A blog for all those who work on Pompeii and the other archaeological sites of the Bay of Naples.
Wednesday, 30 September 2009
Digital Pompeii
Check out this video and interview with the Digital Pompeii people at the University of Arkansas. They've been using gaming technology to recreate insula blocks, and the result is pretty cool. It reminds me a bit of the cork models made during the Fiorelli era of excavation. This is a great way of recording the location of wall-paintings and mosaics, although the rooms are a bit bare with no furniture or artefacts, and no roofs. But there are probably enough problems trying to reconstruct the location of wall-paintings (a big question must be the reliability of the evidence used in the reconstruction) without throwing other elements (which would be based on subjective interpretation) into the mix. Anyway, I'm not sure the recreation provides an insight into what Roman (or Pompeian) houses were actually like, but I do think this could be a useful tool. I wonder how many insula blocks they are planning to do, and how they plan to publish. Does anyone know? More information, please!
Herculaneum: Conserving and Interpreting the Roman Past - Getty Villa, 24 October 2009
More information has been given on Gionata Rizzi's forthcoming presentation at the Getty, as mentioned in a previous post:
The Roman city of Herculaneum lies at the foot of Vesuvius in southern Italy and was buried by the same volcanic eruption of A.D. 79 that covered Pompeii. However, eruptive processes destroyed the two ancient cities in dissimilar ways, leaving different conservation issues for future generations to face.
In this lecture, architect Gionata Rizzi offers a brief survey of the history of excavation and restoration of the ancient city and highlights some of the unique aspects of the site that impact conservation work. Unlike at Pompeii, organic materials—such as wood structural beams—survive at Herculaneum. Furthermore, the eruption of Vesuvius damaged the lower portions of the wall fabric only, leaving many buildings' upper floors intact. This obliged the conservation campaign in the early 20th century to introduce substantial reconstruction into the Roman fabric.
Rizzi also discusses some of the specific challenges he has dealt with as part of his contribution to the Herculaneum Conservation Project in testing new protective structures and architectural elements at a site where respect for the sense of place is needed to guide decision-making.
Date: Saturday, October 24, 2009
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Location: Getty Villa, Auditorium
Admission: Free; a ticket is required.
Press Release: Reopening of the Farnese Collection
English below.
Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali
Regione Campania
Soprintendenza speciale per i Beni Archeologici di Napoli e Pompei
RIAPERTURA DELLA COLLEZIONE FARNESE
Napoli, Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli
dal 2 ottobre 2009
Regione Campania
Soprintendenza speciale per i Beni Archeologici di Napoli e Pompei
RIAPERTURA DELLA COLLEZIONE FARNESE
Napoli, Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli
dal 2 ottobre 2009
A seguito dell’apertura della Collezione di Pittura Pompeiana e del riallestimento delle sculture provenienti dalla Villa dei Papiri di Ercolano, nella cornice dell’ingente progetto di valorizzazione delle Collezioni del Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli e di ampliamento del percorso di visita in corso quest’anno, il 2 ottobre 2009 sarà presentata al pubblico la Collezione Farnese riallestita e ampliata nel suo percorso espositivo che si snoda attorno al quadriportico orientale del Museo. Il progetto, avviato da Stefano De Caro, è stato proseguito da Maria Luisa Nava e portato a compimento da Pietro Giovanni Guzzo e Mariarosaria Salvatore con Valeria Sampaolo. La cura scientifica è di Carlo Gasparri dell’Università di Napoli Federico II.
L’evento è co-finanziato dalla Regione Campania, Assessorato al Turismo e Assessorato ai Beni Culturali, nell’ambito del programma di eventi denominato “6 Viaggi”.
Iniziata da Alessandro Farnese, futuro papa Paolo III (1543-1549), la Collezione - composta da oltre 300 elementi - è una delle più grandi, se non addirittura la maggiore raccolta storica di sculture antiche formatasi nel Rinascimento che sia rimasta sostanzialmente intatta. Si compose nell’arco di un cinquantennio, grazie a confische, donazioni, acquisti sul mercato antiquario, ma soprattutto ai tanti rinvenimenti venuti alla luce nel corso degli scavi effettuati per la risistemazione urbanistica di Roma. Dapprima destinata ad abbellire il nascente Palazzo Farnese, la Collezione, estintosi il casato farnesiano, passò ai Borbone di Napoli, attraverso una complessa vicenda di trasmissioni ereditarie. Fu quindi trasferita nel capoluogo campano, diventando parte del patrimonio artistico della famiglia regnante. Costituita nel suo complesso da quasi cinquecento tra sculture ed iscrizioni, la Collezione si propone, da un lato, come l’orgogliosa affermazione del potere dinastico familiare espressa attraverso colossali emblemi della religione e della storia antica (gigantesche immagini di Ercole, di imperatori, di divinità); dall’altro invece, con i ritratti di uomini illustri, i rilievi ed i sarcofagi con temi mitologici, le epigrafi, come espressione di una ormai matura scienza antiquaria, che nella lettura dei testi iscritti, delle fonti letterarie, nella interpretazione delle scene figurate andava ricostruendo la cultura del passato.
Il viaggio verso Napoli dei marmi farnesiani, sottratti ai loro originari contesti espositivi, significò, però, la fine della Collezione così come era stata concepita e organizzata tra Cinquecento e Seicento: nella città partenopea i marmi venuti da Roma, esposti nel nascente Museo napoletano divisi per materia e dimensioni, criteri storico-artistici dominanti nell’epoca, si fondarono con i rinvenimenti degli scavi condotti in vari siti del Regno, principalmente quelli vesuviani e flegrei, dando luogo ad un Museo Nazionale che, per qualità e quantità dei reperti archeologici in esso conservati, poche corti europee potevano vantare ma che aveva offuscato il significato lo spirito originario della Collezione.
Il riordino espositivo odierno, frutto di un lungo lavoro di studio e ricerca scientifica eseguito dalla Soprintendenza in collaborazione con l’Università Federico II di Napoli, intende valorizzare le opere mediante la ricomposizione, dove possibile, dei contesti di provenienza e ricostruire il criterio collezionistico voluto dai Farnese. Il visitatore oltre ad apprezzare le molte opere di qualità altissima distribuite nell’itinerario espositivo potrà anche percepire gli interessi e i temi propri della cultura dell’epoca, e attraverso questi accostarsi al documento antico e alla sua attuale, corrente interpretazione.
Oltre ad un generale intervento di restauro e di pulitura delle sculture, è stata condotta in vista della attuale esposizione anche una nuova ricerca su documenti d’archivio, alcuni inediti, e sulle testimonianze grafiche, i disegni, che dal Cinquecento in poi sono stati tratti dalle sculture Farnese, e che con il loro numero imponente testimoniano il ruolo da queste giocato nella formazione del gusto per l’artista moderno. Electa pubblica per l’occasione, a cura di Carlo Gasparri e con testi di C. Capaldi, M. Caso, F. Coraggio, E. Dodero, S. Pafumi, una guida della collezione e due volumi, “Le sculture Farnese I. Sculture ideali”, “Le sculture Farnese II. Ritratti”, che costituiscono il primo catalogo scientifico della Collezione. Tutti i volumi sono sapientemente illustrati dalle fotografie in bianco e nero di Luigi Spina, autore di una campagna decennale nel Museo.
L’evento è co-finanziato dalla Regione Campania, Assessorato al Turismo e Assessorato ai Beni Culturali, nell’ambito del programma di eventi denominato “6 Viaggi”.
Iniziata da Alessandro Farnese, futuro papa Paolo III (1543-1549), la Collezione - composta da oltre 300 elementi - è una delle più grandi, se non addirittura la maggiore raccolta storica di sculture antiche formatasi nel Rinascimento che sia rimasta sostanzialmente intatta. Si compose nell’arco di un cinquantennio, grazie a confische, donazioni, acquisti sul mercato antiquario, ma soprattutto ai tanti rinvenimenti venuti alla luce nel corso degli scavi effettuati per la risistemazione urbanistica di Roma. Dapprima destinata ad abbellire il nascente Palazzo Farnese, la Collezione, estintosi il casato farnesiano, passò ai Borbone di Napoli, attraverso una complessa vicenda di trasmissioni ereditarie. Fu quindi trasferita nel capoluogo campano, diventando parte del patrimonio artistico della famiglia regnante. Costituita nel suo complesso da quasi cinquecento tra sculture ed iscrizioni, la Collezione si propone, da un lato, come l’orgogliosa affermazione del potere dinastico familiare espressa attraverso colossali emblemi della religione e della storia antica (gigantesche immagini di Ercole, di imperatori, di divinità); dall’altro invece, con i ritratti di uomini illustri, i rilievi ed i sarcofagi con temi mitologici, le epigrafi, come espressione di una ormai matura scienza antiquaria, che nella lettura dei testi iscritti, delle fonti letterarie, nella interpretazione delle scene figurate andava ricostruendo la cultura del passato.
Il viaggio verso Napoli dei marmi farnesiani, sottratti ai loro originari contesti espositivi, significò, però, la fine della Collezione così come era stata concepita e organizzata tra Cinquecento e Seicento: nella città partenopea i marmi venuti da Roma, esposti nel nascente Museo napoletano divisi per materia e dimensioni, criteri storico-artistici dominanti nell’epoca, si fondarono con i rinvenimenti degli scavi condotti in vari siti del Regno, principalmente quelli vesuviani e flegrei, dando luogo ad un Museo Nazionale che, per qualità e quantità dei reperti archeologici in esso conservati, poche corti europee potevano vantare ma che aveva offuscato il significato lo spirito originario della Collezione.
Il riordino espositivo odierno, frutto di un lungo lavoro di studio e ricerca scientifica eseguito dalla Soprintendenza in collaborazione con l’Università Federico II di Napoli, intende valorizzare le opere mediante la ricomposizione, dove possibile, dei contesti di provenienza e ricostruire il criterio collezionistico voluto dai Farnese. Il visitatore oltre ad apprezzare le molte opere di qualità altissima distribuite nell’itinerario espositivo potrà anche percepire gli interessi e i temi propri della cultura dell’epoca, e attraverso questi accostarsi al documento antico e alla sua attuale, corrente interpretazione.
