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Contribution of petrophysical analysis and 3D digital survey in the archaeometric investigations of the Emperor Hadrian’s Baths (Tivoli, Italy)

  • Geosciences and Cultural Heritage
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Abstract

This work studies the Heliocaminus Baths. From an architectural point of view, this is a special and unique building in the complex of the Hadrian’s Villa in Tivoli. This research is carried out with a multidisciplinary approach combining petrophysical, petrographic and mineralogical characterization with the techniques of digital survey. The purpose of the research is to contribute to the understanding of Roman construction through the study of materials and from architectural aspects. Using mineral-petrographic and physical analysis, a set of samples (mortars and stones) was investigated for composition and physical properties (density, porosity, water absorption, mechanical strength, etc.). In the case of mortars, these parameters, together with the particle size distribution and the binder/aggregate ratio determined in two ways using image analysis (on thin sections and on specimens), have shown a relationship between the physical and compositional characteristics and the function of mortars within the structure of the Heliocaminus Baths. However, in some cases, different characteristics were detected between the mortars belonging to the same masonry and with same function in the building, showing a slight inhomogeneity in the production of mortars. Furthermore, some relationships between compositional, physical aspects (i.e. porosity, sorting and size of aggregate) and mechanical strength have been found. All the gathered data, linked to the point cloud 3D model, allowed an accurate location of the traces from the construction story of this structure.

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Acknowledgments

Stefano Columbu, Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche of Cagliari University (UNICA), Italy, was responsible for geomaterial mapping and sampling of the Heliocaminus Baths (2010). Giorgio Verdiani, Dipartimento di Architettura of the Florence University (UNIFI), Italy, was responsible for digital survey of the Heliocaminus Baths (2010). The operative group of digital survey included: Giorgio Verdiani, Francesco Tioli, Mirco Pucci and Graziano Corsaro, with the collaboration of Alessandro Peruzzi from Area 3D Srl Livorno. All the surveys were carried out during the period of the International Museography Workshop Premio Piranesi: responsible of the workshop: Prof. Pierfederico Caliari. We thank Dr. Benedetta Adembri of the “Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici del Lazio” for the support and collaboration.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche, University of Cagliari, Via Trentino 51, 09127, Cagliari, Italy

    Stefano Columbu & Fabio Sitzia

  2. Dipartimento di Architettura, University of Firenze, Florence, Italy

    Giorgio Verdiani

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  1. Stefano Columbu
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  2. Fabio Sitzia
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Correspondence to Stefano Columbu.

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“This contribution deals with topics considered in the session, “Archaeometry and Cultural Heritage: the contribution of Geosciences” held during the conference “The future of the Italian Geosciences, the Italian Geosciences of the future”, organized by the Società Geologica Italiana and the Società Italiana di Mineralogia e Petrologia, Milano, September 10–12, 2014”.

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Columbu, S., Sitzia, F. & Verdiani, G. Contribution of petrophysical analysis and 3D digital survey in the archaeometric investigations of the Emperor Hadrian’s Baths (Tivoli, Italy). Rend. Fis. Acc. Lincei 26, 455–474 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12210-015-0469-3

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