Pompeii. Restaurarea mulajelor victimelor erupției Vezuviului
Pompeii. Restoration of Victims’ cast from Vesuvius’ Eruption

Summary/Abstract: August 24th 79 A.D. Vesuvius’ eruption was covering the city of Pompeii and buries the last inhabitants under meters of pumice, lapilli and volcanic ash. More than a millennium and half later, in 1748, abbacy Martorelli uncovered the first human remains. The excavations are abandoned and restarted in 1772 when 18 skeletons are discovered in Villa di Diomede. After the first half of the 19th century, once the digging approach changed, in 1863, Giuseppe Fiorelli makes the first plaster cast using the impression of a victim’s body in the volcanic matter. By 2012, there were made more than 80 casts of the victims of Vesuvius’ eruption using the same technique and different materials. The microclimate conditions, the characteristics of the constituent materials, the numerous relocations and other factors led to the degradation of these important vestiges. An ample interdisciplinary project was initiated in 2014 to study and restore these witnesses of Pompeii from almost two millennia ago.

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