Oltre ad un generale intervento di restauro e di pulitura delle sculture, è stata condotta in vista della attuale esposizione anche una nuova ricerca su documenti d’archivio, alcuni inediti, e sulle testimonianze grafiche, i disegni, che dal Cinquecento in poi sono stati tratti dalle sculture Farnese, e che con il loro numero imponente testimoniano il ruolo da queste giocato nella formazione del gusto per l’artista moderno. Electa pubblica per l’occasione, a cura di Carlo Gasparri e con testi di C. Capaldi, M. Caso, F. Coraggio, E. Dodero, S. Pafumi, una guida della collezione e due volumi, “Le sculture Farnese I. Sculture ideali”, “Le sculture Farnese II. Ritratti”, che costituiscono il primo catalogo scientifico della Collezione. Tutti i volumi sono sapientemente illustrati dalle fotografie in bianco e nero di Luigi Spina, autore di una campagna decennale nel Museo.
(Image: Luigi Spina)
REOPENING OF THE FARNESE COLLECTION
Napoli, Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli
from 2 October 2009
Napoli, Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli
from 2 October 2009
The Farnese Collection will reopen to the public on 2nd October 2009. The Collection has been reorganized to form an enlarged exhibition around the eastern quadriporticus courtyard of the Museum. This reopening follows on from the inauguration of the collection of Pompeian Painting and the reorganization of the sculptures from the Villa of the Papyri at Herculaneum, and is part of a larger project this year to make the most of the collections of the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli and enhance the accessibility of the collection to visitors. The project was instigated by Stefano De Caro and overseen by Maria Luisa Nava. It was brought to fruition by Pietro Giovanni Guzzo and Mariarosaria Salvatore with Valeria Sampaolo, and overseen by Carlo Gasparri of the Università di Napoli Federico II.
The event is co-funded by the Regione Campania, Assessorato al Turismo and Assessorato ai Beni Culturali, within in the context of a programme of events entitled “6 Viaggi”.
The Farnese Collection was started by Alexander Farnese, the future Pope Paul III (1543 – 49). It consists of more than 300 pieces, and is one of the largest, and perhaps even the greatest, historical collection of ancient sculpture formed in the Renaissance remaining substantially intact today. It was built up within a period of about 50 years, thanks to confiscations, gifts, acquisitions on the antiquities market, and, above all, from numerous finds that came to light during excavations undertaken as part of the urban reorganization of Rome. Initially intended to embellish the newly constructed Palazzo Farnese, the collection passed to the Bourbons of Naples after the Farnese family died out, by means of a complex series of hereditary bequests. It was then transferred to Naples, the capital of Campania, and became part of the artistic heritage of the ruling family. In its entirety, the collection contained almost 200 sculptures and inscriptions. On the one hand, the collection served as a proud affirmation of the power of the ruling family, expressed in the colossal emblems of ancient religion and history (gigantic statues of Hercules, of emperors, of deities). On the other hand, with its portraits of famous men, reliefs and sarcophagi with mythological themes, and inscriptions, it could be viewed as representative of the newly-mature discipline of antiquarianism, which, from reading the inscribed texts and literary sources and interpreting figurative scenes, sought to reconstruct the culture of the past.
However, their transfer to Naples meant that the Farnese marbles were taken from their original display contexts, and brought about the end of the collection as conceptualized and organized in the 16th and 17th centuries. In Naples, the city of Parthenope, the marbles brought from Rome were displayed in the new museum according to medium and size, the dominant historical and artistic criteria of the period. Together with finds from excavations in various parts of the Kingdom, particularly in the area of Vesuvius and the Campi Flegrei, they formed a national museum that few European courts could rival, in terms of quality and quantity of the archaeological finds within it. But this came at the cost of obscuring the original spirit of the collection.
The modern reorganisation of the Collection is the result of painstaking study and research undertaken by the Soprintendenza in collaboration with the Università Federico II of Naples. Its aim is to display the works by reconstructing, where possible, the original context of the pieces, and by shedding light on the criteria employed by the Farnese family in making their collection. Besides appreciating the many works of the highest quality in the exhibition, the visitor will also be able to understand the interests and themes that dominated the culture of the period, and thus come in closer contact with both the ancient material itself and its modern interpretation.
In addition to the general work of restoration and cleaning of the sculptures, new research on the archival documents (some unpublished) and drawings of the Farnese sculptures from the 16th century was also undertaken for the purposes of the exhibition. The sheer number of these documents attest the role that they played in the formation of modern artistic taste.
For this occasion, Electa have published a guide to the collection and two volumes, ‘Le sculture Farnese I. Sculture ideali” (The Farnese Sculptures I. Idealized Sculpture) and “Le sculture Farnese II. Ritratti” (The Farnese Sculpture II. Portraits), edited by Carlo Gasparri with texts by C. Capaldi, M. Caso, F. Coraggio, E. Dodaro, and S. Pafumi. These form the first academic publication of the Collection. All the volumes are illustrated by black and white photographs of Luigi Spina, taken over a ten year period in the Museum.
INFORMATION
Location: Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli.
Date of Opening: from 2 October 2009.
Opening times: Daily 9 – 19.30. Tuesday closed.
Entrance: Adult 10 euros; Concessions 6.75. The Museum is part of the Campania Artecard initative.
Booking for groups, schools and educational visits required: tel. 848800288; + 39 081 4422149.
Tourist information: Toll-free number 800 - 223366.
Catalogue and guide by Electa: Edited by Carlo Gasparri, photos by Luigi Spina.
Tuesday, 29 September 2009
Dinosaur eggs on the Sorrentine peninsula!
News from the SANP of dinosaur eggs confiscated on the Sorrentine peninsula!
'Uova di dinosauro riconsegnate alla SANP
I reperti a Villa Fondi, nuove analisi per individuare resti di un embrione.
Potrebbero esserci resti scheletrici di embrione di 120 milioni di anni fa nelle due uova di dinosauro sequestrate dal Nucleo Carabinieri Tutela del Patrimonio Culturale in penisola sorrentina, ad un privato nel 2006 insieme ad altri reperti ed ora riconsegnate alla SANP che le conserva nei magazzini del Museo di Villa Fondi. Le uova, non immediatamente identificate, furono subito periziate dalla direttrice del Museo Villa Fondi, Tommasina Budetta che prese in considerazione l’ipotesi si trattasse di un reperto fossile e chiese quindi ulteriori indagini agli esperti del Museo antropologico della Federico II di Napoli. Confermata l’ipotesi dell’archeologa le uova saranno sottoposte a ulteriori analisi scientifiche, cosi come sarà analizzato il terreno che le ingloba per individuarne la precisa provenienza territoriale. Di 16 cm di diametro, le uova risalgono probabilmente al periodo cretaceo (120-65 milioni di anni fa) e potrebbero essere state deposte da un dinosauro del gruppo degli ornitischi.’’ Sarebbe interessante costruire intorno a questo eccezionale reperto una mostra tematica che dovrà coinvolgere istituti di ricerca e università, ma che sicuramente darebbe un notevole contributo per il rilancio e la valorizzazione del Museo Archeologico territoriale della penisola sorrentina" dichiara la dott.ssa Budetta.'
Monday, 28 September 2009
Statues found in Blue Grotto
An interesting piece of news from Capri. Here is part of the report by Rosella Lorenzi of Discovery News:
'A number of ancient Roman statues might lie beneath the turquoise waters of the Blue Grotto on the island of Capri in southern Italy, according to an underwater survey of the sea cave. Dating to the 1st century A.D., the cave was used as a swimming pool by the Emperor Tiberius (42 B.C. - 37 A.D.), and the statues are probably depictions of sea gods.
"A preliminary underwater investigation has revealed several statue bases which might possibly hint to sculptures lying nearby," Rosalba Giugni, president of the environmentalist association, Marevivo, told Discovery News.
Carried out in collaboration with the archaeological superintendency of Pompeii, the Marevivo project aims at returning the Blue Grotto to its ancient glory by placing identical copies of Tiberius' statues where they originally stood.'
"A preliminary underwater investigation has revealed several statue bases which might possibly hint to sculptures lying nearby," Rosalba Giugni, president of the environmentalist association, Marevivo, told Discovery News.
Carried out in collaboration with the archaeological superintendency of Pompeii, the Marevivo project aims at returning the Blue Grotto to its ancient glory by placing identical copies of Tiberius' statues where they originally stood.'
Thanks to the Eternally Cool people for putting this link on their Facebook site.
VesuviusOnLine September 2009
See here for the latest edition of VesuviusOnLine, with the following articles:
- Scavi di Oplonti: rivive il "verde" nella Villa di Poppea.
- Ercolano. Restaurata la Barca degli scavi.
- Terzigno (NA), Reperti nella discarica in costruzione.
- Tornano all'archeologico i reperti della Villa dei Papiri.
- Pompei. Controversia sul titolo "Amici di Pompei".
Oro Buttato
There was a shocking programme on Rai 3 last night. 'Oro Buttato' exposes the terrible state of archaeological and heritage sites in Campania. There is some really interesting footage of the condition and treatment of some of these sites, shocking stuff. You can read about the programme here or - better - watch it here.
Thursday, 24 September 2009
Villa of the Papyri sculptures re-displayed
Now that the Herculaneum exhibition at the National Archaeological Museum at Naples has finished, the Villa of the Papyri sculptures have been returned to their place in the permanent collection, but with a new display. At the same time the museum has published a small but handsome catalogue to accompany them:Sampaolo, V. & Moesch, V. (eds) (2009) La Villa dei Papiri. Naples, Electa.
