found its maximum expression in planning long-term site maintenance cycles. Through the voices of the practitioners involved, the paper recounts the resources and approaches that have been developed in this regard, in particular the specific GIS module that breaks down the archaeological site into the items to be maintained and their relative importance. This massive register of 'objects'-walls, architraves, doors, frescoes, mosaics, etc.-is the backbone of the three-year maintenance cycles developed by HCP adopting an innovative procurement framework for co-sourcing services and works in Italy, the first of which is now being implemented by the Park. A web-based application accessible by operators on site allows real time transmission of monitoring data and records of site-works underway to the database and GIS platform, satisfying immediate administrative needs and quality controls but also delineating the scope of subsequent maintenance cycles. Technological and management tools, shaped by, and responsive to, the needs of the site and their users (the heritage practitioners involved), have been put at the service of the entire life cycle of programmed maintenance at an urban scale, both administrative and technical aspects. This is part of a wider upward spiral of management improvements for the long-term sustainability of this important archaeological site.
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MONITORAGGIO E MANUTENZIONE DELLE AREE ARCHEOLOGICHE Cambiamenti climatici, dissesto idrogeologico, degrado chimico-ambientale. a cura di Alfonsina Russo e Irma Della Giovampaola, 2020
What is the future for large and complex archaeological areas, which are increasingly vulnerable ... more What is the future for large and complex archaeological areas, which are increasingly vulnerable to natural and anthropic pressures? The answer of the Parco Archeologico di Ercolano (the local heritage authority) proposed in this paper was developed in the context of the Herculaneum Conservation Project and sees the systematic strengthening in recent years of site-wide monitoring and maintenance campaigns, a core outcome the long-standing partnership with the Packard Humanities Institute.The methods and processes that have been tested at Herculaneum are extremely innovative, not necessarily from the point of view of the technology or equipment used (which is simple and widely available), but with regards to the precision and wide-spread system of monitoring and maintenance, which will keep the archaeological site ‘under observation’ long into the future.Thanks to the long-term testing
and the results obtained, the authors believe that – even without the catalysing effect of the public-private partnership –the methodological and management approaches adopted at Herculaneum can be replicated elsewhere and similar results obtained.
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Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
The House of the Bicentenary at Herculaneum. Reopening eighty years after its discovery, 2020
The paper is the contribution of the authors to the guide book published in Italian and English b... more The paper is the contribution of the authors to the guide book published in Italian and English by the Parco Archeologico di Ercolano for the reopening to the public of the the House of the Bicentenary at the archaeological site of Herculaneum, Italy. The paper explores the peculiarities of the restoration strategies that took place in the XX century and their consequences in terms of conservation challenges to be tackled today.
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Managing Herculaneum in Context: Measuring Benefits for People and Places, 2019
It is worth grounding the complex debate surrounding heritage 'sustainability' in hard facts, and... more It is worth grounding the complex debate surrounding heritage 'sustainability' in hard facts, and one useful data set is gathered by the World Heritage Centre. Analysis of threats identified for cultural heritage sites (regardless of location or typology) indicates that global problems stemming from management issues, development projects and tourism are all in the top ten. As the authors of an earlier World Heritage report on Reflection on the Trends of the State of Conservation note, 'management and legal issues represent one of the key threats to World Heritage properties , and have done so consistently since 2005'. This trend should prompt us to realize that the energy dedicated to conserving the physical testimony of the past needs to be matched, if not surpassed, by that dedicated to managing change proactively, both within and without heritage sites. The Policy for the Integration of a Sustainable Development Perspective into the Processes of the World Heritage Convention finally integrates this clarity of thinking into the international heritage community’s references. In this context, it is necessary to re-examine the dynamic role that cultural heritage
could potentially play in contemporary society – not just looking to reduce threats but seeking to transform them, wherever possible, into opportunities for ensuring that cultural heritage can contribute benefits to the modern world and, within a reciprocal relationship, gain benefits from a society that is more involved in its management and conservation. This drives to the heart of the sustainability debate, but in order to ground what risks being a theoretical discussion in reality, this paper will use the example of Herculaneum to quantify and qualify
current and potential ‘reciprocal heritage benefits’ with the information available today that builds on strategic research, including the development of improved visitor and engagement strategies. However, ultimately it shows how much more needs to be done not just in terms of measuring progress but also in terms of identifying the correct indicators to measure in the first place.
