The Staglieno Monumental Cemetery (Genoa, Italy): microenvironment characterization through weathering indicators

Abstract

The site of the Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno (Genoa, Northern Italy, about 0.33 km² wide) was addressed by a systematic analysis of decay factors for monuments, to identify potential management concerns. Geologic (structural and stratigraphic), geomorphologic, hydrogeological, hydrologic, meteorological (between 1947 and 2007), botanic and urbanistic (land use) analyses were addressed, and thematic cartography edited for each issue. The decay was observed on ten monuments in white Carrara marble placed in four different areas of the Cemetery (highly vegetated alluvial plain, mildly steep hill slope, south-facing hill slopes, humid creek banks, sheltered galleries, etc.). At the mesoscale, the monuments were addressed for detailed survey, rendered as a weathering map, coupled with decay quantification by the Fitzner indexes. The large- and mesoscale analysis was associated with in situ observation and microinvasive ablation of the surface deposits. These were then analysed by plane polarized light optical microscopy and scanning electron microscope with microprobe (SEM + EDS). Finally, to enhance field observations, all decay evidences were gathered into a protocol inspired to the UNI 11182 weathering descriptions grouped in (1) chromatic alteration (2) ablation weathering (3) accretional weathering. By calibrating the influence of each factor and agent, we attained a weathering zonation into subareas (e.g. Cimitero Protestante, Porticato Inferiore, Boschetto Irregolare, Galleria Pontasso).