APERTURA STRAORDINARIA DELLE TERME ROMANE DI VIA TERRACINA A NAPOLI
SABATO 26 e DOMENICA 27 settembre
in occasione delle Giornate Europee del Patrimonio
APERTURA STRAORDINARIA DELLE TERME ROMANE DI VIA TERRACINA A NAPOLI
Il sito fu rinvenuto nel 1936 durante i lavori di costruzione per la Mostra D’Oltremare. Si tratta di un complesso datato al II secolo d. C. da interpretare probabilmente come una statio, cioè un luogo di ristoro lungo un diverticolo, anch’esso messa in luce, della strada che collegava Neapolis e Puteoli, come sembrerebbero dimostrare le tabernae rinvenute a nord del sito. Nelle terme vere e proprie, un complesso di dimensioni medio-piccole molto simile a quelle del Foro di Cuma e di Agnano, sono stati individuati gli ambienti canonici: apodyterium, frigidarium, tepidarium e calidarium, in alcuni dei quali (apodyterium, frigidarium e negli ambienti della latrina) è ancora oggi visibile parte dell’apparato decorativo musivo, i cui temi riguardano personaggi marini, secondo un rinnovato gusto per l’arte ellenistica proprio di età adrianea.
Apertura dalle ore 9 alle ore 13 con visite guidate gratuite, senza prenotazione, ogni 30'. Ai visitatori verrà offerta una piccola degustazione di ricette degli antichi Romani.
Lo scavo è in Via Terracina, angolo Via Marconi, nei pressi del cimitero di Fuorigrotta all'interno del recinto dell'università.
Info: Gruppo Archeologico Napoletano, Via San Liborio 1, 80134 NAPOLI
Tel. 0815529002 o 3384031994
in occasione delle Giornate Europee del Patrimonio
APERTURA STRAORDINARIA DELLE TERME ROMANE DI VIA TERRACINA A NAPOLI
Il sito fu rinvenuto nel 1936 durante i lavori di costruzione per la Mostra D’Oltremare. Si tratta di un complesso datato al II secolo d. C. da interpretare probabilmente come una statio, cioè un luogo di ristoro lungo un diverticolo, anch’esso messa in luce, della strada che collegava Neapolis e Puteoli, come sembrerebbero dimostrare le tabernae rinvenute a nord del sito. Nelle terme vere e proprie, un complesso di dimensioni medio-piccole molto simile a quelle del Foro di Cuma e di Agnano, sono stati individuati gli ambienti canonici: apodyterium, frigidarium, tepidarium e calidarium, in alcuni dei quali (apodyterium, frigidarium e negli ambienti della latrina) è ancora oggi visibile parte dell’apparato decorativo musivo, i cui temi riguardano personaggi marini, secondo un rinnovato gusto per l’arte ellenistica proprio di età adrianea.
Apertura dalle ore 9 alle ore 13 con visite guidate gratuite, senza prenotazione, ogni 30'. Ai visitatori verrà offerta una piccola degustazione di ricette degli antichi Romani.
Lo scavo è in Via Terracina, angolo Via Marconi, nei pressi del cimitero di Fuorigrotta all'interno del recinto dell'università.
Info: Gruppo Archeologico Napoletano, Via San Liborio 1, 80134 NAPOLI
Tel. 0815529002 o 3384031994
Wednesday, 23 September 2009
Giornate Europee del Patrimonio - 26-27 settembre 2009
Lots of cultural events are going to be happening all over Europe this weekend for the European Heritage Days - to see what's happening in the Campania region (including Pompeii) download the pdf programme here.
Help wanted: articles on WHS Pompeii
I keep on getting requests from various students and scholars who are desperate for any publications on the subject of Pompeii (and Herculaneum and Oplontis) as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the related site and visitor management issues.
There seems to be very little published on the subject, but if you know of an article would you mind posting it?
Many thanks!
There seems to be very little published on the subject, but if you know of an article would you mind posting it?
Many thanks!
Monday, 21 September 2009
Article: Traffic, space and legal change
David J. Newsome, 'Traffic, Space and Legal Change around the Casa del Marinaio at Pompeii (VII 15.1-2)'. BABESCH 84 (2009), 121-142.
Article: Theseus at the gates of the labyrinth
Roger Ling, 'Theseus at the Gates of the Labyrinth. Interpreting a Pomeian Painting'. BABESCH: 84 (2009), 111-120
Review: The Herculaneum Women
Review by Sally Waite of (J.) Daehner (ed.) The Herculaneum Women. History, Context, Identities. Los Angeles: Getty Publications, 2007. The Classical Review (New Series), Volume 59, Issue 02, October 2009, pp 592-594.
Article: The Fires of Pompeii
Fiona Hobden, 'History Meets Fiction in Doctor Who, ‘The Fires of Pompeii’: A BBC Reception of Ancient Rome on Screen and Online'. Greece and Rome (Second Series), Volume 56, Issue 02, October 2009, pp 147-163.
Sunday, 20 September 2009
Finally, the restaurant opens at Pompeii ...
Finally, over a year since it was closed, the restaurant at Pompeii has reopened. This is the press release from the SANP:
Da stamattina è aperto al pubblico il nuovo punto di ristoro all’interno degli scavi di Pompei, gestito dalla Società Autogrill SpA, nei locali prospicienti la “Casa Bacco” nel cuore della città antica. Oltre a favorire la fruizione dello straordinario patrimonio artistico e culturale di Pompei, l’affidamento di un servizio indispensabile per gli oltre due milioni di turisti che visitano Pompei ogni anno, contribuisce allo stesso tempo ad assicurare occupazione locale e importanti risorse finanziarie che potranno essere impiegate direttamente per interventi di messa in sicurezza e valorizzazione degli scavi.
Infatti la gestione del servizio da parte di una società leader del settore (a seguito di una procedura di gara conclusasi lo scorso mese di febbraio), dopo lunghi anni di morosità del precedente gestore, porterà nelle casse della Sovrintendenza Archeologica di Napoli e Pompei, circa 34.500 euro al mese, per un importo complessivo di quasi 2,5 milioni di euro in sei anni. Secondo il Commissario delegato per l’area archeologica di Napoli e Pompei, Marcello Fiori, “il degrado e l’illecito, come dimostra questa vicenda, possono e devono essere sconfitte. Situazioni difficili si combattono favorendo l’avvio di processi economici virtuosi, innalzando la qualità dei servizi e con un patto forte di legalità tra lo Stato e le imprese”. L’apertura del punto ristoro ( uno degli obbiettivi di qualificazione del sito voluto tenacemente dalla gestione Commissariale) è un ulteriore segno del fatto che la situazione di stallo, che per anni ha interessato l’area archeologica di Pompei, può essere affrontata e superata. “Inoltre – ha concluso il Commissario Fiori – la sinergia con Autogrill riguarderà l’offerta dei prodotti agroalimentari di qualità della Regione Campania e la promozione del sito di Pompei negli oltre 5500 punti vendita dislocati in 43 paesi del Mondo”.
Da stamattina è aperto al pubblico il nuovo punto di ristoro all’interno degli scavi di Pompei, gestito dalla Società Autogrill SpA, nei locali prospicienti la “Casa Bacco” nel cuore della città antica. Oltre a favorire la fruizione dello straordinario patrimonio artistico e culturale di Pompei, l’affidamento di un servizio indispensabile per gli oltre due milioni di turisti che visitano Pompei ogni anno, contribuisce allo stesso tempo ad assicurare occupazione locale e importanti risorse finanziarie che potranno essere impiegate direttamente per interventi di messa in sicurezza e valorizzazione degli scavi.
Infatti la gestione del servizio da parte di una società leader del settore (a seguito di una procedura di gara conclusasi lo scorso mese di febbraio), dopo lunghi anni di morosità del precedente gestore, porterà nelle casse della Sovrintendenza Archeologica di Napoli e Pompei, circa 34.500 euro al mese, per un importo complessivo di quasi 2,5 milioni di euro in sei anni. Secondo il Commissario delegato per l’area archeologica di Napoli e Pompei, Marcello Fiori, “il degrado e l’illecito, come dimostra questa vicenda, possono e devono essere sconfitte. Situazioni difficili si combattono favorendo l’avvio di processi economici virtuosi, innalzando la qualità dei servizi e con un patto forte di legalità tra lo Stato e le imprese”. L’apertura del punto ristoro ( uno degli obbiettivi di qualificazione del sito voluto tenacemente dalla gestione Commissariale) è un ulteriore segno del fatto che la situazione di stallo, che per anni ha interessato l’area archeologica di Pompei, può essere affrontata e superata. “Inoltre – ha concluso il Commissario Fiori – la sinergia con Autogrill riguarderà l’offerta dei prodotti agroalimentari di qualità della Regione Campania e la promozione del sito di Pompei negli oltre 5500 punti vendita dislocati in 43 paesi del Mondo”.
Lecture: Paul Zanker at Smith College
Press release from Smith College:
Paul Zanker, professor of classical archaeology at the Scuola Normale Superiore in Pisa, Italy, will discuss the art and power of myth in Pompeii at Smith College on Tuesday, Sept 29. His talk, titled “Living with Myths in Pompeii and Beyond,” will begin at 5 p.m. in Weinstein Auditorium, Wright Hall. A brief reception will follow in the foyer. Sponsored by the Archaeological Institute of America, Western Massachusetts Society, the event is free and open to the public.
Through a consideration of Pompeian murals, Zanker will illuminate the world of myths through an analysis of the images with which people surrounded themselves—not only in Pompeii but in living quarters throughout the Roman Empire. These murals, focusing on scenes celebrating life’s pleasures and happiness, consisted of an uncommonly high percentage of only two subjects: the world of Aphrodite/Venus and that of Dionysus/Bacchus. In treating these individual topics, Zanker will draw attention to comparable images in settings outside the home, taking examples from mortuary art and emperor worship, making evident that depictions of life’s pleasures in private settings are connected to a broader canon of values gradually propagated in all kinds of rooms. He will also consider how this world of images depicting life’s pleasures fits into the “household” culture during the period of the Roman Empire.
