Triennial Meeting of the Greek and Roman Societies

Fil: González de Tobia, Ana María. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educación; Argentina.

The statuary collection held at the baths of Zeuxippus (Ap 2) and the search for Constantine's museological intentions

Constantino pretendía enseñar al mundo su Constantinopla como la Nueva (la tercera) Troya, el más acabado retrato de la nueva paidea de inspiración griega y romana. Él mismo y su equipo dispusieron de no más que seis años para planear y reconstruir una ciudad entera, la antigua Bizancio; y las artes plásticas, en especial la escultura, ejercieron un rol determinante en todo ese proceso público. Volviendo una vez más la mirada hacia los restos arqueológicos y la descripción literaria de Cristodoro (Antología Griega, libro II) de la colección de estatuas de los Balnearios del Zeuxipo, el presente artículo desenvuelve una lectura museológica de estas estatuas, buscando encuadrarlas en el plan arquitectónico global de Constantino para su nueva capital del Imperio.

The statuary collection held at the baths of Zeuxippus (Ap 2) and the search for Constantine's museological intentions

Constantino pretendía enseñar al mundo su Constantinopla como la Nueva (la tercera) Troya, el más acabado retrato de la nueva paidea de inspiración griega y romana. Él mismo y su equipo dispusieron de no más que seis años para planear y reconstruir una ciudad entera, la antigua Bizancio; y las artes plásticas, en especial la escultura, ejercieron un rol determinante en todo ese proceso público. Volviendo una vez más la mirada hacia los restos arqueológicos y la descripción literaria de Cristodoro (Antología Griega, libro II) de la colección de estatuas de los Balnearios del Zeuxipo, el presente artículo desenvuelve una lectura museológica de estas estatuas, buscando encuadrarlas en el plan arquitectónico global de Constantino para su nueva capital del Imperio.

Pollen analysis of soil samples from the A.D. 79 level. Boscoreale, Oplontis, and Pompeii

Fifty samples of Roman time soil preserved under the thick ash layer of the A.D.79 eruption of Mt Vesuvius were studied by pollen analysis: 33 samples from a former vineyard surrounding a Villa Rustica at Boscoreale (excavation site 40 x 50 m), 13 samples taken along the 60 m long swimming pool in the sculpture garden of the Villa of Poppaea at Oplontis, and four samples from the formal garden (12.4 x 17.5 m) of the House of the Gold Bracelet in Pompeii. To avoid contamination with modern pollen all samples were taken immediately after uncovering a new portion of the A.D. 79 soil. For comparison also samples of modern Italian soils were studied. Using standard methods for pollen preparation the pollen content of 15 of the archaeological samples proved to be too little to reach a pollen sum of more than 100 grains. The pollen spectra of these samples are not shown in the pollen tables. (Flotation with a sodium tungstate solution, Na2WO4, D = 2.05, following treatment with HCl and NaOH would probably have given a somewhat better result. This method was, however, not available as too expensive at that time.) Although the archaeological samples were taken a few meters apart their pollen values differ very much from one sample to the other. E.g., at Boscoreale (SW quarter). the pollen values of Pinus range from 1.5 to 54.5% resp. from 1 to 244 pine pollen grains per 1 gram of soil, the extremes even found under pine trees. Vitis pollen was present in 7 of the 11 vineyard samples from Boscoreale (NE quarter) only. Although a maximum of 21.7% is reached, the values of Vitis are mostly below 1.5%. Even the values of common weeds differ very much, not only at Boscoreale, but also at the other two sites. The pollen concentration values show similar variations: 3 to 3053 grains and spores were found in 1 g of soil. The mean value (290) is much less than the number of pollen grains, which would fall on 1 cm2 of soil surface during one year. In contrast, the pollen and spore concentrations of the recent soil samples, treated in exactly the same manner, range from 9313 to almost 80000 grains per 1 g of soil. Evidently most of the Roman time pollen has disappeared since its deposition, the reasons not being clear. Not even species which are known to have been cultivated in the garden of Oplontis, like Citrus and Nerium, plant species with easily distinguishable pollen grains, could be traced by pollen analysis. The loss of most of the pollen grains originally contained in the soil prohibits any detailed interpretation of the Pompeian pollen data. The pollen counts merely name plant species which grew in the region, but not necessarily on the excavated plots.

