Herculaneum Conservation Project Research Articles

Herculaneum and the House of the Bicentenary: History and Heritage by Sarah Court and Leslie Rainer

Reviewed by: Herculaneum and the House of the Bicentenary: History and Heritage by Sarah Court and Leslie Rainer Benedict J. Lowe Herculaneum and the House of the Bicentenary: History and Heritage. By Sarah Court and Leslie Rainer. Los Angeles, CA: Getty Publications, 2020. Pp. 176. Paperback, $29.95. ISBN: 978-1-60606-628-7. Since 2001 Herculaneum has enjoyed a renaissance thanks to the efforts of the Herculaneum Conservation Project. The parlous state of the site in the late 1990s is a story well known with much of the site being closed to the public. The House of the Bicentenary is emblematic of the renaissance that has occurred through the collaboration of the Packard Humanities Institute and the Soprintendenza Archeologica di Pompei culminating in the creation of the Parco Archeologico di Ercolano in 2017 and a long-term plan for the systematic maintenance of the site. Few people, if any, are better qualified than Sarah Court and Leslie Rainer to recount this tale. Although ostensibly concerned with the House of the Bicentenary, the book does in fact range much more widely by providing a history of Herculaneum from its foundation by Hercules through Antiquity (9–29); a history of the excavations from the discovery of the town in 1709 to the present (30–75); an overview of the layout of the town (76–101); the issues affecting the site today (136–151); and a final chapter looking at recent discoveries including a newly discovered bas-relief from the House of the Dionysiac Reliefs and the use of multispectral imaging to decipher the scrolls from the Villa of the Papyri and the prospects for the site as we move on through the 21st century (152–161). Court and Rainer bring all these themes together in a discussion of the House of the Bicentenary (102–117) and its subsequent restoration (138–151). Large-scale excavations in Herculaneum resumed on 16 May 1927 under the direction of Amedeo Maiuri with the support of the Fascist regime of Benito Mussolini. Maiuri’s excavations of the House of the Bicentenary formed the centerpiece of the two hundredth anniversary celebrations in 1938. The House provides a microcosm of the sumptuous décor that could be found in Herculaneum with the tablinum containing some of the finest fourth style paintings to be seen in the site. Maintaining Herculaneum is a constant struggle against the encroaching elements and lack of funding and maintenance led to the closure of the House to the public in 1983. Since 2009, the House has been the subject of a systematic program of research and restoration that has seen it recently reopened to the public for the first time in nearly forty years. [End Page 116] Until the publication of Andrew Wallace-Hadrill’s Herculaneum: Past and Future in 2011, teachers, students and general public alike had to rely upon increasingly dated books like those of Joseph Jay Deiss and Michael Grant. Court and Rainer have provided us with an excellent introduction to Herculaneum. Written in an approachable style and reinforced by lavish illustrations the authors’ knowledge and passion for Herculaneum permeates every page. The result is an excellent introduction not only to the House of the Bicentenary but to Herculaneum and its problems more generally that will be a valuable resource both to students and to the interested public. [End Page 117] Benedict J. Lowe University of North Alabama, blowe1@una.edu Copyright © 2022 Classical Association of the Middle West and South

DOCUMENTING LARGE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES, MANAGING DATA, PLANNING CONSERVATION AND MAINTENANCE: THE HERCULANEUM CONSERVATION PROJECT EXPERIENCE

Abstract. 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.

Celebrating centuries: Pink-pigmented bacteria from rosy patinas in the House of Bicentenary (Herculaneum, Italy)

Abstract The archaeological site of Herculaneum (Campania, Italy), which was buried as a result of the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in the first Century C.E., was first excavated in the XVIII century. It has been included on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1997, and in 2001 the Herculaneum Conservation Project (HCP) was started, which has carried out, among other activities, studies and conservation interventions across the site. Up until this time, little data has been available on the growth of biological agents that could cause biodeterioration of wall paintings and archaeological structures. Particularly, the presence of rosy discoloration is frequent on ancient monuments of the Vesuvian area, even if such phenomenon has so far been largely neglected. In this study, we describe, for the first time, the pink patina distribution and the microbial species isolated from the House of the Bicentenary in Herculaneum. By combining culture-based approaches with molecular and phylogenetic analyses we reliably isolated the pink-producing bacterial species and attributed them primarily to Arthrobacter agilis, and secondarily to Rhodococcus corynebacterioides, and Methylobacterium extorquens. Strains closely related to Dietzia maris and Gordonia rubripertincta were also isolated. With the exception of M. extorquens, a proteobacterium, all of the other isolates belong to the phylum Actinobacteria. All isolates produced carotenoid pigments, suggesting that they can participate in the development of such peculiar coloration. Our data indicate the presence of a large number of pink-pigmented bacterial species in the community, even if the presence of bacteria in viable but not-culturable state, such as Rubrobacter radiotolerans, is not excludible. The culture-based approach had the advantage of (i) obtaining bacterial isolates, (ii) showing their differential ability to produce pink discolorations, and (iii) testing conditions for in vitro growth. Moreover, field observations showed an association of pink patinas with dry conditions, saline efflorescence and moderate solar radiation. Some seasonal variations were also detected, with an increase in late spring and summer.