Zanker’s research interests involve the archeology and culture of the Hellenistic-Roman period and late antiquity. His publications, in an impressive range of languages including German, Italian, French, English and Modern Greek include "The Power of Images in the Age of Augustus"; "Pompeii: Public and Private Life (Revealing Antiquity)"; and "The Mask of Socrates: The Image of the Intellectual in Antiquity." He is a graduate of the University of Freiburg, Breisgau, and has achieved certification from Archeologia Classica. He has been a visiting professor at the University of Berkeley and The Institute of Fine Arts at New York University; a visiting member at the Institute of Advanced Study, Princeton, and the Wissenschaftskolleg, Berlin; and professor at the Universities of Göttingen and of Monaco of Bavaria. He has also directed the German Institute of Archeology in Rome and is a member of the Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaft, the British Academy and the Academia Europaea, London.
The Lehmann Lecture honors longtime Smith faculty member Phyllis Williams Lehmann, who died in 2004. Lehmann taught at Smith from 1946 until her retirementin 1978. For more information, visit the Archaeology Program website or contact Jayne Mercier at (413) 585-3390.
Paul Zanker, professor of classical archaeology at the Scuola Normale Superiore in Pisa, Italy, will discuss the art and power of myth in Pompeii at Smith College on Tuesday, Sept 29. His talk, titled “Living with Myths in Pompeii and Beyond,” will begin at 5 p.m. in Weinstein Auditorium, Wright Hall. A brief reception will follow in the foyer. Sponsored by the Archaeological Institute of America, Western Massachusetts Society, the event is free and open to the public.
Through a consideration of Pompeian murals, Zanker will illuminate the world of myths through an analysis of the images with which people surrounded themselves—not only in Pompeii but in living quarters throughout the Roman Empire. These murals, focusing on scenes celebrating life’s pleasures and happiness, consisted of an uncommonly high percentage of only two subjects: the world of Aphrodite/Venus and that of Dionysus/Bacchus. In treating these individual topics, Zanker will draw attention to comparable images in settings outside the home, taking examples from mortuary art and emperor worship, making evident that depictions of life’s pleasures in private settings are connected to a broader canon of values gradually propagated in all kinds of rooms. He will also consider how this world of images depicting life’s pleasures fits into the “household” culture during the period of the Roman Empire.
Zanker’s research interests involve the archeology and culture of the Hellenistic-Roman period and late antiquity. His publications, in an impressive range of languages including German, Italian, French, English and Modern Greek include "The Power of Images in the Age of Augustus"; "Pompeii: Public and Private Life (Revealing Antiquity)"; and "The Mask of Socrates: The Image of the Intellectual in Antiquity." He is a graduate of the University of Freiburg, Breisgau, and has achieved certification from Archeologia Classica. He has been a visiting professor at the University of Berkeley and The Institute of Fine Arts at New York University; a visiting member at the Institute of Advanced Study, Princeton, and the Wissenschaftskolleg, Berlin; and professor at the Universities of Göttingen and of Monaco of Bavaria. He has also directed the German Institute of Archeology in Rome and is a member of the Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaft, the British Academy and the Academia Europaea, London.
The Lehmann Lecture honors longtime Smith faculty member Phyllis Williams Lehmann, who died in 2004. Lehmann taught at Smith from 1946 until her retirementin 1978. For more information, visit the Archaeology Program website or contact Jayne Mercier at (413) 585-3390.
Thursday, 17 September 2009
Friends of Herculaneum research award
A second research award is available from the Friends of Herculaneum:
An award of up to £1000 plus travel expenses is offered to registered students both in the UK and abroad. Applications, consisting of a letter of application, a 1-2 page description of the project, and at least one letter of recommendation, should reach the Society's office by 15 October 2009 (The Herculaneum Society, The Ioannou Centre for Classical and Byzantine Studies, 66 St. Giles, Oxford OX1 3LU).
An award of up to £1000 plus travel expenses is offered to registered students both in the UK and abroad. Applications, consisting of a letter of application, a 1-2 page description of the project, and at least one letter of recommendation, should reach the Society's office by 15 October 2009 (The Herculaneum Society, The Ioannou Centre for Classical and Byzantine Studies, 66 St. Giles, Oxford OX1 3LU).
Interview: Estelle Lazer
The publication of Estelle Lazer's book 'Resurrecting Pompeii' last month has caused a bit of a stir. This is hardly surprising, for two very good reasons.
Firstly, we have been waiting for this book for a long time. Until now the only publications of the skeletal evidence from the Vesuvian settlements have been Sarah Bisel's studies of the bodies found at Herculaneum, and there has been nothing from Pompeii to compare to Bisel's work. Estelle's study fills a gaping hole in Pompeian studies.
Secondly, Estelle is, without a doubt, one of the nicest Pompeianists you could hope to meet. It must be more than 15 years since we met one summer in Pompeii, and I remember it as a particularly fun time. So, because not everyone who works at Pompeii will have had the opportunity to meet Estelle, I asked her to answer a few questions for this blog. Here's what she had to say ...
1. Can you tell us a little about your academic background and how you got into studying the human remains from Pompeii?
My first degree is a BA Hons in archaeology, with particular emphasis on Classical, Near Eastern and Historical archaeology. My interest in human remains commenced with my honours thesis, which involved skeletal studies in Near Eastern archaeology. At that time no courses in forensic archaeology were were available in Australia. The forensic pathologist who was responsible for the investigation of skeletal remains at the city morgue and coroner's court offered to take me on as a volunteer apprentice and I learnt anatomy by attending autopsies and was called in to assist whenever bodies came in from the bush. Eventually, I did a formal anatomy course at the University of Sydney. The opportunity to study the human remains at Pompeii came as a result of the involvement of the University of Sydney in a multinational, multidisciplinary project in Pompeii. I was amazed to discover that there had not been a modern systematic study of this skeletal collection and I applied to the Superintendency of Pompeii to undertake this work. I completed my PhD on this topic in the Anatomy Department of the University of Sydney.
2. What problems did you encounter when studying the human bones?
The human skeletal remains were not appreciated as a valuable scientific resource until the latter part of the twentieth century. While they had been stored, they had not been adequately curated and as a result had become disarticulated. This meant that I had to design a research project to accommodate the limitations of the material.
The bones were stored in unoccupied ancient buildings in Pompeii with other uncatalogued artefacts. These bones had to be studied in situ with no laboratory facilities, or even tables or adequate light. I had to be locked in with them as these stores also contained precious finds, like portions of marble statues. Only three custodians had security clearance to handle the keys to these buildings. Occasionally the morning custodian forgot to tell the afternoon one about my location when they changed shifts. This meant I had to suffer many hours of incarceration. They were invariably quite apologetic when I was eventually liberated. Although I worked alone I had many companions as these buildings also housed their own ecosystems. These included bats, rodents of various kinds, snakes, insects, lizards and birds who found empty skulls to be convenient nesting places.
It was essential to engage with the history of the excavations to understand why the bones had been neglected for nearly 250 years and to determine the impact of the "culture of bodies," which involved romantic storytelling based on specific skeletons and their context. Nineteenth century literature, notably Edward Bulwer Lytton's Last Days of Pompeii, exerted a huge influence on the interpretation of the skeletal evidence, which has continued into the twenty first century. The aim of my project was to separate myth from the actual evidence and establish what the skeletal remains reveal about the lives and deaths of the Pompeian victims of the AD 79 eruption.
4. You also work in the Antarctic. What exactly do you do there and how does it fit in with your Pompeian studies?
The work I do in Antarctica is very different to my work in Pompeii. I have studied American sealing sites in the Sub-Antarctic and a site associated with an early twentieth century scientific expedition on the Antarctic mainland. This work has involved both excavation and the development of strategies for cultural heritage management in these remote areas. We have pioneered various techniques for ice excavation, including the use of ice cores and chainsaws.
Field work in Antarctica is a bit more challenging than in Pompeii. My first expedition experience involved sailing down to Antarctica in a 21 metre boat, which was not ice strengthened. It took three weeks each way. We camped in the ice. The wildlife is larger, noisier and often more aromatic than any I have encountered in Pompeii. This is especially true for sites located within the territory of mating fur seals and three hundred thousand nesting penguins.
5. Do you have any future plans for working in Pompeii?
While I will always continue my interest in the human remains from Pompeii, especially the casts, I am currently involved in the development of a new research project in conjunction with the Department of Architectural Science, University of Sydney. This project aims to apply modern techniques of environmental analysis to ancient buildings in order to gain a quantitative understanding of the living experience of the ancient occupants of houses of various types in Pompeii.
Firstly, we have been waiting for this book for a long time. Until now the only publications of the skeletal evidence from the Vesuvian settlements have been Sarah Bisel's studies of the bodies found at Herculaneum, and there has been nothing from Pompeii to compare to Bisel's work. Estelle's study fills a gaping hole in Pompeian studies.
Secondly, Estelle is, without a doubt, one of the nicest Pompeianists you could hope to meet. It must be more than 15 years since we met one summer in Pompeii, and I remember it as a particularly fun time. So, because not everyone who works at Pompeii will have had the opportunity to meet Estelle, I asked her to answer a few questions for this blog. Here's what she had to say ...
1. Can you tell us a little about your academic background and how you got into studying the human remains from Pompeii?
My first degree is a BA Hons in archaeology, with particular emphasis on Classical, Near Eastern and Historical archaeology. My interest in human remains commenced with my honours thesis, which involved skeletal studies in Near Eastern archaeology. At that time no courses in forensic archaeology were were available in Australia. The forensic pathologist who was responsible for the investigation of skeletal remains at the city morgue and coroner's court offered to take me on as a volunteer apprentice and I learnt anatomy by attending autopsies and was called in to assist whenever bodies came in from the bush. Eventually, I did a formal anatomy course at the University of Sydney. The opportunity to study the human remains at Pompeii came as a result of the involvement of the University of Sydney in a multinational, multidisciplinary project in Pompeii. I was amazed to discover that there had not been a modern systematic study of this skeletal collection and I applied to the Superintendency of Pompeii to undertake this work. I completed my PhD on this topic in the Anatomy Department of the University of Sydney.
2. What problems did you encounter when studying the human bones?
The human skeletal remains were not appreciated as a valuable scientific resource until the latter part of the twentieth century. While they had been stored, they had not been adequately curated and as a result had become disarticulated. This meant that I had to design a research project to accommodate the limitations of the material.