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Conservation Perspectives - The GCI newsletter, 2019
Addressing the use of reinforced concrete for restoration at archaeological sites, Paola Pesaresi... more Addressing the use of reinforced concrete for restoration at archaeological sites, Paola Pesaresi, the conservation architect with the Herculaneum Conservation Project, reviews how concrete was employed at Herculaneum during the first half of the twentieth century, and how the subsequent deterioration of the concrete elements incorporated into the site is now being handled by authorities there.
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Introduces the programmed maintenance cycles being developed at the archaeological site of Hercul... more Introduces the programmed maintenance cycles being developed at the archaeological site of Herculaneum by the Herculaneum Conservation Project (HCP), a public-private partnership for the conservation and enhancement of this ancient Roman town. In the years following excavation, the site was cared for by a team of specialist workers but the practice of regular maintenance come to a gradual halt during the late 20th century. The interdisciplinary HCP team has planned maintenance for decorative features, structures and infrastructures in the hope that this programme can be handed over to the heritage authority for future cycles of interventions. New models of continuous care are key to increasing the ‘manageability‘ of the site long into the future with limited human and financial resources of the public heritage authority. It is by securing the site’s sustainability at this most basic level that will also provide the conditions for this World Heritage property to contribute more effectively to broader sustainability issues. If day-to-day management choices for routine care lose sight of the site’s role in social and economic development of the local community, when funds dry up there will be no one to express concern or step in with alternative forms of support, and the mistakes of the 20th century will be repeated.
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Although Herculaneum emerged extremely well preserved at the time of excavation the archaeologica... more Although Herculaneum emerged extremely well preserved at the time of excavation the archaeological site that can be seen today has been exposed to the elements for more than 60-80 years and in some cases for over a century (Insulae II and III). As is often the case, the
incredible wealth of rediscovered heritage is extremely fragile: this is the case, for example, of carbonized timber left in situ, but also of frescoes, mosaic and beaten earth floors, which are continually trodden on by visitors. Site morphology is also a factor that contributes to
exacerbating the conservation challenges posed by the preserved heritage: the street level of the ancient city is located approximately 10-20 m below that of the modern city, which itself was built on a ridge formed from successive eruptions of Vesuvius. This means both difficulty in ensuring that the excavated escarpments are structurally sound and maintained, as well as difficulties in draining rainwater and groundwater that accumulates within the site. Pesaresi and Massari provide examples of provisional shelters that have been trialled at Herculaneum (Italy) which were specifically designed to address immediate conservation issues but to last longer than ‘temporary’ shelters thereby reducing the additional risk that temporary shelters can cause to archaeology when left in situ too long. They contrast these with other shelter typologies at the site in particular early twentieth century reconstructions that used the original Roman floor slabs or roofs as protective shelters.
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Shelters are encountered on many archaeological sites of the Mediterranean Their presence is most... more Shelters are encountered on many archaeological sites of the Mediterranean Their presence is mostly related to the need to protect specific architectural or decorative features exposed during excavation and believed to be too fragile to be left exposed. Consequently shelters tend to be isolated or randomly scattered within the archaeological site. The process of planning designing and building shelters usually follows the period immediately after excavation. If the area to be covered or the setting is particularly complex a provisional shelter is often provided while funds are raised for the design and construction of a permanent one. If these do not become available then provisional shelters themselves often become permanent. Sheltering on an archaeological site brings formidable challenges and contradictions. On the one hand a shelter should confer good protection to the archaeological remains below by reducing the rate of deterioration from environmental causes On the other it should impose the least possible aesthetic impact on the site and harmonize with the archaeological and natural landscape. It also needs to provide quality in the visitor experience in presenting the protected remains.
