Royal Palace Research Articles

Conservation engineering and repair works at the Tower of London

This paper describes some of the various repair and conservation works carried out at the Tower of London, a World Heritage Site and Scheduled Ancient Monument, on behalf of Historic Royal Palaces. The works are generally managed on site by a surveyor from the Surveyor of the Fabric department and inspected by an Inspector of Ancient Monuments for Historic England, generally Jane Sidell.

Historic Chimney Stacks: Seismic Assessment and Kinematic Analysis

Many heritage buildings have chimney stacks of high architectural and cultural value. Most are built of brick or stone masonry, are often slender, and are prone to overturn even under slight quakes since undergoing great amplification of the seismic motion because of their position in the building. Notwithstanding thousands of chimney collapses during more or less recent earthquakes, causing considerable loss of cultural values and building damage, they remain one of the most disregarded nonstructural elements. This paper specifically addresses the analysis of the overturning mechanisms of chimney stacks to better know their vulnerability and provide a simple tool for their protection and conservation. The seismic behavior is studied through the displacement-based approach, considering the filtering effect due to the underneath building structure through floor response spectra. The main parameters influencing their seismic safety are also discussed. The procedure, applied to high chimney stacks of the Royal Palace of Carditello, built in 1787, is suitable for analyzing numerous historical masonry chimneys, to identify the most critical situations where it would be necessary to intervene in advance.

3D GPR Model in the Military District of San Giacomo Degli Spagnoli (Palermo)

The georadar method was used to try to find some anthropic structures in a large square inside the Carabinieri barracks in the former military complex of San Giacomo degli Spagnoli in Palermo (Italy). These investigations are part of a broader context of a study of the entire area. The purpose of the investigations is to try to understand if under the ground there are the remains of an ancient horse passage that connected the Royal Palace of Palermo with the sea gate of the city. Furthermore, in the Middle Ages, on the site of the present square, there were most likely two churches, which no longer exist, as evidenced by numerous historical testimonies. One of the two, San Giacomo la Mazara, is known to have was placed right in front of the church of San Paolo, the subject of previous investigations. The investigations carried out on the main square of the military district allowed us to reconstruct a 3D georadar model in which numerous anomalies are highlighted. Some superficial anomalies have been attributed to the presence of sub-services, the deeper ones could be caused by the remains of the medieval underground way or those of the no longer existing medieval churches, but identifying their true nature requires further investigations and archaeological tests.

Seville, a Cultured and Influential Court: The Palace of Ibn ‘Abbād

The palace of Ibn ‘Abbād has long been the subject of study by numerous specialists, amongst whom its possible location has been considered to be the current site of the Reales Alcázares of Seville (Royal Palace and Fortress of Seville). The results derived from the archaeological interventions carried out in several sectors of this palatine complex have led us to undertake a review of all those studies that have dealt with this issue, to which we must add the rigorous analysis of the documentary sources to which we have access. In this sense, we intend to show the importance that this palace had between the 11th and 13th centuries, as well as its relationship with the rest of the official and residential spaces that make up the Alcazar of Seville. This made it necessary to return to the initial discussion regarding its location and to answer some questions that remain open to this day.

A non-invasive study of the effect of three commercial cleaning products on shellac-coated mahogany

The Royal Palace of Norway has a large 19th century wooden furniture collection and most of it is coated with shellac-based varnishes. Since these objects are part of the royal collections, they are still in daily use at the different residences and, therefore, need to be frequently cleaned. In this work, the effect of three cleaning commercial products (Baolin, Centurio, Fulgentin) used at the royal collections on shellac-coated mahogany is investigated for the first time. A non-invasive methodology (portable ER-FTIR spectroscopy and colorimetry) was applied to assess whether the chemical composition and the color of fresh and artificially aged mahogany wood mock-ups coated with shellac were affected by the above-mentioned cleaning products. This study shows that one of them causes changes in the varnished wood, thus potentially affecting the long-term conservation of this furniture collection.

Locating Jerusalem’s Royal Palace in the Second Millennium BCE in Light of the Glyptic and Cuneiform Material Unearthed in the Ophel

This article argues, on the basis of indirect evidence drawn from the results of the excavations of the Ophel, that during the second millennium BCE, the governing centre of Jerusalem was located on the Temple Mount. The conclusion rests mainly upon a numerical comparison between the glyptic material uncovered in the Ophel vis-à-vis that unearthed in the Southeastern Hill (the City of David) and upon the discovery of two fragmented cuneiform tablets in this area. It is postulated that the findings uncovered in the Ophel might serve as a litmus test for the early urban life in the Temple Mount above it. The city at the time included two distinct quarters: the Temple Mount, the seat of the king and his court, and the Southeastern Hill, consisting of the summit of the hill and the Gihon Spring. This two-part division of the city persisted from its foundation in the MB II down to the early first millennium BCE and continued until the 8th century BCE.

