Abstract
The construction of the artificial emissary of Fucino Lake is one of the most ambitious engineering buildings of antiquity. It was the longest tunnel ever made until the 19th century and, due to the depth of the adduction inlet, it required a monumental and complex incile, which, for functionality, cannot be compared to other ancient emissaries. The Roman emissary and its "incile" (Latin name of the inlet structure) were almost completely destroyed in the 19th century, when Fucino Lake was finally dried. Today, only few auxiliary structures such as wells, tunnels, and winzes remain of this ancient work. As evidence of the ancient incile remains a description made by those who also destroyed it and some drawings made by travelers who, on various occasions, visited the site. This paper presents a virtual reconstruction of the Roman incile, obtained both through the philological study of the known documentation, interpreting iconographic sources that represent the last evidence of this structure, and through the survey on the territory. The main purpose is to understand its technical functionalities, the original structures, and its evolution during the time, taking into account the evolution of the Fucino Lake water levels, technological issues, and finally offering its visual reconstruction.
Highlights
The Latin word incile is used to identify an opening or channel for the passage of water, in order to regulate or to fully drain a water basin, e.g., a lake
This paper presents a virtual reconstruction of the Roman incile, obtained both through the philological study of the known documentation, interpreting iconographic sources that represent the last evidence of this structure, and through the survey on the territory
This sketch is very useful for the reconstruction, because provides some information about building materials, structures, and the status in which the incile was it provides some information about building materials, structures, and the status in which the incile before being destroyed by the 19th century works
Summary
The Latin word incile is used to identify an opening or channel for the passage of water, in order to regulate or to fully drain a water basin, e.g., a lake. Fucino’s incile was a complex structure with different sub-systems situated on Fucino Lake, about 100 km east of Rome (Figure 1) This construction evolved over time (from its initial construction to the final lake desiccation) by changing its configuration, as well introducing new parts once the water was drained and the level of the lake was decreasing. The incile was a relatively simple structure, such as the one of the Lake Trasimeno (from Etruscan/Roman period) where the artificial emissary is an open channel and not an underground tunnel as in the case of the Fucino's emissary. An original 3D virtual reconstruction of the ancient incile of Fucino Lake is presented This operation required the integration of iconographic sources and land surveys performed by traditional technology based on measurements carried out by a theodolite, supplemented with land photogrammetry carried out by drone
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