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At the beginning of the st century the international conservation community gathered in the USA t... more At the beginning of the st century the international conservation community gathered in the USA to take stock of the state of play with regard to protective shelters for archaeological sites to learn from a century long tradition of shelter building and draw conclusions that could be used at unsheltered archaeological sites. On the other side of the world conservation specialists wanting to assess conditions in a large Roman house in Herculaneum Italy could not safely access the building due to the risks presented by the corroded and cracked reinforced concrete beams supporting the modern roofs. Yet remedial work on the roof could not take place without first making safe the damaged mosaic floor on which scaffolding would need to rest. At around the same time an assessment of over mosaics under protective shelters within Israeli archaeological sites revealed that more than half those mosaics were deteriorating with many being entirely removed and other conservation approaches adopted. It was this context of ongoing connections and contrasts between conservation theory and site management practice together with the continuing challenge of sheltering archaeological sites that led to the Symposium on Protective Shelters for Archaeological Sites held a decade later in and with a specific focus on the Mediterranean region. This introductory chapter aims to capture within the structure that the event followed key insights from each case study brought to the symposium many of which emerged as their authors later reflected on the issues raised on return to their specific sites and further updated their papers Indeed this volume has become something more than just the proceedings of the symposium offering considerations matured over a greater period of time and through extended peer exchange something that has been at the heart of the MOSAIKON Programme since it began but also at the core of the approaches of the Herculaneum Conservation Project which hosted the symposium. It is hoped that the insights that emerge from this introductory overview from the papers themselves that follow and from the brief notes of the closing discussion session of the symposium will between them offer pointers for heritage practitioners in the field to approach sheltering at archaeological sites in a way that builds on progress to date and enhances future practice in the sector.
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Feasible Management of Archaeological Heritage Sites Open to Tourism, 2018
The arrival of visitors to any destination introduces economic incentives for the development of ... more The arrival of visitors to any destination introduces economic incentives for the development of services and products. This holds true for archaeological sites that are open to visitation. As tourism increases, an expansion of physical infrastructure (e.g., buildings, roads, and utilities) becomes necessary. Modes of social interaction will change if traditional subsistence activities such as those centered on agriculture, animal husbandry, hunting, gathering, and nonmonetary exchange are replaced by vending to tourists or, in developed countries, if tourism-related business enterprises replace, compete with, or are not compatible with previously established businesses. Competition and friction among commercial enterprises can generate unprecedented sources of conflict. Construction can disturb or destroy archaeological deposits; in general, the closer the construction to the archaeological site to which visitors are attracted, the more likely that this will happen. A sustainable tourism at destination archaeological sites considers the social and environmental impacts of tourism infrastructure development and seeks to render these as beneficial. It anticipates and provides for a rewarding interaction between local populations and visitors. And, of course, it must provide authentic representations of the past that are associated with the physical remains of the archaeological site.
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This paper presents the results of an internship research project on sectilia in the Casa del Ril... more This paper presents the results of an internship research project on sectilia in the Casa del Rilievo di Telefo in Herculaneum and across the archaeological site in general. The main research objective was to identify and classify opus sectile and analyse the state of conservation by identifying the ancient stones and marbles. Herculaneum is an ideal place for such a study as it has an important collection of relatively well-preserved ancient marbles from all over the Mediterranean, dating from the first century BC to the first century AD. Special attention was paid to the Casa del Rilievo di Telefo and its so-called Marble Room. This research took place in the context of the Herculaneum Conservation Project HCP), a public-private partnership for the conservation and enhancement of Herculaneum. The study adopted HCP’s interdisciplinary approach, in particular, by using its GIS database.
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Conservation and Management of Archaeological Sites, 2019
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Conservation and Management of Archaeological Sites, 2019
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
ISPRS - International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, 2019
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Feasible Management of Archaeological Heritage Sites Open to Tourism, 2018
This paper uses the archaeological site of Herculaneum, Italy, as a case study on which to ground... more This paper uses the archaeological site of Herculaneum, Italy, as a case study on which to ground the complex debate surrounding heritage ‘sustainability’. The authors seek to quantify and qualify current and potential ‘reciprocal heritage benefits’ thanks to available information from strategic research – including the development of improved visitor and engagement strategies. They argue that it is necessary to re-examine the dynamic role that cultural heritage could potentially play in contemporary society, not just looking to reduce threats but seeking to transform them, wherever possible, into opportunities for ensuring that cultural heritage can contribute benefits to the modern world and – within a reciprocal relationship – gain benefits from a society that is more involved in its management and conservation. The authors conclude that much more needs to be done not just in terms of measuring progress but also in terms of identifying the correct indicators to measure in the fir...
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The Herculaneum Conservation Project is a public-private initiative to conserve and enhance the R... more The Herculaneum Conservation Project is a public-private initiative to conserve and enhance the Roman city of Herculaneum, Italy. Emphasis is placed on simplifying and reducing costs of archaeological site management by reinstating site infrastructure, promoting rolling programmes of maintenance, and research and trials to improve conservation methods. After preliminary research in the site archives, the 100 Mortars Project is now underway and aims to study the wide range of mortars present in the archaeological site – both original Roman mortars and those used in twentieth-century restoration campaigns. More than one hundred mortars have been sampled for analysis so far and it is hoped that in a few years almost a complete range of ancient and modern mortars from Herculaneum will be available. This will not only increase knowledge about the site but will also contribute to the conservation of Herculaneum and other open-air archaeological sites, thanks to the development of works st...