The Regulation of Private Spaces: The Codification of the Royal Chamber of the Spanish Monarchy in the Seventeenth Century

Since the first appearance of monarchies, the presence of the king determined a graded hierarchy of the surrounding space. At the same time, the position of the different courtiers in that ‘created’ space showed their rank in the palatial world and, therefore, in the whole of the court, determining the degree of access to the royal person. The admission to the Royal Household of the monarch, especially to the Royal Chamber, favoured this closeness to the ruler. This contribution aims to study the evolution of the shape of the palatine space that took place in the seventeenth-century Spanish Monarchy, especially the changes related to the Royal Chamber that regulated access to the most private spaces of the king. Indeed, in the daily practice of government during the reigns of Philip III and Philip IV, the validos, or minister-favourites like Lerma and Olivares, confirmed that the royal palaces were political spaces, and they strove to submit these spaces to their control. Within this context, the Instruction of 1637 and other subsequent regulatory documents focused on restricting the access to the royal apartments, with the Chamber at their heart, influencing the relation between private and public at court.

Kinematic analysis of historic chimney stacks: the Royal Palace of Carditello

Many heritage buildings have chimney stacks of high architectural and cultural value. Most are built of brick or stone masonry and are slender and prone to overturn even under slight quakes since undergoing great amplification of the seismic motion because of their position in the building. Notwithstanding thousands of chimneys collapsed during more or less recent earthquakes, causing considerable loss of cultural values and building damage, they remain one of the most disregarded non-structural elements. This paper specifically addresses the analysis of the overturning mechanisms of chimney stacks to better know their vulnerability and provide a simple tool for their protection and conservation. The seismic behavior is studied through the displacement-based approach, considering the filtering effect due to the underneath building structure through floor response spectra. Some parameters influencing their safety are also discussed. The developed nonlinear kinematic procedure is then applied to the high chimney stacks of the Royal Palace of Carditello, built-in 1787. The presented procedure is suitable for analyzing numerous historical masonry chimneys, to identify the most critical situations where it would be necessary to intervene in advance.

Experiences and preliminary results of geophysical methods on historical statues

In recent years, geophysical applications have been significantly grown in rock mechanics field due to their versatility and reliability as diagnostic and/or monitoring tools. Since these methodologies are mainly non-invasive, they can be used for the investigation and characterization of the internal structure of historical artworks or for the monitoring of built cultural heritage, where the non-destructive feature is an indispensable prerequisite. Commonly, the artworks material properties are unknown or strongly altered due to time and physical/chemical agents. Moreover, their nature (mineralogic and petrographic) and origin (in terms of places where the material was exploited) is uncertain and difficult to allocate. Among the available geophysical techniques, seismic methods are useful for detecting the thickness or position of weathered layers, for estimating the physical properties of different materials and for providing information about cracking and degree of fracturing. In this paper, we present some experiences and preliminary results of geophysical characterization of two Tritons statues, discovered in the garden of the Royal Palace of Venaria (Piedmont Region, Italy). The statues were originally part of the Fountain of Hercules, destroyed in the 18th century during the redevelopment works of the Palace. Ultrasonic pulse velocity measurements were performed on each portion of the statues and 3D-imaging of the apparent P-wave velocity were carried out. The performed geophysical investigations were aimed at defining the overall material quality and detecting possible sectors with low resistance properties that might interfere with the coring operations, necessary for the reassembly of the statues. Results of these surveys were also useful for setting up a 3D-FEM model for simulating the material behaviour through an analysis of the forces and loads involved.

Незавершенный Лувр: общее место как способ присвоения

In contemporary public culture, there is a stereotypical interpretation of the history of the Louvre Palace as multiple successive attempts to achieve a ‘Grand design’ that dates back to the 16th century. However, this vision of the history of the Louvre does not emerge until the 19th century, although the narrative of its unfinishedness has existed for much longer. This article analyses the origins and transformation of this narrative throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. Despite the linguistic continuity associated with the stability of the very expression achever le Louvre (to finish the Louvre), the meaning that was invested in the idea of completion underwent significant changes. Originating in the context of the establishment and glorification of Louis XIV’s strong royal rule, the narrative was subsequently borrowed by critics of his great-grandson Louis XV’s reign and played a significant role in establishing the royal palace as a national treasure. By the 1760-s, in public discussions about the Louvre its completion becomes an allegory of a process of civilisation carried out in the name of the national interest. The changes that took place contributed greatly to the subsequent interpretation of the history of the Louvre and facilitated an ambitious project to merge it with the Tuileries Palace.