The bones were stored in unoccupied ancient buildings in Pompeii with other uncatalogued artefacts. These bones had to be studied in situ with no laboratory facilities, or even tables or adequate light. I had to be locked in with them as these stores also contained precious finds, like portions of marble statues. Only three custodians had security clearance to handle the keys to these buildings. Occasionally the morning custodian forgot to tell the afternoon one about my location when they changed shifts. This meant I had to suffer many hours of incarceration. They were invariably quite apologetic when I was eventually liberated. Although I worked alone I had many companions as these buildings also housed their own ecosystems. These included bats, rodents of various kinds, snakes, insects, lizards and birds who found empty skulls to be convenient nesting places.
It was essential to engage with the history of the excavations to understand why the bones had been neglected for nearly 250 years and to determine the impact of the "culture of bodies," which involved romantic storytelling based on specific skeletons and their context. Nineteenth century literature, notably Edward Bulwer Lytton's Last Days of Pompeii, exerted a huge influence on the interpretation of the skeletal evidence, which has continued into the twenty first century. The aim of my project was to separate myth from the actual evidence and establish what the skeletal remains reveal about the lives and deaths of the Pompeian victims of the AD 79 eruption.
4. You also work in the Antarctic. What exactly do you do there and how does it fit in with your Pompeian studies?
The work I do in Antarctica is very different to my work in Pompeii. I have studied American sealing sites in the Sub-Antarctic and a site associated with an early twentieth century scientific expedition on the Antarctic mainland. This work has involved both excavation and the development of strategies for cultural heritage management in these remote areas. We have pioneered various techniques for ice excavation, including the use of ice cores and chainsaws.
Field work in Antarctica is a bit more challenging than in Pompeii. My first expedition experience involved sailing down to Antarctica in a 21 metre boat, which was not ice strengthened. It took three weeks each way. We camped in the ice. The wildlife is larger, noisier and often more aromatic than any I have encountered in Pompeii. This is especially true for sites located within the territory of mating fur seals and three hundred thousand nesting penguins.
5. Do you have any future plans for working in Pompeii?
While I will always continue my interest in the human remains from Pompeii, especially the casts, I am currently involved in the development of a new research project in conjunction with the Department of Architectural Science, University of Sydney. This project aims to apply modern techniques of environmental analysis to ancient buildings in order to gain a quantitative understanding of the living experience of the ancient occupants of houses of various types in Pompeii.
I can't wait to get my hands on a copy of 'Resurrecting Pompeii'. And I'm sure I'm not the only one. Congratulations, Estelle!
Wednesday, 16 September 2009
Volcano architecture ...
I just saw on the Eruptions blog that a volcano-shaped shopping mall has been built outside of Naples! This is seriously cool! I actually remember driving past a sign for 'Vulcano Buono' last year while on the road from Naples to Rome, and wondered what it might be. Apparently the mall is naturally insulated and the crater supports pine forest and an outdoor theatre. Inside there is a cinema, and shops, restaurants, a hotel and a supermarket. Check out the Vulcano Buono website for more cool photos!
Lecture: Conserving Herculaneum
Gionata Rizzi on Conserving Herculaneum.
Saturday, October 24, 2:00 p.m. Auditorium, Getty Villa
Architect Gionata Rizzi surveys the history of excavations of this ancient city buried in the eruption of Vesuvius and discusses specific challenges the project team faces in conserving the archaeological site and its artifacts.
I only just noticed that Mary Beard was lecturing at LACMA yesterday evening. I can't keep up with it all myself - so if you notice any Pompeii-related events in your area (or anywhere else) please post the details, or send them to me so I can post them. Thank you!
Saturday, October 24, 2:00 p.m. Auditorium, Getty Villa
Architect Gionata Rizzi surveys the history of excavations of this ancient city buried in the eruption of Vesuvius and discusses specific challenges the project team faces in conserving the archaeological site and its artifacts.
I only just noticed that Mary Beard was lecturing at LACMA yesterday evening. I can't keep up with it all myself - so if you notice any Pompeii-related events in your area (or anywhere else) please post the details, or send them to me so I can post them. Thank you!
Herculaneum research award / Bando di ricerca su Ercolano
The International Centre for the Study of Herculaneum, thanks to the generous support of the Friends of Herculaneum Society, is once again able to offer an award for research to be carried out on a subject related to Herculaneum in 2009-2010. The award of £1,000 is intended to support travel to and time spent at the archaeological site of Herculaneum, Italy, and is open to students registered on a post-graduate university programme.
On their website you will find a complete description and an application form.
Deadline: 15 October 2009
Grazie al generoso contributo della Friends of Herculaneum Society il Centro Internazionale per gli Studi di Herculaneum offre nuovamente, dopo il successo dello scorso anno, una borsa di studio per una ricerca inerente al sito archeologico di Herculaneum da svolgersi nel corso del 2009 – 2010. La borsa di 1,000 sterline è pensata per coprire le spese di viaggio e di alloggio per il tempo trascorso agli Scavi di Ercolano ed è aperta a studenti di programmi universitari post-laurea. Nel sito web troverete la descrizione completa ed il modulo di registrazione.
La scadenza per le domande è il 15 ottobre 2009.
Tuesday, 15 September 2009
Resurrecting Pompeii Book Launch
You know that you have something special when hundreds turn out to see it launched.Tuesday evening saw Sydney University's Nicholson Museum packed for the launch of Estelle Lazer's much awaited book Resurrecting Pompeii.
Two years ago when I first met Estelle as she accompanied a group of teachers and students to Pompeii on a study tour, she told us during the course of the tour that she was working on publishing a book on her experiences "romancing the bones" in Pompeii. Well the work that was in progress is now a reality and from all reviews it is a book that anyone who is connected with or has an interest in Pompeii should read and have on their shelves.
Estelle spent seven field seasons working on the skeletal remains in the ancient city and her stories are as entertaining as they are informative. At last nights launch of Resurrecting Pompeii, Estelle presented her work in true Estelle Lazer fashion and had the audience not only enthralled in the detail of her work in Pompeii but had them rolling in the aisles as well. Those there I am sure, will forever chuckle to themselves when coming into contact with Edward Bulwer-Lytton's The Last Days of Pompeii in the future. Her presentation "Romancing the Bones" was a treat and capped off a very successful launch of the book.
Congratulations Estelle.
Monday, 14 September 2009
Seminar: The ghosts of Pompeii
30 Sep 09, DR. SHELLEY HALES (Bristol) ‘The ghosts of Pompeii’
University of Edinburgh Classics Research Seminar Series 2009/2010
Faculty Room North, David Hume Tower (ground floor).
For further information please contact Ursula Rothe (ursula.rothe AT ed.ac.uk) or Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones (l.llewellyn-jones At ed.ac.uk).
University of Edinburgh Classics Research Seminar Series 2009/2010
Faculty Room North, David Hume Tower (ground floor).
For further information please contact Ursula Rothe (ursula.rothe AT ed.ac.uk) or Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones (l.llewellyn-jones At ed.ac.uk).
Article: Tales of the Earth Doctor
This week I acquired a copy of Haraldur Sigurdsson's 'Melting the Earth. The History of Ideas on Volcanic Eruptions' (a bit of light bed-time reading!). Sigurdsson should be known to you all for his important work on Vesuvius and eruption of AD 79, and this book discusses that eruption but also later eruptions of Vesuvius, the work of William Hamilton and the first field volcanologists, and many other volcanoes and early theories about them.
And then, a matter of strange coincidence, I came across an article about Sigurdsson and his foundation of the Volcano Museum in Iceland, the only one of its kind in the world. And, of course, the museum contains artefacts from Pompeii (is there a museum in the world that doesn't?!). It's a short but interesting piece.
And then, a matter of strange coincidence, I came across an article about Sigurdsson and his foundation of the Volcano Museum in Iceland, the only one of its kind in the world. And, of course, the museum contains artefacts from Pompeii (is there a museum in the world that doesn't?!). It's a short but interesting piece.
New Director of the BSR
In case there is anyone out there who doesn't already know:
Andrew Wallace Hadrill has left the British School at Rome after 15 years as Director to take up a new position at Cambridge. See here for more details. The new Director of the BSR will be Christopher Smith from the University of St Andrews.
Andrew Wallace Hadrill has left the British School at Rome after 15 years as Director to take up a new position at Cambridge. See here for more details. The new Director of the BSR will be Christopher Smith from the University of St Andrews.
Thursday, 10 September 2009
Exhibition: Roma. La pittura di un Impero
A new exhibition on Roman wall-painting is to open in the Scuderie of the Quirinal. It will run from 24 September to 17 January. It aims to give an overview of 600 years of Roman painting, ranging from the Hellenistic period to Late Antiquity. See here for more details.
Among the Campanian paintings included in the exhibition are some from the Villa of Agrippa Postumus in Boscoreale, the portrait of Paculus Proculus and his wife from Pompeii, and the Four Seasons from Stabiae
Among the Campanian paintings included in the exhibition are some from the Villa of Agrippa Postumus in Boscoreale, the portrait of Paculus Proculus and his wife from Pompeii, and the Four Seasons from Stabiae
Tuesday, 8 September 2009
Question: Painting by Eugenio Tanò
Does anyone know where I can find a photo of the following painting by Eugenio Tanò: Inaugurazione degli scavi di Ercolano fatta dal Re (1878). It's in the Capodimonte Museum, Naples, but I haven't been able to find a photo of it anywhere, either on-line or in books. If anyone can provide a reference or has a copy they can pass on I would be very, very happy!
Farnese Collection to reopen
News today that the Farnese Collection in the Naples Museum is to reopen on 2nd October. This is probably the most famous and important collection of ancient sculpture in the world, containing masterpieces such as the 'Tyrannicides', the 'Farnese Atlas' and the 'Farnese Bull' (above). The collection was initially the work of Alexander Farnese (who would become Pope Paul III, 1543 - 49) but passed to the Bourbons (Charles III's mother was Elizabeth Farnese) and was transferred from Rome to Naples. It consists of almost 500 sculptures and inscriptions. The exhibition aims to recreate where possible the context of the pieces, and to arrange and display the collection as it was originally intended by its creator.