Performance management change in archaeological sites: The case of Herculaneum Conservation Project

This study focuses on the issues relating to the implementation of management accounting systems in complex settings such as archeological sites. The aim is to understand the conditions under which the implementation of performance management systems (PMS) may enable cultural organizations to fulfil their multiple objectives and the factors which play a crucial role in such dynamics. Focusing on the Herculaneum Conservation Project (HCP) the study explains how PMS came to be implemented having been made acceptable to all parties involved. The Middle Range Theory as developed by Broadbent and Laughlin (Accounting control and controlling accounting: interdisciplinary and critical perspectives, Bingley, Emerald, 2013) was utilized to explore how the PMS change took place in the HCP, and focus on the factors influencing this process. The findings reveal that the change in the PMS benefited from the involvement of a multidisciplinary Specialist Work Group. This involvement reduced the natural tendency to resist the forces of change and increased the commitment of the various groups of stakeholders to the new culture. The findings reveal how PMS were developed in the context of a multifaceted approach to change, allowing us to draw both theoretical and practical lessons that may be brought to bear in other complex contexts.

Portable in practice: investigations using portable instrumentation for materials analysis and mapping of decorated architectural surfaces in the tablinum of the House of the Bicentenary at Herculaneum

ABSTRACTThe conservation of the architectural surfaces in the tablinum of the House of the Bicentenary at the ancient Roman site of Herculaneum is a collaborative project of the Getty Conservation Institute, the Herculaneum Conservation Project and the Soprintendenza Pompeii. The tablinum was selected as a case study given the significance, beauty, and severe deterioration of its decorated surfaces. A multi-disciplinary team with a wide range of expertise, comprised of conservators, chemists, geo-physicists, engineers, and conservation scientists, worked in partnership across a number of institutions with the objective to study the wall paintings in the tablinum. Scientists and conservators worked together to test the feasibility of portable techniques and in situ investigations to better understand Roman painting technology; identify previous restoration materials; determine the presence of alteration products; and characterize deterioration mechanisms commonly found on architectural surfaces at archaeological sites of the Vesuvian Region. The collection and interpretation of the instrumental data has been critical to the design and implementation of appropriate passive and remedial interventions to stabilize the architectural surfaces and mitigate deterioration. The paper will present the results of the investigations using portable instrumentation along with a discussion of the capabilities and limitations of each technique and the practical implications of their use for architectural surfaces on archaeological sites.

Partnerships for heritage conservation: evidence from the archeological site of Herculaneum

In the present paper, we investigate the Herculaneum Conservation Project (HCP), a partnership agreement between one public and two non-profit actors aimed at improving the conservation of the archeological site of Herculaneum. The study is motivated by different elements of interests. First, although HCP has been defined by UNESCO as a significant case study for private–public partnership (PPP) in the cultural heritage sector, its financial and organizational aspects are still under-investigated. Second, and quite paradoxically, an analysis of HCP through the lenses of PPP literature reveals its distinctive nature—i.e. more a borderline case than a typical example of PPP. Third, the presence of a similar archeological site nearby Herculaneum—i.e. Pompeii, also defined as a Herculaneum sister city—allows a thorough assessment of the benefit of the partnership scheme in a counterfactual logic. Through the study, we complement the current debate on partnerships in the heritage field, we report on an atypical experience of partnership, and we problematize the rationale of this governance solution within the Italian public sector.