The Archaeology of Ancient Japanese Gardens

abstract: This article summarizes the results of archaeological research on some 20 Japanese garden sites dating from the fourth to twelfth centuries a.d., emphasizing the site plan, remains of structures, stone groupings, and ponds. Associated plant remains from five sites are tabulated and briefly discussed. I introduce some early Chinese and Korean antecedents and provide historical context. Gardens with rectangular ponds were introduced from the continent in the Asuka Period (a.d. 538–710). From the Nara Period (a.d. 710–794), garden making was naturalized in a Japanese asymetrical curving style in which structures were located away from the central axis. The gardens discussed here represent a small sample of the original gardens. They include two early examples of an adopted continental style (i.e., Uenomiya and Furumiya), a garden from an imperial palace site, gardens enclosing Heian Period shinden type architecture (raised residence with side wings) and its adapted Pure Land form, and a garden associated with the palace of a retired emperor. Plantings show a combination of flowering trees and shrubs, many introduced from the continent, combined with native deciduous and evergreen trees. Continental examples of gardens with rectangular ponds belong to royal palaces and were symbols of royal authority, as were the examples dated to the Asuka Period. In the Heian Period, state gardens such as Shinsen'en were used for state functions and required ample space and simple organization, while gardens sponsored by elite courtiers such as the Fujiwara show the expression of Buddhist belief. In the Toba Rikyū, built by retired emperors under a complex insei (retirement) system, imperial mausolea shared the landscape with mansions, Buddhist temples, and chapels. Groupings of stones, curving streams, dry landscapes, and low waterfalls probably all occurred as early as the Nara Period.

The Peristyle Courtyard of Alexandrium/Sartaba in the Light of the Herodian Royal Palace in Machaerus: A Comparative Architectural and Archaeological Analysis, 40 Years After the Excavations and Surveys in 1981 and 1983

The Peristyle Courtyard of Alexandrium/Sartaba in the Light of the Herodian Royal Palace in Machaerus: A Comparative Architectural and Archaeological Analysis, 40 Years After the Excavations and Surveys in 1981 and 1983

백제 사비기 왕궁과 사원의 기와 수급 방식과 와공의 동향

The purpose of this study is to shed light on the differences in the production and distribution of ceramic roof tiles used in the construction of the royal palaces and Buddhist temples of Baekje in the Sabi period (538-660) and the changes that occurred in the activities of the tile makers.The discussion in Chapter 2 is focused on the differing ways in which ceramic roof tiles were used in the construction of royal palaces and temples during the Sabi Baekje period. The convex roof-end tiles excavated at the sites of Baekje’s royal palaces, including those at Busosanseong Fortress, Archaeological Site in Gwanbuk-ri, Gua-ri and Ssangbuk-ri Buyeo, shared similar decorative motifs such as circular and triangular dots and waves for a long period of time. Conversely, the convex roof-end tiles discovered at temple sites dating back to the Sabi Baekje period, such as Temple Sites in Neungsa-ri and Gunsu-ri, and Wangheungsa Temple Sie in Buyeo, and Jeseoksa and Mireuksa Temples in Iksan, show that more than two new motifs were introduced at that time. The difference can be explained by the fact that new buildings continued to be added to the royal palaces, making necessary stricter management and control of the tile manufacturing facilities and equipment.In Chapter 3, the discussion deals with the ways in which roof tiles were produced and distributed for the construction of royal palaces and temples and the tendencies of tile makers. The roof tiles of new Buddhist temples built during the Sabi period were supplied by both state-run kilns and private kilns specializing in the production of roof tiles for Buddhist temples. The construction of palace buildings in the Sabi period led to continuous growth inthe size and number of tile kilns, as can be seen in the kiln sites at Geumdeok-ri, Jeongam-ri, Jeongdong-ri, Wangjin-ri and Hyeonbuk-ri. The discoveries made at the Yeondong-ri kiln site in Iksan suggest that the tile makers hired by the government-run workshops in Buyeo produced the roof tiles required for construction projects in the Iksan area. The excavation of the Wangheungsa Temple kiln site has revealed that the operator of the kiln organized temporary teams of tile makers from among workers at other kilns, suggesting a turning point in the history of tile production in Baekje. Analysis of the archaeological features has also revealed that the tile kilns of Wangjin-ri, Gwanhyeon- ri and Bonui-ri in Cheongyang were created by tile makers who had previously worked at the larger, government-financed kilns in Jangam-ri and Geumdeok-ri in Seocheon. The appearance of the convex roof-end tiles discovered at the kiln sites in Sinsan-ri of Seosan, Bunhyang-ri of Cheongyang, Sudeoksa Temple in Yesan, and Cheonho-ri of Nonsan suggests that they were produced by tile makers sent from the government-run kilns in the capital of Baekje for short-term local projects. Such changes in Baekje’s tile production system resulted from the effort to meet the need for a new system to ensure the mass production of roof tiles, effectively meeting the rapidly growing demand related with the construction of the fortified capital of Sabi in the late sixth century.