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Historic Mortars and RILEM TC 203-RHM Final Workshop HMC2010, 2009
The Herculaneum Conservation Project is a public-private initiative to conserve and enhance the R... more The Herculaneum Conservation Project is a public-private initiative to conserve and enhance the Roman city of Herculaneum, Italy. Emphasis is placed on simplifying and reducing costs of archaeological site management by reinstating site infrastructure, promoting rolling programmes of maintenance and research and trials to improve conservation methods. After preliminary research in the site archives, the '100 Mortars Project' is now underway and aims to study the wide range of mortars present in the archaeological site – both original Roman mortars and those used in twentieth-century restoration campaigns. More than one hundred mortars have been sampled for analysis so far, and it is hoped that in a few years almost a complete range of ancient and modern mortars from Herculaneum will be available. This will not only increase knowledge about the site but will also contribute to the conservation of Herculaneum and other open-air archaeological sites, thanks to the development of work strategies that consider quality, cost and time parameters when working with each type of mortar identified. This paper reviews the results obtained so far.
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Monitoraggio e Manutenzione delle Aree Archeologiche. Cambiamenti climatici, dissesto idrogeologico, degrado chimico ambientale (Atti del Convegno Internazionale di Studi Roma, Curia Iulia, 20-21 marzo 2019), Roma, a cura di Alfonsina Russo, Irma Della Giovampaola, 2020
What is the future for large and complex archaeological areas, which are increasingly vulnerable ... more What is the future for large and complex archaeological areas, which are increasingly vulnerable to natural and anthropic pressures? The answer of the Parco archeologico di Ercolano (the local heritage authority) proposed in this paper was developed in the context of the Herculaneum Conservation Project and sees the systematic strengthening in recent years of site-wide monitoring and maintenance campaigns, a core outcome the long-standing partnership with the Packard Humanities Institute.The methods and processes that have been tested at Herculaneum are extremely innovative, not necessarily from the point of view of the technology or equipment used (which is simple and widely available), but with regards to the precision and wide-spread system of monitoring and maintenance, which will keep the archaeological site ‘under observation’ long into the future.Thanks to the long- term testing and the results obtained, the authors believe that – even without the catalysing effect of the public-private partnership –the methodological and management approaches adopted at Herculaneum can be replicated elsewhere and similar results obtained.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Documenting large archaeological sites, managing data, planning conservation and maintenance: the Herculaneum Conservation Project experience" 2019 | 27th CIPA International Symposium “Documenting the past for a better future” (Volume XLII-2/W15), 2019
Herculaneum, buried by Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, was only extensively excavated during the twentie... more Herculaneum, buried by Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, was only extensively excavated during the twentieth century, revealing a remarkable level of preservation but also fragility of what had survived of this Roman seaside town. By the turn of the century, the conservation challenges, paired with the limited capacity of the authorities to respond, was putting the archaeological site at risk. The Herculaneum Conservation Project ('HCP'), a public-private project underway since 2001, has helped turnaround this situation with the presence of an interdisciplinary team working all year round alongside the public authority, today the Archaeological Park of Herculaneum. With the site in a more stable condition, HCP's attention in the last ten years shifted to building up knowledge and competencies for the self-sufficiency of the Park authority in the face of core long-term management obligations. A new focus on conservation proposals that meet the site's needs but are suited to public tendering found its maximum expression in planning long-term site maintenance cycles. Through the voices of the practitioners involved, the paper recounts the resources and approaches that have been developed in this regard, in particular the specific GIS module that breaks down the archaeological site into the items to be maintained and their relative importance. This massive register of 'objects'-walls, architraves, doors, frescoes, mosaics, etc.-is the backbone of the three-year maintenance cycles developed by HCP adopting an innovative procurement framework for co-sourcing services and works in Italy, the first of which is now being implemented by the Park. A web-based application accessible by operators on site allows real time transmission of monitoring data and records of site-works underway to the database and GIS platform, satisfying immediate administrative needs and quality controls but also delineating the scope of subsequent maintenance cycles. Technological and management tools, shaped by, and responsive to, the needs of the site and their users (the heritage practitioners involved), have been put at the service of the entire life cycle of programmed maintenance at an urban scale, both administrative and technical aspects. This is part of a wider upward spiral of management improvements for the long-term sustainability of this important archaeological site.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
MONITORAGGIO E MANUTENZIONE DELLE AREE ARCHEOLOGICHE Cambiamenti climatici, dissesto idrogeologico, degrado chimico-ambientale. a cura di Alfonsina Russo e Irma Della Giovampaola, 2020
