Ersilia Maria Loreti 1, Luca Girardo 2, Elettra Santucci 2, Stefano Adornato 2 & Susanna Basso 2
1 Sovrintendenza BB. CC. di Roma Capitale – ersiliamaria.loreti@comune.roma.it
2 Associazione Roma Sotterranea – segreteria@romasotterranea.it
The techniques to operate safely underground applied to the project “Forma Aquae Maxentii” for the study and recovery of the hydraulic system of Villa Maxentius
ABSTRACT
The Sovrintendenza ai Beni Culturali del Comune di Roma has launched the “Form Aquae Maxentii” project in collaboration with the Association Roma Sotterranea for the study of the hydraulic system of Villa Maxentius. The complex, located between the second and third
Roman mile of the Appian Way, consists of three main buildings: the palace, the dynasty mausoleum and the circus. The suburban imperial estate was erected in the 4th century AD. on previous structures dating back to the Late Republican and the Middle Imperial period, respectively a rustic Villa and the remains of the residential complex built within the vast property that Herodes Atticus possessed in the area: the Pago Triopio.
In 2009 an excavation campaign was carried out by Roma Sotterranea, under the scientific direction of the Sovrintendenza Capitolina and in collaboration with the University of Colorado, on the area of Maxentius’ palace, inside and outside the Palatine hall, with the aim of investigating the hydraulic structures relevant to the different stages of occupation. At present, investigations have been extended to the area of the dynastic mausoleum and its monumental quadri-porticus in order to identify the meteoric water disposal system. The preliminary results shows the existence of a hydraulic conduit to channel the meteoric water towards the quadriporticus, and of a circular hydraulic conduit below the semi-subterranean floor of the cylindrical round chamber of the tomb.
The study of hypogea necessitates special techniques for access, occupancy, survey and excavation, in order to guarantee the safety of the operators. These techniques are the result of seventeen years of experience by the Associazione Roma Sotterranea, where basic theories in the field have been refined allowing them to be applied to confined spaces. As part of the risk assessment in underground structures, inspections supported by air sampling as well as video inspections by wireguided robots, are carried out as a preliminary activity. Accident prevention measures are then implemented to ensure safety when accessing as well as for underground operations.
Bearing in mind the specific requirements of such an environment, specific measures must also be integrated with the common techniques of study, survey and excavation of hypogean environments.
Relazione presentata alla conferenza “Archeologia e Speleologia, Subterranean Speleology” svoltasi a Roma il 2 Luglio 2019.
https://www.scintilena.com/conferenza-a-roma-su-archeologia-e-speleologia-subterranean-archaeology/07/03/