고구려 상장의례 시론

During the early years of Goguryeo, people mourned for the deceased for 100 days. Yet the culture of three-year mourning spread out after the early 3rd century. In case of the three-year mourning, ‘bin’ (殯, preserving the body temporarily in a morgue) lasted for a long time. It was partially because it took a long time to build a royal tomb, but the more important reason was because the new king needed time to cement his power. Most likely, it is assumed that the royal temporary morgues (殯所) were located outside the royal palace. It is also assumed that the coffin with the body in it was moved to the tomb after the ‘bin’ period.
 Originally, in Goguryeo, grand funeral was enacted. Then, trees were planted around tombs after the early 3rd century. However, because the trend of simple funeral became prevalent from the late 4th century to the 5th century, the deceased’s goods came to be distributed to others. Despite these changes, the tradition that escorting a funeral in a cheerful atmosphere was maintained.

Reflections on the Customary Laws of Benin Kingdom and Its Living Cultural Objects in the Discourse of Ownership and Restitution

The British punitive expedition of 1897 led to the theft and vandalization of the cultural heritage of the Benin kingdom. The plunder included more than 3,000 cultural objects made of bronzes, ivories, beads, and other objects, which were produced since the 1st century AD to commemorate historical moments, political transitions, and ritual purposes. This theft dishonoured the spiritual and ritual significance of these living cultural objects, and has turned them into museum artefacts. As international debates on restitution and the return of Benin Bronzes intensify, two pertinent questions which arise are: Who will be the custodians of the returned artefacts?; and How will they be conserved? In this article, we address these two questions through the lens of Benin customary laws and practices. We argue that within this local jurisprudence, the Emwin Arre– the living cultural heritage described above –belong to the Oba of Benin and should be returned to the royal Palace, where they will be preserved, protected, and shared with the present and future generations.

Phenomenon of Interaction between Italian and English Court Culture in the First Half of 17th Century

The purpose of the article is to identify the points of interaction between the English court culture and the Italian court culture of the first half of the 17th century and to highlight their characteristic features. The novelty of the study lies in understanding the interaction, similarities, and differences between the leading court genres of the Italian and English culture in the first half of the 17th century. The research methodology consists in applying the methods of analysis and synthesis, systematisation of facts, comparison, and generalisation of the research results. The system-historical method made it possible to consider the formation of Italian court culture in the Renaissance. The comparative method helped to reveal the similarities between court musical and theatrical performances in the above-mentioned countries. Conclusions. The attachment of the court culture of England, in general, and the genre of the English court mask, in particular, to the culture of the educated aristocracy of Italy, is verified by the cultural inclusion in the traditions of Italian carnival values and cult Italian dances. During the reign of the Stuart kings, the Italian carnival was well-known in England along with other European court entertainments. Italian dances, costumes, and scenery were used in court musical and theatrical performances in England. Italian choreographers and musicians were welcome guests at the Royal Palace of Whitehall, which contributed to the interaction and interpenetration of continental court culture with the culture of England. However, despite certain parallels between the court musical-theatrical entertainments of England and Italy, their difference was carried out due to the orientation of the performances to a narrow and, accordingly, wider circle of aristocratic participants.
 Key words: court culture, court mask, dance, Italian carnival, carnival mask, borrowed and creatively used.

