Villa Hadriana: a number of methodological queries on preservation and restoration in the field of archaeology
Villa Hadriana: a number of methodological queries on preservation and restoration in the field of archaeology

Summary/Abstract: The paper is meant to address issues relevant to the reinforcement of masonry elements in deterioration, as well as the topic of restoration in the sector of archaeology, drawing its inspiration from two projects carried out by the author, in collaboration with Riccardo d’Aquino, on the major artefacts found at the Hadrian’s Villa in Tivoli. The work done to reinforce the structures essentially regards four settings: the Hall of the Philosophers, the Maritime Theatre, the Hospitalia and what is referred to as the Libraries. The problem in the first case was the widespread detachment of pieces of brick in the uppermost portion, due to deterioration of the mortar used to lay them, with a number of elements being lost; the problem was countered with thorough joining of the surviving elements, with lime and pozzolana mortar, so as to protect against the infiltration of moisture into the underlying structures, due to renewed damage of the mortar from rainwater. As for the toric vault of reinforced concrete that currently covers a limited portion of the ambulacrum of the Maritime Theatre, the most advisable solution would appear to be demolition of that portion of the vault, to be replaced by a wooden structure capable of having the least possible impact on the vertical elements. The points where the facing has become detached and the gaps between the latter and the core structure of the wall observed near the central door of the Maritime Theatre should be treated with injections of fluid lime and pozzolana mortar ventilated to eliminate the empty spots currently present. Looking at the perimeter wall of the setting known as the Libraries, there are signs that the core portion of the wall is deteriorating, having lost a portion of its brick facing; the restoration project is meant to return the wall assembly “to its original thickness” while, at the same time, installing taut cables anchored to the ground, in order to avoid the risk of any yielding outside of the plane of the wall; this approach ensures the characteristics of reversibility and “minimum intervention”by now considered to be key criteria of any effort of restoration for preservation. Finally, the ceiling of the Small Baths shall be restored with a raised dome of cor-ten steel anchored to the original Roman masonry with steel supports.

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