What is the future for large and complex archaeological areas, which are increasingly vulnerable ... more What is the future for large and complex archaeological areas, which are increasingly vulnerable to natural and anthropic pressures? The answer of the Parco Archeologico di Ercolano (the local heritage authority) proposed in this paper was developed in the context of the Herculaneum Conservation Project and sees the systematic strengthening in recent years of site-wide monitoring and maintenance campaigns, a core outcome the long-standing partnership with the Packard Humanities Institute.The methods and processes that have been tested at Herculaneum are extremely innovative, not necessarily from the point of view of the technology or equipment used (which is simple and widely available), but with regards to the precision and wide-spread system of monitoring and maintenance, which will keep the archaeological site ‘under observation’ long into the future.Thanks to the long-term testing
and the results obtained, the authors believe that – even without the catalysing effect of the public-private partnership –the methodological and management approaches adopted at Herculaneum can be replicated elsewhere and similar results obtained.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
The House of the Bicentenary at Herculaneum. Reopening eighty years after its discovery, 2020
The paper is the contribution of the authors to the guide book published in Italian and English b... more The paper is the contribution of the authors to the guide book published in Italian and English by the Parco Archeologico di Ercolano for the reopening to the public of the the House of the Bicentenary at the archaeological site of Herculaneum, Italy. The paper explores the peculiarities of the restoration strategies that took place in the XX century and their consequences in terms of conservation challenges to be tackled today.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Managing Herculaneum in Context: Measuring Benefits for People and Places, 2019
It is worth grounding the complex debate surrounding heritage 'sustainability' in hard facts, and... more It is worth grounding the complex debate surrounding heritage 'sustainability' in hard facts, and one useful data set is gathered by the World Heritage Centre. Analysis of threats identified for cultural heritage sites (regardless of location or typology) indicates that global problems stemming from management issues, development projects and tourism are all in the top ten. As the authors of an earlier World Heritage report on Reflection on the Trends of the State of Conservation note, 'management and legal issues represent one of the key threats to World Heritage properties , and have done so consistently since 2005'. This trend should prompt us to realize that the energy dedicated to conserving the physical testimony of the past needs to be matched, if not surpassed, by that dedicated to managing change proactively, both within and without heritage sites. The Policy for the Integration of a Sustainable Development Perspective into the Processes of the World Heritage Convention finally integrates this clarity of thinking into the international heritage community’s references. In this context, it is necessary to re-examine the dynamic role that cultural heritage
could potentially play in contemporary society – not just looking to reduce threats but seeking to transform them, wherever possible, into opportunities for ensuring that cultural heritage can contribute benefits to the modern world and, within a reciprocal relationship, gain benefits from a society that is more involved in its management and conservation. This drives to the heart of the sustainability debate, but in order to ground what risks being a theoretical discussion in reality, this paper will use the example of Herculaneum to quantify and qualify
current and potential ‘reciprocal heritage benefits’ with the information available today that builds on strategic research, including the development of improved visitor and engagement strategies. However, ultimately it shows how much more needs to be done not just in terms of measuring progress but also in terms of identifying the correct indicators to measure in the first place.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Conservation Perspectives - The GCI newsletter, 2019
Addressing the use of reinforced concrete for restoration at archaeological sites, Paola Pesaresi... more Addressing the use of reinforced concrete for restoration at archaeological sites, Paola Pesaresi, the conservation architect with the Herculaneum Conservation Project, reviews how concrete was employed at Herculaneum during the first half of the twentieth century, and how the subsequent deterioration of the concrete elements incorporated into the site is now being handled by authorities there.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Introduces the programmed maintenance cycles being developed at the archaeological site of Hercul... more Introduces the programmed maintenance cycles being developed at the archaeological site of Herculaneum by the Herculaneum Conservation Project (HCP), a public-private partnership for the conservation and enhancement of this ancient Roman town. In the years following excavation, the site was cared for by a team of specialist workers but the practice of regular maintenance come to a gradual halt during the late 20th century. The interdisciplinary HCP team has planned maintenance for decorative features, structures and infrastructures in the hope that this programme can be handed over to the heritage authority for future cycles of interventions. New models of continuous care are key to increasing the ‘manageability‘ of the site long into the future with limited human and financial resources of the public heritage authority. It is by securing the site’s sustainability at this most basic level that will also provide the conditions for this World Heritage property to contribute more effectively to broader sustainability issues. If day-to-day management choices for routine care lose sight of the site’s role in social and economic development of the local community, when funds dry up there will be no one to express concern or step in with alternative forms of support, and the mistakes of the 20th century will be repeated.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Although Herculaneum emerged extremely well preserved at the time of excavation the archaeologica... more Although Herculaneum emerged extremely well preserved at the time of excavation the archaeological site that can be seen today has been exposed to the elements for more than 60-80 years and in some cases for over a century (Insulae II and III). As is often the case, the