Researching in ancient engineering physical and chemical analysis in hidraulic roman mortars

Around ten years ago investigation of technical and material construction in Ancient Roma has advanced in favour to obtain positive results. This process has been directed to obtaining some dates based in chemical composition, also action and reaction of materials against meteorological assaults or post depositional displacements. Plenty of these dates should be interpreted as a result of deterioration and damage in concrete material made in one landscape with some kind of meteorological characteristics. Concrete mixture like calcium and gypsum mortars should be analysed in laboratory test programs, and not only with descriptions based in reference books of Strabo, Pliny the Elder or Vitruvius. Roman manufacture was determined by weather condition, landscape, natural resources and of course, economic situation of the owner. In any case we must research the work in every facts of construction. On the one hand, thanks to chemical techniques like X-ray diffraction and Optical microscopy, we could know the granular disposition of mixture. On the other hand if we develop physical and mechanical techniques like compressive strength, capillary absorption on contact or water behaviour, we could know the reactions in binder and aggregates against weather effects. However we must be capable of interpret these results. Last year many analyses developed in archaeological sites in Spain has contributed to obtain different point of view, so has provide new dates to manage one method to continue the investigation of roman mortars. If we developed chemical and physical analysis in roman mortars at the same time, and we are capable to interpret the construction and the resources used, we achieve to understand the process of construction, the date and also the way of restoration in future.

Rituum ecclesiasticorum siue Sacrarum cerimoniarum S.S. Roman�� Ecclesiæ libri tres non ante impressi.

Pie de imp. tomado del colofón

Effects of Conservation Interventions on the Archaeological Roman Site of Merida (Spain). Advance of Research

Efectos derivados de tratamientos de conservación y restauración sobre material inorgánico en yacimientos arqueológicos. Caso de estudio: Mérida.

Patriotisme y llibertat : roman�� histórich en que se celebren los fets lliberals de Castelló de la Plana

Premiado en el Certamen celebrado en Castelló de la Plana el 7 de julio de 1892

Effects of conservation interventions on the archaeological Roman site of Merida (Spain). Advance of research.

Research on the assessment of the effects of conservation/restoration treatments on stone material has been significant in recent years, with focus on the early observation of decay caused by the application of these treatments. However, in the case of archaeological sites, research is still scarce and few studies on the subject have been published. Restoration, as everything else, has changed according to trends, mainly guided by the release of new products and technologies, an experimental field where scientific assessment of suitability, efficacy and durability pre-evaluations of treatments are not always conducted. Some efforts have been made to solve this problem in the architectural field, where functional needs and technical requirements force to set clear standards. Unfortunately, archaeological sites, unlike historic buildings, have specific features that preclude the extrapolation of these results. A critical review of the methodologies, products and restoration materials is necessary, coupled with deeper research on degradation mechanisms caused by these treatments in the mid- and long-term. The aim of this paper is to introduce the research on the above issues using Merida as a case study.

First steps of Roman Cement in Spain

Natural cement was patented in 1796 but it didn’t arrive in Spain until 1835. No one knows exactly where the production started in Spain, because it emerged independently at the same time in many places. Most of these outbreaks are concentrated in the north and northwest of Spain: Basque Country (Zumaya and Rezola) and Catalonia (San Celoní and San Juan de las Abadesas).Natural cement was extensively used to decorate historical buildings during the nineteenth and beginning of twentieth century in Madrid. It was the building material which realised the architects and builders dreams of mass-produced cast elements in a wide variety of styles. Its arrival replaced traditional materials that were used previously (lime, gypsum and hydraulic limes). However, its use was not extended in time, and soon it was replaced by the use of artificial Portland cements. During 20th century this building material disappeared from use. What remains is it’s memory, in thousands and thousands of “stone witnesses” in our cities. Final properties of the cement largely depend on raw materials used and its combustion temperature. However, it was characterised by an easily implementation on facade masonry, fast-setting (about 15 minutes), good resistance , an agreeable structural consistency and colour.This article aims to show first steps, evolution and decay of Natural Cement Industry in Spain and its application in Madrid.

Oracion fúnebre, que en las ... exequias del ... Sr. D. Federico Gravina ... Josef Ruiz y Roman ...

Sign.: [1]-7(4), 8(3)