Color Paintings of Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Royal Residence: An Analytical Study

Color paintings have much aesthetic value and historical importance. This study examined the color paintings of the east pillar of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom’s Great Hall. The pillars in interiors of ancient buildings were painted with a layer of red lacquer. The painted pillars are valuable because they symbolize the highest rank of a building’s hierarchy and the esteemed status of the owner. In this study, we investigated pigments, inorganic fillers, and adhesives used in the color paintings of the royal residence. Energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry, polarized light microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy were used to investigate the pigments of the paintings. Pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (Py–GC/MS) was used to classify the composition of adhesives. The results showed that the painted pigments included vermilion (HgS), graphite (C), white lead (2PbCO3·Pb(OH)2), and lead red (Pb3O4). The Py–GC/MS showed possible presence of tung oil and flour in the mortar. The X-ray diffraction demonstrated the presence of limewater and brick dust (gismondine, dolomite). The analyses of pigment, inorganic fillers, and adhesives of the Taiping royal palace paintings provide information on the long-standing preservation of the paintings.

THE DRAWING OF A TERRITORIAL INFRASTRUCTURE. THE CASE STUDY OF THE ‘CAROLINO’ AQUEDUCT (ITALY)

Abstract. The ‘Carolino’ Aqueduct, a territorial infrastructure, principally known to lead water to the park and the gardens of the Royal Palace of Caserta (Italy) is the main topic of tis paper. Specifically, presented here are some outcomes of research activities carried within the discipline of drawing with its different meanings (survey, representation, modeling, communication) and scalarities (architecture and territory). The activities have been fully systematized within a Geographical Information System (GIS) project with the aim not only to archive all the acquired and surveyed information but also to make it a communication tool - accessible through the web - to an expanded user that can enjoy this infrastructure, inscribed for its peculiarities in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

“Fratelli dei cani”: Autobiographical and autodiegetic interferences of the incipit of Pier Paolo Pasolini’s Orestiade

Abstract Starting from the examination of a marginal text like Letter of the translator, this article analyzes Pier Paolo Pasolini’s translation of the prologue to Aeschylus’ Agamemnon. The paper delves into the central image of Pasolini’s Letter: the comparison between the translator and a dog picking a bone. This juxtaposition alludes to the method used by the translator, which is based on an instinctive approach to the text, similar to that of a beast. I think that this rhetorical figure was suggested to Pasolini by the figure of the lookout on the roof of Atrides’ royal palace; his solitary nocturnal vigil is compared to the derelict condition of a dog. In the association between man and dog made by Aeschylus at the beginning of his trilogy (Orestea), Pasolini finds an expressive way very congenial to himself. In fact, this analogy is used in many points of his entire production as a writer to indicate the marginalization of the intellectual. The immediate proximity that the contemporary poet feels to the canine world implies an unconscious identification of the translator with the hardships of the Aeschylean character. This direct relationship between the human sphere and the animal sphere would explain the free and personal aspect of some interpretative choices about the introductory monologue of the Greek tragedy. It would also explain why Pasolini intended to reuse the prologue of Agamemnon, which he translated into a chapter of the posthumous novel entitled Petrolio.

고려 태조~목종대 왕실의 편제－왕실 남성의 ‘태자(太子)’·‘군(君)’ 칭호를 중심으로－

This dissertation aims at investigating the organization and legislative status of the royal family (wangshil, 王室) in the period of the early Goryeo dynasty before the Chinese nobility system (bongjakje, 封爵制) was adjusted according to the sociocultural foundation of the Goryeo society and brought to a conclusion as the Goryeo nobility system. After the establishment of the dynasty, the Goryeo court gave the official titles Jeongyun (正胤), Donggung (東宮), and Taeja (太子) to the destined heir to the throne and granted further potential aspirants an official title in the form of ‘royal Palace Name (宮院名) + Gun (君, Lord).’ This Gun title, based upon the name of the Queen Mother or one’s own Palace Name, is presumed to be related to a traditional Korean culture of ‘geononymy (宅號)’ that listed men in relation to women (wife and mother). This culture of geononymy can be seen as the remains of a cognatic social structure and a marital custom of matrilocality. In the biographies of the royal family in the History of Goryeo, most of the male members of the early royal family are listed as ‘○○Taeja (太子)’ or ‘○○Daewang (大王)’, which are not official titles but posthumous epithets. The system of posthumous conferment of Taeja and Daewang titles seems to have been established at least in Gyeongjong’s times. This system derived from that of the prosperous period of the Dang dynasty. In Gyeongjong’s reign, ‘Gaenyeonggun (開寧君)’, a new title completely different from before and not based on the Palace Name, appeared. In Gyeongjong’s reign, attempts to adjust the political system between Goryeo and China, which had been initiated under Gwangjong’s reign, continued. Gyeongjong tried to complete the royal organization for the deceased and alive members of the royal family.