Conference paper: Conservation and community at Herculaneum
The 2009 conference of the Association for Heritage Interpretation is on the theme of "Making the Past Work for the Future: interpretation for regenerating places and communities".
On Friday 11 September a paper will be presented on "The City within the city: conservation and community at Herculaneum".
On Friday 11 September a paper will be presented on "The City within the city: conservation and community at Herculaneum".
Monday, 7 September 2009
Pompei di notte
A rather damning article in Stabia News about the current 'Pompei di notte' initiative.
Event: Book launch - Resurrecting Pompeii
The Faculty of Architecture, Design and Planning at The University of Sydney invites you to the official booklaunch of
RESURRECTING POMPEII
Estelle Lazer
Tuesday, 15 September, 2009, from 6.00pm
The Nicholson Museum, The Quadrangle,The University of Sydney
Includes 30-minute talk: Romancing the Bones: The impact of popular culture on archaeological research since 1748.
Introduced by Dr Paul Willis from ABC’s Catalyst
Resurrecting Pompeii provides an in-depth study of a unique site from antiquity wth information about a population who all died from the same known cause within a short period of time.
Dr Estelle Lazer is an Honourary Associate with Faculty of Architecture,Design and Planning at The University of Sydney. Her research interests include forensic archaeology and Antarctic cultural heritage management. She has spent seven fields sessions working on the human skeletal remains at Pompeii. Dr Lazer is working within Architectural Science on identifying sustainable design practices and techniques from Ancient Roman architecture that can be applied to modern building design.
Space limited: Please RSVP to 9351 5906 or email j.wilson[at]arch.usyd.edu.au
RESURRECTING POMPEII
Estelle Lazer
Tuesday, 15 September, 2009, from 6.00pm
The Nicholson Museum, The Quadrangle,The University of Sydney
Includes 30-minute talk: Romancing the Bones: The impact of popular culture on archaeological research since 1748.
Introduced by Dr Paul Willis from ABC’s Catalyst
Resurrecting Pompeii provides an in-depth study of a unique site from antiquity wth information about a population who all died from the same known cause within a short period of time.
Dr Estelle Lazer is an Honourary Associate with Faculty of Architecture,Design and Planning at The University of Sydney. Her research interests include forensic archaeology and Antarctic cultural heritage management. She has spent seven fields sessions working on the human skeletal remains at Pompeii. Dr Lazer is working within Architectural Science on identifying sustainable design practices and techniques from Ancient Roman architecture that can be applied to modern building design.
Space limited: Please RSVP to 9351 5906 or email j.wilson[at]arch.usyd.edu.au
Saturday, 5 September 2009
A Day (and a Night) in Pompeii.
Did you know you can 
take the tram to Pompeii? You can, at least to the exhibition A Day in Pompeii which is currently at the Melbourne Museum until the 25th October 2009.
We took time off from pompeiiinpictures and left our home in Western Australia to go "over east" and visit the exhibition. For those not familiar with Australian distances, this is the equivalent of going from London to Moscow.
This is a very popular exhibition, which has taken Melbourne by storm, with queues winding all around the piazza outside the Museum, waiting for their turn. This has been the case both in the school holidays with parents and families visiting and during school term with school classes coming in by the busload.
The Museum
is a new purpose built building (2000) set in the parkland setting of Carlton Gardens. Our grateful thanks to Brett Dunlop and Phil Spinks of the Museum, who solved the dilemma of how we could fit in with the exhibition's popularity by opening specially at 7am for us. With the permission of the SANP, we have photographed the exhibits. We will be reuniting the ones with a provenance with their original house or location using the cyberspace of www.pompeiiinpictures.com.
A good variety of items were sent from Pompeii, about 270 in total, although considering the distance, we would have loved to have seen more. There were some items from Naples Museum. At this point can we air one of our favourite pleas? There must be so many items that never see the light of day, and yet the “old favourites” are in every book or exibition. Could we not let a few of the more unseen items out?
We wanted to see many items we had been trying to see at Pompeii for the past five years. Several times in the Deposits we have been unsuccessful as they were always out on loan at an exhibition. If we could not see them at Pompeii, then we would try to find them where we could, and we did!
At last we saw the beautiful wall paintings from the House of the Golden Bracelet, not just the garden paintings, but also others including Bacchus and Ariadne with Silenus which we have been chasing around the world.
The exhibition is arranged around themes such as La Citta, La Casa, Vita Religiosa, Luxus: Cosmesi ed ornamenti femminili, Vita economica, L'alimentazione, Ars medica, Il mare, Oltre la vita and La morte sotto il Vesuvio. There are Oscan inscriptions, items from religious life, gold and jewellery, paintings and statues from the houses, items from the kitchens, fast-food shops, medical arts, the public baths and tombs. There are old books and old stereoscopic photographs. A cardboard man was even filling the Fullers pot, with very realistic sound effects. A virtual tour is available on the Museum web site.
The museum has specially commissioned an excellent 3D film presentation showing the events on that last day in AD79 as Vesuvius erupted and the pyroclastic flow arrived at Pompeii. This was very impressive and unique to Melbourne Museum. The audience were noticeably quieter on their way out, they obviously had been given a lot to think about. In the exhibition there were interactive touchscreens to look at the finds or go around a typical roman house. Very popular with the adults, sometimes the kids had difficulty getting a look in.
On show was a collection of lava rocks from most of the eruptions of Vesuvius over the last 2000 years and maps of the impact of each. Curiously though, the 1631 eruption was not included. There was also a TV screen with a film on vulcanology.
An
d then there were the plaster casts. These are what capture everyones imagination and emotions. We liked they way they were laid out and arranged on a dome base as a group rather than each being individual or simply in a line. It had a certain "presence". A sign on the entrance gave the warning "Some visitors may find these body casts upsetting".
On the Thursday night we went to "A Night in Pompeii" to hear one of Professor Frank Sear’s series of talks, this one on Art and Culture, which was excellent. There is a whole series of lectures and we wish we could have attended them all. Still to come are talks from Doctor Philip Batty on the Gladiators of Pompeii (Sept 10th, 6pm) and Roman Erotica and the Evil Eye: Uncovering the Sexual Imagery of Pompeii (Sept 17th, 6pm, Adults 18+ only)
At the weekends you can also see documentaries on "Lost Treasures of the Ancient World: Pompeii - The Doomed City" and "Pompeii and the Roman Villa", the exhibition currently in the USA.
During the school holidays (19th Sept to 4th October) there are additional activities for the kids, including an activity room, they can try rubbing Roman coins, wearing Togas, playing with fresco and mosaic designs or taking a slaves eye view. There is a museum shop where you can buy Pompeii related reproduction items such as jewelry, ceramics, pots and childrens games such as an excavation kit with buried artefacts or a build you own Vesuvius.
We did some customer surveys while we were there.
The Melbourne Italians appreciated a bit of their homeland coming to their new land. Flags everywhere advertise it. The flags were flying in Lygon Street, the Italian quarter of Melbourne, with many Italian restaurants outbidding each other for your business. We ate Siciliano.
A couple, who live in Melbourne, who we met in Sorrento in March, had been to Pompeii on three previous occasions but had not got too much out of the visits. We pointed out a few places they could see and explained a bit about Pompeii while we travelled on the Circumvesuviano train from Sorrento. When we met up with them again in Melbourne they said our pointers had opened their eyes to a different Pompeii compared to all the previous times they had been there. As a result they had been able to get so much more than they would have thought possible out of the exhibition in Melbourne. They had really enjoyed the exhibition and had found it very informative.
We only heard positives about the exhibition:-
When the exhibition finishes in Melbourne it then goes to Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, from 19th December 2009 until 25th April 2010.
We were told that special earthquake-proof cases will have to be made for the items going to New Zealand. The artefacts should feel quite at home.
Jackie and Bob at pompeiiinpictures
take the tram to Pompeii? You can, at least to the exhibition A Day in Pompeii which is currently at the Melbourne Museum until the 25th October 2009.We took time off from pompeiiinpictures and left our home in Western Australia to go "over east" and visit the exhibition. For those not familiar with Australian distances, this is the equivalent of going from London to Moscow.
This is a very popular exhibition, which has taken Melbourne by storm, with queues winding all around the piazza outside the Museum, waiting for their turn. This has been the case both in the school holidays with parents and families visiting and during school term with school classes coming in by the busload.
The Museum
is a new purpose built building (2000) set in the parkland setting of Carlton Gardens. Our grateful thanks to Brett Dunlop and Phil Spinks of the Museum, who solved the dilemma of how we could fit in with the exhibition's popularity by opening specially at 7am for us. With the permission of the SANP, we have photographed the exhibits. We will be reuniting the ones with a provenance with their original house or location using the cyberspace of www.pompeiiinpictures.com.A good variety of items were sent from Pompeii, about 270 in total, although considering the distance, we would have loved to have seen more. There were some items from Naples Museum. At this point can we air one of our favourite pleas? There must be so many items that never see the light of day, and yet the “old favourites” are in every book or exibition. Could we not let a few of the more unseen items out?
We wanted to see many items we had been trying to see at Pompeii for the past five years. Several times in the Deposits we have been unsuccessful as they were always out on loan at an exhibition. If we could not see them at Pompeii, then we would try to find them where we could, and we did! At last we saw the beautiful wall paintings from the House of the Golden Bracelet, not just the garden paintings, but also others including Bacchus and Ariadne with Silenus which we have been chasing around the world.
The exhibition is arranged around themes such as La Citta, La Casa, Vita Religiosa, Luxus: Cosmesi ed ornamenti femminili, Vita economica, L'alimentazione, Ars medica, Il mare, Oltre la vita and La morte sotto il Vesuvio. There are Oscan inscriptions, items from religious life, gold and jewellery, paintings and statues from the houses, items from the kitchens, fast-food shops, medical arts, the public baths and tombs. There are old books and old stereoscopic photographs. A cardboard man was even filling the Fullers pot, with very realistic sound effects. A virtual tour is available on the Museum web site.
