The Roman Houses of the Caelian Hill (Rome, Italy): Multitemporal Evaluation of Biodeterioration Patterns

Like other hypogeal environments, the Roman Houses of the Caelian Hill are prone to unwanted biological growth. Wide conservative interventions have been carried out at the beginning of this millenium to reduce biodeterioration and physical-chemical damages. Retracing the last monitoring work, we assessed the site's current state of conservation and biodeterioration intending to check the previous treatments' effectiveness and deepen the common knowledge of the subterranean biota and their possible biodeteriogenic effects. Starting from the past test areas and the previous identifications of the occurring biodeteriogens, we further isolated and identified the main eubacterial, fungal, and phototrophic settlers, focusing on some detrimental traits for wall paintings (i.e., acid production and carbonate precipitation). The achieved results proved the success of the performed interventions in reducing the wall's water content. Otherwise, the new conditions raise, in the long term, new concerns about lampenflora, carbonate precipitations, and salt efflorescence. Here, the Caelian Houses' new status is documented. The possible favouring conditions for the different groups of biodeteriogens, along with the taxonomical novelties, additional risks tied to the anthropization of the resident culturable microbial community, and the possible relation between the black fungus Cyphellophora olivacea and roots, are reported and discussed

Early Arrival of New World Species Enriching the Biological Assemblage of the Santi Quattro Coronati Complex (Rome, Italy)

This paper reports the archaeobotanical and archaeozoological data from a disposal pit, whose use started after the partial closure of a staircase, and from a mortar surface within a former porch in the Santi Quattro Coronati complex in Rome, Italy. The two contexts were in use in the Early Modern Age, when the complex served as a cardinal seat. The element that distinguishes the Santi Quattro Coronati from other contemporaneous contexts is the presence of New World species, until now only hypothesized based on a letter sent by the first resident bishop in Santo Domingo to Lorenzo Pucci, then cardinal with the titulus of the Santi Quattro Coronati. Pumpkin seeds (Cucurbita pepo and C. maxima/moschata) were found in the pit, while a pelvis of guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) was found in a former porch. Numerous archaeobotanical remains preserved by mummification, identified mostly as food, and many archaeozoological specimens were found in the pit. Based on the data, it is hypothesized that the pit was used mainly as a deposit for table waste. The results as a whole help towards the investigation of the eating customs and daily habits of a Renaissance high-status clerical community

Donne imprenditrici nella produzione e nel commercio dell'olio betico (I-III Sec. D.C.)

Las inscripciones pictóricas (tituli picti) y los sellos de las ánforas olearias Dressel 20 nos aportan el testimonio de las implicaciones de muchos personajes femeninos en la producción y comercio del aceite de oliva entre la Bética (actual Andalucía, España) y Roma, gestionado por la Annona (I-III d.C.). Las mujeres, sean nacidas libres o libertas, desarrollan papeles de responsabilidad, utilizando grandes capitales privados, a veces asociadas con familiares

Il senatore Cornelio Pusione e la sua domus: novità dagli scavi della metro C a Roma

A new fistula aquaria, found, during the works for the construction of the metro line C, in the garden of a private house to be dated around the middle of the I century AD, in Rome, on the Caelius hill, re-opens the problem of the location of the domus belonging to L. Cornelius Pusio. The house of this senator was traditionally located in the area of via IV Novembre, where a bronze dedication was found, together with a portrait. But the suspect that these findings were not in their original location is now confirmed by the new discovery

Un tratto di acquedotto repubblicano rinvenuto negli scavi Metro C di Piazza Celimontana, Roma

Nel mese di dicembre 2016 si sono concluse le indagini archeologiche svolte nei giardini di piazza Celimontana sul Celio in occasione dei lavori della tratta T3 della linea C della Metropolitana di Roma, che collega S. Giovanni in Laterano al Colosseo. Lo scavo, preliminare alle opere civili, è stato eseguito all’interno di un pozzo circolare di aerazione di circa 32 metri di diametro, esteso su una superficie di oltre 800 metri quadri, ubicato nell’angolo nord-orientale della piazza. Nell'ambito delle ricerche è stato messo in luce un tratto di acquedotto sotterraneo medio repubblicano, interamente realizzato in opera quadrata che, con andamento est-ovest, attraversa l’asse centrale del Pozzo e prosegue oltre le paratie di cemento che delimitano l’area d’indagin

Domus and horrea along vicus Patricius

L'articolo ha come oggetto l'analisi architettonica delle strutture rinvenute presso via Urbana e propone un'ipotesi ricostruttiva del complesso analizzato

Domus e horrea lungo il vicus Patricius

L'articolo ha avuto come oggetto l'analisi architettonica dei resti di strutture rinvenute lungo Via Urbana. L'edificio è identificabile con una delle insulae presenti nella Forma Urbis marmorea severiana relativa a questo settore del Viminale. Si è proposta, inoltre, una ricostruzione delle architetture conservate

Tra archeologia e archeometria. Analisi preliminare degli indicatori di attività tessile e conciaria dagli scavi della Metropolitana C per la stazione Amba Aradam (Roma)

The paper investigates several archaeological finds connected to the textile and leather manufacturing processes. The instrumenta were recovered during the excavation of the Amba Aradam station of the Metro C line in Rome. All tools found are made of organic material. They are preserved in relatively good conditions, thanks to the permanently wet or humid and anoxic context of deposition. The artifacts (e.g. brush, combs, needles, blade shears) have been recovered in a secondary position, within pits dated just before of the establishment of the barracks, during the Trajan age. For the first time, this study gives an overview on the activities carried out on the site before the establishment of the barracks and the implements involved in the production processes. Furthermore, microscopic investigations were carried out in order to characterize the materials used for the manufacture of the tools