Naples, Bovio square, recovery of Roman marbles of the second century A.C.
Date
Saturday September 24th, 2016
DATA SHEET
DATING:
II century A.C.
LOCATION:
Naples, Bovio square (excavation for the University Station). Currently in custody at the Metropolitan spa warehouses, after being exposed to the MANN in 2010 in the exhibition “Naples the city and the sea.”
CUSTOMER:
TOLEDO scarl
HIGH SURVEILLANCE:
High surveillance: Dr. Daniela Giampaola
Archaeological Superintendence of Naples
INTERVENTION PERIOD:
The excavation recovery: July 2008
Restoration and setting up of the exhibition: May 2010
THE PROBLEM
During the work for the realization of one of the access ladder to the University station there were found some valuable Roman marbles, architectural elements and bas reliefs pertaining to an important II century A.C. monument, reused in the Byzantine period as blocks of the wall structure of a tower.
The first problem was exactly their recovery which has to be quickly realized in order to assure the continuity of the excavation site.
The marbles were first cleared from residual mortar used to build the wall, then removed and carried in boxes located in the warehouses of Naples underground spa.
In 2010 they were restored and returned to the city during the setting of the exhibition “Naples, the city and the sea” at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples.
THE METHOD
In 2008, the project consisted in cleaning and safety of the marbles to allow handling and transportation.
The removal of the mortar mixture which involved blocks of marble was particularly arduous due to the state of degradation of the reliefs.
Some reliefs were made safe using localized bandages and polyester adjustable bands. There have been designed some reinforcing and steel supporting structures which made it possible to raise these large and heavy blocks.
In 2010 it was organized the workshop in the warehouse of the Naples metro, where the marbles had been stored and the resoration has been implemented .
In addition to the restoration we have dealt with the themes setting up, in particular from the specific and technical point of view related to the design of support structures, in collaboration with the project architect. Finally it is given assistance during the crating, delivery and setting during both the assembly phase and in the removal one of the exhibition.