New Wooden Archaeological Finds from Herculaneum: The State of Preservation and Hypothesis of Consolidation of the Material from the House of the Relief of Telephus

This paper deals with the description of the analysis performed to characterize the state of preservation of the wooden artefacts recently discovered at the site of Herculaneum, Italy. During 2009, several wooden artefacts were brought to light during maintenance work at Herculaneum. They were attributed to both the roofing elements and the ceiling of the House of the Relief of Telephus. The roof was found mainly disassembled; nevertheless, it was an extraordinary archaeological find, because it represents a unique vestige of a Roman roof and, moreover, the aspect of both the structural and the decorative panels, where portions of the original polychrome decoration and traces of gilding were still preserved, appeared almost intact. Within the framework of the Herculaneum Conservation Project, a diagnostic study was undertaken to characterize the state of preservation of the wood constituting the roof, and also including the decorated panels of the ceiling, in order to determine a consolidation process able to structurally support the decayed wood without damaging the residual polychrome decoration. The results of the micromorphological, chemical and physical characterization of the wood, as a combined diagnostic process, are reported. A first proposal of a possible consolidation methodology based on the analytical results is also suggested.

The roof and suspended ceiling of the marble room in the House of the Telephus Relief at Herculaneum

The timber roof and suspended ceiling of the marble room in the House of the Telephus Relief were discovered during a larger project to enhance Herculaneum’s ancient shoreline, one of many initiatives undertaken by the Herculaneum Conservation Project (HCP). Preliminary work to drain rain and groundwater led to the cleaning of the E part of the ancient shoreline, an area never fully investigated during previous excavations (fig. 1). The work was carried out between August 2009 and June 2010 in the area between the S corner of the Suburban Baths and the adjacent wing of the House of the Telephus Relief. Beneath the layer of solidified volcanic material from the eruption of A.D. 79 was discovered a collapse of timbers, covering an area about 55 m. Thanks to the particular conditions of its volcanic burial, the wood was perfectly preserved and not carbonized (fig. 2). Tests carried out by CNR-IVALSA showed that almost all the samples were from the silver fir species.

Microscopic techniques (LM, SEM) and a multi-analytical approach (EDX, FTIR, GC/MS, Py-GC/MS) to characterise the decoration technique of the wooden ceiling of the House of the Telephus Relief in Herculaneum (Italy)

The House of the Telephus Relief in Herculaneum (Naples, Italy) is a Roman domus, buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. The house had a wooden roof with decorated ceiling, which was discovered in 2009. The roof represents an extraordinary archaeological find and, although it was found mainly disassembled, some of its wooden decorative panels are still almost intact. Some portions of the original polychrome decoration and traces of gilding are still preserved.Within the framework of the Herculaneum Conservation Project, a diagnostic study was undertaken to characterise the materials used in the polychrome decoration and to assess the technique used by Roman painters to decorate the ceiling.Micro samples (c. 500μg) of paint were analysed with a multi-analytical approach. The micro-morphological characterisation of the pigments and the paint stratigraphy was assessed using light (LM) and scanning electron microscopes (SEM). X-ray microanalysis (EDX) coupled with SEM and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) were used to investigate the inorganic components. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and pyrolysis coupled with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) were used to identify the binding media and other organic materials. The nature of the sediment, where the findings had been embedded, was also investigated.The acquired data revealed that a tempera painting has been applied. Egg was used as binder, whereas lime, red and yellow ochre, and caeruleum were used as white, red, yellow and blue pigments, respectively. The paint was directly applied onto the wood surface. Some decorations involved the application of gold leaf: unfortunately, no trace of the mordant or adhesives was found. The results also highlighted some issues related to the state of preservation of the artefact, thus contributing to the planning of conservation strategies.

Characterisation of archaeological waterlogged wood from Herculaneum by pyrolysis and mass spectrometry

Chemical characterization is a valuable tool for assessing the decay of archaeological or historical degraded wood it and is essential in selecting the most appropriate conservation techniques.This paper reports the results on archaeological waterlogged wood remains from the roof of a Roman villa buried in AD 79 by the eruption of Vesuvius. Parts of the wooden roof were excavated in 2009 under several meters of solidified pyroclastic material in the area of the ancient shoreline, in an extremely wet environment. The sampling was undertaken in 2011 and samples were analyzed and characterized within the framework of the Herculaneum Conservation Project. The degradation of the wood was assessed by pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS), an analytical approach that achieves semi-quantitative results on the content of lignin and polysaccharides in degraded wood.The characterization was based on a comparison of the pyrolysis profiles of archaeological wood with sound wood of the same species. To compare samples according to their state of degradation, a multivariate statistical approach based on principal component analysis (PCA) was used.The analyzed samples revealed different levels of lignin oxidation, and different amounts of residual polysaccharide components, even between samples taken from the same fragment of the roof. This means that the wood underwent different degradation pathways, such as degradation by fungi or insects.