The museum has specially commissioned an excellent 3D film presentation showing the events on that last day in AD79 as Vesuvius erupted and the pyroclastic flow arrived at Pompeii. This was very impressive and unique to Melbourne Museum. The audience were noticeably quieter on their way out, they obviously had been given a lot to think about. In the exhibition there were interactive touchscreens to look at the finds or go around a typical roman house. Very popular with the adults, sometimes the kids had difficulty getting a look in.
On show was a collection of lava rocks from most of the eruptions of Vesuvius over the last 2000 years and maps of the impact of each. Curiously though, the 1631 eruption was not included. There was also a TV screen with a film on vulcanology.
An
d then there were the plaster casts. These are what capture everyones imagination and emotions. We liked they way they were laid out and arranged on a dome base as a group rather than each being individual or simply in a line. It had a certain "presence". A sign on the entrance gave the warning "Some visitors may find these body casts upsetting".On the Thursday night we went to "A Night in Pompeii" to hear one of Professor Frank Sear’s series of talks, this one on Art and Culture, which was excellent. There is a whole series of lectures and we wish we could have attended them all. Still to come are talks from Doctor Philip Batty on the Gladiators of Pompeii (Sept 10th, 6pm) and Roman Erotica and the Evil Eye: Uncovering the Sexual Imagery of Pompeii (Sept 17th, 6pm, Adults 18+ only)
At the weekends you can also see documentaries on "Lost Treasures of the Ancient World: Pompeii - The Doomed City" and "Pompeii and the Roman Villa", the exhibition currently in the USA.
During the school holidays (19th Sept to 4th October) there are additional activities for the kids, including an activity room, they can try rubbing Roman coins, wearing Togas, playing with fresco and mosaic designs or taking a slaves eye view. There is a museum shop where you can buy Pompeii related reproduction items such as jewelry, ceramics, pots and childrens games such as an excavation kit with buried artefacts or a build you own Vesuvius.
We did some customer surveys while we were there. The Melbourne Italians appreciated a bit of their homeland coming to their new land. Flags everywhere advertise it. The flags were flying in Lygon Street, the Italian quarter of Melbourne, with many Italian restaurants outbidding each other for your business. We ate Siciliano.
A couple, who live in Melbourne, who we met in Sorrento in March, had been to Pompeii on three previous occasions but had not got too much out of the visits. We pointed out a few places they could see and explained a bit about Pompeii while we travelled on the Circumvesuviano train from Sorrento. When we met up with them again in Melbourne they said our pointers had opened their eyes to a different Pompeii compared to all the previous times they had been there. As a result they had been able to get so much more than they would have thought possible out of the exhibition in Melbourne. They had really enjoyed the exhibition and had found it very informative.
We only heard positives about the exhibition:-
- The adults found it very informative and the 3D movie of the eruption and the plaster casts very moving.
- The school children found it very exciting.
- The Italian restauranteurs talked enthusiastically to us about it.
- The night time exhibition opening was packed, above and beyond those attending the lecture.
When the exhibition finishes in Melbourne it then goes to Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, from 19th December 2009 until 25th April 2010.
We were told that special earthquake-proof cases will have to be made for the items going to New Zealand. The artefacts should feel quite at home.
Jackie and Bob at pompeiiinpictures
Chapter: The Special Case of Herculaneum
Nice summary of the excavations of the Villa of the Papyri, discussion of the early attempts to read the papyri, and a useful bibliography:
David Sider, 'The Special Case of Herculaneum', in Roger S. Bagnall (ed), The Oxford Handbook of Papyrology (Oxford: OUP, 2009), 303 - 319.
David Sider, 'The Special Case of Herculaneum', in Roger S. Bagnall (ed), The Oxford Handbook of Papyrology (Oxford: OUP, 2009), 303 - 319.
Friday, 4 September 2009
Bookshop: Libreria Neapolis
For those of you looking for a good place to buy books (archaeology and other subjects) on Naples, the Campania region and the south of Italy in general - may I suggest Libreria Neapolis.
This tiny bookshop is located right in the heart of Naples, just off Spaccanapoli. In fact, it's conveniently located on S. Gregorio Armeno for those who have just visited Underground Naples and want to pick up a book before buying a nativity scene.
Admittedly it's the size of a small broom cupboard, but they manage to pack in a lot of interesting books into that space, including a small archaeology section.
The key to success though is using them to order what you're looking for, as they are incredibly happy to source the most obscure Pompeian tome - although they are obviously much better at dealing with Italian publications.
Their website is difficult to browse, but you can get round this by using their name in Google along with some decent key words - you'll find lots fo books come up in their thematically organised lists.
If you don't find what you're looking for - ask!
Libreria Neapolis
Via San Gregorio Armeno, 4 Napoli - Italia
ph./fax: +39 (0)81 5514337
info[at]librerianeapolis.it
This tiny bookshop is located right in the heart of Naples, just off Spaccanapoli. In fact, it's conveniently located on S. Gregorio Armeno for those who have just visited Underground Naples and want to pick up a book before buying a nativity scene.
Admittedly it's the size of a small broom cupboard, but they manage to pack in a lot of interesting books into that space, including a small archaeology section.
The key to success though is using them to order what you're looking for, as they are incredibly happy to source the most obscure Pompeian tome - although they are obviously much better at dealing with Italian publications.
Their website is difficult to browse, but you can get round this by using their name in Google along with some decent key words - you'll find lots fo books come up in their thematically organised lists.
If you don't find what you're looking for - ask!
Libreria Neapolis
Via San Gregorio Armeno, 4 Napoli - Italia
ph./fax: +39 (0)81 5514337
info[at]librerianeapolis.it
L'Erma book sale
The new L'Erma di Bretschneider sale is on with discounts up to 90% - the Archaeology and Art History catalogue can be downloaded from here.
Offers of interest include:
Ciarallo Annamaria
FLORA POMPEIANA.
(Studia Archaeologica, 134)
17 x 24 cm, 272 p.
ISBN 88-8265-299-8
(€ 150,00) offerta € 47,00
De Waele J.A.K.E., D’Agostino Bruno, Lulof Patricia S.
TEMPIO DORICO DEL FORO TRIANGOLARE DI POMPEI (IL).
(Studi della Soprintendenza Archeologica di Pompei, 2)
24,5 x 28 cm, 400 p., 434 ill. b/n, 31 tav. f.t., 11 piegh.
ISBN 88-8265-149-5
(€ 244,00) offerta € 76,00
De’ Spagnolis Conticello Marisa
POMPEI E LA VALLE DEL SARNO IN EPOCA PREROMANA. La cultura delle tombe a fossa.
(Studia Archaeologica, 111)
17 x 24 cm, 128 p., 143 ill. b/n, 16 ill. col.
ISBN 88-8265-146-0
(€ 109,00) offerta € 34,00
De’ Spagnolis Conticello Marisa
PONS SARNI DI SCAFATI E LA VIA NUCERIA - POMPEIOS(IL).
(Soprintendenza Archeologica di Pompei Monografie, 8)
20 x 27 cm, 112 p., 66 ill. b/n, 5 ill. col., 4 piante
ISBN 88-7062-878-7
(€ 98,00) offerta € 30,00
De’ Spagnolis Conticello Marisa
VILLA N. POPIDI NARCISSI MAIORIS IN SCAFATI.
Suburbio orientale di Pompei.
(Studia Archaeologica, 119)
17,5 x 25 cm, 454 p., 427 ill. b/n, 14 ill. col.
ISBN 88-8265-143-6
(€ 252,00) offerta € 78,00
Furnari E.
NEAPOLIS VOL. 1,2,3. PROGETTO SISTEMA PER LA VALORIZZAZIONE INTEGRALE DELLE RISORSE AMBIENTALI E ARTISTICHE DELL’AREA VESUVIANA.
Temi progettuali. Planimetrie: Temi progettuali.
(Soprintendenza Archeologica di Pompei Monografie, 7)
20 x 26 cm, 500 p., 24 piante 1:500 a sei colori.
3 voll. in cofanetto.
ISBN 88-7062-865-5
(€ 570,00) offerta € 177,00
Gallo Alessandro
INSULA 1 DELLA REGIONE IX (L’).
Settore occidentale.
(Studi della Soprintendenza Archeologica di Pompei, 1)
24,5 x 28 cm, 152 p., 54 ill. b/n
ISBN 88-8265-150-9
(€ 82,00) offerta € 25,00
Jacobelli Luciana
GLADIATORI A POMPEI.
16 x 24 cm, 128 p., 86 ill. b/n
ISBN 88-8265-249-1
(€ 32,00) offerta € 10,00
Jacobelli Luciana
GLADIATORS AT POMPEII.
17 x 24 cm, 128 p., 86 ill. b/n
ISBN 88-8265-249-1
(€ 35,00) offerta € 11,00
Valeri Claudia
MARMORA PHLEGRAEA. Sculture dal Rione Terra di Pozzuoli.
(Monografie della Rivista
«Archeologia Classica», 2)
21 x 28,5 cm, 250 p.,
214 ill. b/n,
1 pieghevole b/n
ISBN 88-8265-330-7
(€ 145,00) offerta € 45,00
CARTA ARCHEOLOGICA E RICERCHE IN CAMPANIA. FASCICOLO 1 Comuni di Alvignano, Baia e Latina, Caiazzo, Castel Campagnano, Castel di Sasso,Dragoni, Piana di Monte, Ruviano.
Fasc. 1
(Atlante Tematico di Topografia Antica. Supplementi, 15)
(Edd.) Quilici Lorenzo, Quilici Gigli Stefania
21 x 26 cm, 452 p., 5 tav. f.t.
ISBN 88-8265-260-2
(€ 150,00) offerta € 47,00
CARTA ARCHEOLOGICA E RICERCHE IN CAMPANIA. FASCICOLO 2 Comuni di Brezza, Capua, San Prisco.