incredible wealth of rediscovered heritage is extremely fragile: this is the case, for example, of carbonized timber left in situ, but also of frescoes, mosaic and beaten earth floors, which are continually trodden on by visitors. Site morphology is also a factor that contributes to
exacerbating the conservation challenges posed by the preserved heritage: the street level of the ancient city is located approximately 10-20 m below that of the modern city, which itself was built on a ridge formed from successive eruptions of Vesuvius. This means both difficulty in ensuring that the excavated escarpments are structurally sound and maintained, as well as difficulties in draining rainwater and groundwater that accumulates within the site. Pesaresi and Massari provide examples of provisional shelters that have been trialled at Herculaneum (Italy) which were specifically designed to address immediate conservation issues but to last longer than ‘temporary’ shelters thereby reducing the additional risk that temporary shelters can cause to archaeology when left in situ too long. They contrast these with other shelter typologies at the site in particular early twentieth century reconstructions that used the original Roman floor slabs or roofs as protective shelters.
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Shelters are encountered on many archaeological sites of the Mediterranean Their presence is most... more Shelters are encountered on many archaeological sites of the Mediterranean Their presence is mostly related to the need to protect specific architectural or decorative features exposed during excavation and believed to be too fragile to be left exposed. Consequently shelters tend to be isolated or randomly scattered within the archaeological site. The process of planning designing and building shelters usually follows the period immediately after excavation. If the area to be covered or the setting is particularly complex a provisional shelter is often provided while funds are raised for the design and construction of a permanent one. If these do not become available then provisional shelters themselves often become permanent. Sheltering on an archaeological site brings formidable challenges and contradictions. On the one hand a shelter should confer good protection to the archaeological remains below by reducing the rate of deterioration from environmental causes On the other it should impose the least possible aesthetic impact on the site and harmonize with the archaeological and natural landscape. It also needs to provide quality in the visitor experience in presenting the protected remains.
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At the beginning of the st century the international conservation community gathered in the USA t... more At the beginning of the st century the international conservation community gathered in the USA to take stock of the state of play with regard to protective shelters for archaeological sites to learn from a century long tradition of shelter building and draw conclusions that could be used at unsheltered archaeological sites. On the other side of the world conservation specialists wanting to assess conditions in a large Roman house in Herculaneum Italy could not safely access the building due to the risks presented by the corroded and cracked reinforced concrete beams supporting the modern roofs. Yet remedial work on the roof could not take place without first making safe the damaged mosaic floor on which scaffolding would need to rest. At around the same time an assessment of over mosaics under protective shelters within Israeli archaeological sites revealed that more than half those mosaics were deteriorating with many being entirely removed and other conservation approaches adopted. It was this context of ongoing connections and contrasts between conservation theory and site management practice together with the continuing challenge of sheltering archaeological sites that led to the Symposium on Protective Shelters for Archaeological Sites held a decade later in and with a specific focus on the Mediterranean region. This introductory chapter aims to capture within the structure that the event followed key insights from each case study brought to the symposium many of which emerged as their authors later reflected on the issues raised on return to their specific sites and further updated their papers Indeed this volume has become something more than just the proceedings of the symposium offering considerations matured over a greater period of time and through extended peer exchange something that has been at the heart of the MOSAIKON Programme since it began but also at the core of the approaches of the Herculaneum Conservation Project which hosted the symposium. It is hoped that the insights that emerge from this introductory overview from the papers themselves that follow and from the brief notes of the closing discussion session of the symposium will between them offer pointers for heritage practitioners in the field to approach sheltering at archaeological sites in a way that builds on progress to date and enhances future practice in the sector.
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