Archaeological Fieldwork Reports: Ten years of the Herculaneum Conservation Project

Archaeological Fieldwork Reports: Ten years of the Herculaneum Conservation Project

Archaeological Fieldwork Reports: Archaeological results from the Herculaneum Conservation Project in 2009

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Conservation measures for an archaeological site at risk (Herculaneum, Italy): from emergency to maintenance

For nearly three years, the Herculaneum Conservation Project has been running a continuous campaign of urgent works in the areas at risk throughout the archaeological site of Herculaneum. The instability of the standing structures and the fragility of the decorative features after years of neglect had made it evident that the site could not wait for long-term conservation proposals to be developed. In this article, the authors discuss the reasoning behind the establishment of the campaign and the methodologies adopted. They conclude that, although many useful lessons have been learnt about emergency works on large archaeological sites at risk, the biggest challenge remains: that of translating the emergency campaign into a structured and sustainable maintenance programme of continuous care such that the neglect of the site characteristic of the late 20th century never recurs.

Archaeology and conservation at Herculaneum: from the Maiuri campaign to the Herculaneum Conservation Project

This article looks at two periods in the history of the archaeological site of Herculaneum (Italy) and the role of the archaeologist there. Amedeo Maiuri was in charge of the first major excavation campaign that uncovered the site from 1927 to 1961, but was also responsible for the site's restoration, presentation and maintenance. Much can be learnt from his approach, particularly with regard to site management – a fixed team of specialists continuously cared for the site – and his creation of what was effectively an open-air museum. The second example looks at the author's experiences with the Herculaneum Conservation Project, where the emphasis is on conservation interventions rather than excavation, but where the archaeologist has an important role in the conservation team and also has the opportunity to make new archaeological discoveries. The article concludes that the role of the archaeologist must evolve to include a professional responsibility for archaeological heritage that extends beyond its excavation.

The Herculaneum Conservation Project: Introduction

This short text places the archaeological site of Herculaneum, Italy and the Herculaneum Conservation Project in context, and introduces the volume of articles on this subject. The author outlines the importance of the site, and the public/private partnership that was launched in order to tackle the problems of decay there.

New and existing forms of protective shelter at Herculaneum: towards improving the continuous care of the site

The Herculaneum Conservation Project has approached the conservation of a large-scale archaeological site (Herculaneum, Italy) suffering widespread forms of decay in two different ways: 1) with a site-wide campaign addressing conservation problems in areas most at risk and 2) with a case-study project for one urban block (Insula Orientalis I ) exploring some of the complex conservation challenges in more detail. One of these challenges is how to approach the repair of existing roofing and how to design new forms of protective shelter for those spaces that have never been covered. Short-, mid- and long-term solutions for the repair and substitution of existing roofing are being tested as part of the site-wide campaign, while in the case-study area more enduring solutions (new mid- and long-term) for new shelters are being trialled.

Conservation and management challenges in a public/private partnership for a large archaeological site (Herculaneum, Italy)

The Herculaneum Conservation Project is an innovative public/private initiative to safeguard and conserve, to enhance, and to advance the knowledge, understanding and public appreciation of the archaeological site of Herculaneum, Italy. This article traces, from a project management perspective, how this collaborative venture was created and how it continues to evolve. The project is analysed as a response to the widespread and exponential decay that years of neglect had created in the archaeological site, as well as the financial, methodological and operational difficulties the public heritage authority faces in overcoming them. The innovative route adopted is outlined together with its particular operational advantages, primarily those of allowing a mixed public/private project team to launch the urgent remedial measures and establish the sustainable conservation strategies and maintenance models required to ensure Herculaneum does not die for a second time. After exploring the particular approaches adopted and briefly outlining what has been achieved to date, the author discusses the challenges that remain to ensure good conservation practice continues beyond the lifetime of the project. The conclusion examines the potential of the project, both as a public/private partnership model for site conservation and enhancement re-applicable elsewhere, and as a catalyst for wider improvements in the urban and cultural landscape surrounding Herculaneum itself.