Fasc. 2.
Atlante Tematico di Topografia Antica. Supplementi, 15)
(Edd.) Quilici Lorenzo, Quilici Gigli Stefania
21 x 26 cm, 240 p., 198 ill. b/n, 1 piegh. a colori
ISBN 88-8265-315-3
(€ 115,00) offerta € 36,00
Offers of interest include:
Ciarallo Annamaria
FLORA POMPEIANA.
(Studia Archaeologica, 134)
17 x 24 cm, 272 p.
ISBN 88-8265-299-8
(€ 150,00) offerta € 47,00
De Waele J.A.K.E., D’Agostino Bruno, Lulof Patricia S.
TEMPIO DORICO DEL FORO TRIANGOLARE DI POMPEI (IL).
(Studi della Soprintendenza Archeologica di Pompei, 2)
24,5 x 28 cm, 400 p., 434 ill. b/n, 31 tav. f.t., 11 piegh.
ISBN 88-8265-149-5
(€ 244,00) offerta € 76,00
De’ Spagnolis Conticello Marisa
POMPEI E LA VALLE DEL SARNO IN EPOCA PREROMANA. La cultura delle tombe a fossa.
(Studia Archaeologica, 111)
17 x 24 cm, 128 p., 143 ill. b/n, 16 ill. col.
ISBN 88-8265-146-0
(€ 109,00) offerta € 34,00
De’ Spagnolis Conticello Marisa
PONS SARNI DI SCAFATI E LA VIA NUCERIA - POMPEIOS(IL).
(Soprintendenza Archeologica di Pompei Monografie, 8)
20 x 27 cm, 112 p., 66 ill. b/n, 5 ill. col., 4 piante
ISBN 88-7062-878-7
(€ 98,00) offerta € 30,00
De’ Spagnolis Conticello Marisa
VILLA N. POPIDI NARCISSI MAIORIS IN SCAFATI.
Suburbio orientale di Pompei.
(Studia Archaeologica, 119)
17,5 x 25 cm, 454 p., 427 ill. b/n, 14 ill. col.
ISBN 88-8265-143-6
(€ 252,00) offerta € 78,00
Furnari E.
NEAPOLIS VOL. 1,2,3. PROGETTO SISTEMA PER LA VALORIZZAZIONE INTEGRALE DELLE RISORSE AMBIENTALI E ARTISTICHE DELL’AREA VESUVIANA.
Temi progettuali. Planimetrie: Temi progettuali.
(Soprintendenza Archeologica di Pompei Monografie, 7)
20 x 26 cm, 500 p., 24 piante 1:500 a sei colori.
3 voll. in cofanetto.
ISBN 88-7062-865-5
(€ 570,00) offerta € 177,00
Gallo Alessandro
INSULA 1 DELLA REGIONE IX (L’).
Settore occidentale.
(Studi della Soprintendenza Archeologica di Pompei, 1)
24,5 x 28 cm, 152 p., 54 ill. b/n
ISBN 88-8265-150-9
(€ 82,00) offerta € 25,00
Jacobelli Luciana
GLADIATORI A POMPEI.
16 x 24 cm, 128 p., 86 ill. b/n
ISBN 88-8265-249-1
(€ 32,00) offerta € 10,00
Jacobelli Luciana
GLADIATORS AT POMPEII.
17 x 24 cm, 128 p., 86 ill. b/n
ISBN 88-8265-249-1
(€ 35,00) offerta € 11,00
Valeri Claudia
MARMORA PHLEGRAEA. Sculture dal Rione Terra di Pozzuoli.
(Monografie della Rivista
«Archeologia Classica», 2)
21 x 28,5 cm, 250 p.,
214 ill. b/n,
1 pieghevole b/n
ISBN 88-8265-330-7
(€ 145,00) offerta € 45,00
CARTA ARCHEOLOGICA E RICERCHE IN CAMPANIA. FASCICOLO 1 Comuni di Alvignano, Baia e Latina, Caiazzo, Castel Campagnano, Castel di Sasso,Dragoni, Piana di Monte, Ruviano.
Fasc. 1
(Atlante Tematico di Topografia Antica. Supplementi, 15)
(Edd.) Quilici Lorenzo, Quilici Gigli Stefania
21 x 26 cm, 452 p., 5 tav. f.t.
ISBN 88-8265-260-2
(€ 150,00) offerta € 47,00
CARTA ARCHEOLOGICA E RICERCHE IN CAMPANIA. FASCICOLO 2 Comuni di Brezza, Capua, San Prisco.
Fasc. 2.
Atlante Tematico di Topografia Antica. Supplementi, 15)
(Edd.) Quilici Lorenzo, Quilici Gigli Stefania
21 x 26 cm, 240 p., 198 ill. b/n, 1 piegh. a colori
ISBN 88-8265-315-3
(€ 115,00) offerta € 36,00
The Alexander mosaic - a teaser for the weekend!
See A Don's Life for Mary Beard's discussion of the similarities between the Alexander mosaic and Pietro da Cortona's 17th century depiction of the battle between Alexander and Darius that is now in the Capitoline Museum. How is it that they so similar when Pietro da Cortona painted before the excavation of the House of the Faun (1832)?She offers different theories to explain the similarities. Personally I come down on the side of Theory 2 (or Theory 3), that 'As the mosaic may itself be a copy, then maybe some other version of the original prototype did survive till the mid seventeenth century – or a version of a version of a version. The similarity in other words is a consequence of both works of art going back to the same prototype, but is not a consequence of Pietro actually having copied the mosaic.' It is true that there are no other surviving versions of the mosaic, but it seems that there were ancient paintings of the battle. Pliny the Elder mentions one by Philoxenos of Eretia in his Natural History (34.110). So the battle scene certainly existed in antiquity, and Italian scholars in particular accept that the Alexander mosaic derives from an early Hellenistic prototype (see Zevi's 1998 discussion and De Caro's 2001 booklet on the House of the Faun).
So, it's true that there is no direct evidence of a version of the battle having survived until the 17th century, but the House of the Faun mosaic was not the only depiction of this famous battle in antiquity - so maybe a version, or a memory of a version, did survive into the 17th century? I'd be interested to know what the rest of you think!
Thursday, 3 September 2009
Article: Archaism in Roman art explored in Los Angeles Pompeii exhibit
Another review of, or rather article inspired by, the current LACMA exhibition, recently posted on the new Heritage Key website.
Malazè - the food and wine event in the Campi Flegrei
English version belowCari enogastronauti,
eccoci giunti alla IV edizione di Malazè - il cratere del gusto.
Ogni anno si cerca di limare gli errori commessi nelle precedenti edizioni, ma soprattutto nuovi soggetti si avvicinano a “Malazè”, arricchendolo di nuova linfa vitale, con la loro cultura e le loro storie.
Quando pensammo a “Malazè”, lo concepimmo in progress, nel senso che l’obbiettivo finale sarebbe stato, quello di farlo diventare una vera e propria vetrina dell’enogastronomia e delle attività legate allo sfruttamento delle risorse archeologiche e ambientali dei Campi Flegrei.
Con questa edizione siamo giunti al 70% del nostro progetto, che sembrava un sogno irrealizzabile per il nostro territorio.
Oggi a questo evento partecipano quasi 100 soggetti, tra imprese di settore e il mondo dell’associazionismo. Ora verrà la parte più difficile da realizzare per lanciare Malazè definitivamente.
Parte che in genere dovrebbe competere alle istituzioni, promuovendo ed affiancando progetti come questo con la partecipazione di buyers, educational tours, giornalisti ed esperti del settore. l nostro lavoro, con entusiasmo e passione, continuerà, comunque.
Alle tante persone che approfitteranno di questa manifestazione per trascorrere alcuni momenti di completo relax godereccio, vogliamo dire che troveranno tante belle iniziative enogastronomiche, ma soprattutto entreranno in contatto con le tante belle persone che partecipano a Malazè, ognuna con la sua storia, il suo evento e con le bellezze uniche dei nostri territori.
Buon Malazè a tutti Voi.
Il Presidente
Rosario Mattera
______________________________
Beloved food and wine surfers!
here we come to IV edition of Malazè – the taste crater.
Every year we try to correct all mistakes made in the former editions, but above all new characters approach Malazè, enriching it with new vital lymph, with their culture and their stories.
When we thought about Malazè, we conceived it as in progress, in a way that the final purpose was to let it become a true showcase of the wine and food and of all activities tied to the Campi Flegrei archaeological and environmental resources exploitation.
With this edition we came to 70% of our project, and it seemed an unattainable dream for our country.
Today almost 100 characters join this event, considering sector enterprises and associationism world. Now comes the hardest part to realize to bring out once and for all Malazè.
This part should usually be responsibility of the state institutions, advertising and supporting projects like this with the involvement of buyers, educational tours, journalists and experts at this sector. Anyhow, our work will continue with enthusiasm and passion.
To all people who will take advantage of this cultural event to spend some relaxing and merry moment, we want to say that they will find a lot of beautiful food and wine initiatives, but, most of all, they will be in touch with all the beautiful people that attend Malazè, everyone with his story, with his happening and with our country unique beauties.
Have a nice Malazè
President
Rosario Mattera
CORSO DI INTRODUZIONE ALL'ARCHEOLOGIA SUBACQUEA LIVELLO AVANZATO
CORSO DI INTRODUZIONE ALL'ARCHEOLOGIA SUBACQUEA LIVELLO AVANZATO
+ CORSO DI INTRODUZIONE ALLA FOTOGRAFIA SUBACQUE SCENTIFICA
Parco Sommerso di Baia (Pozzuoli-Napoli)
30 OTTOBRE - 1 NOVEMBRE 2009
REITIA, società che da diversi anni collabora con l'Università Foscari di Venezia, con la collaborazione del Diving Centro Sub Campi Flegrei di Pozzuoli, con il patrocinio dell'Assodiving Flegreum e l'autorizzazione della Soprintendenza Archeologica di Napoli e Pompei, organizza il corso di introduzione all’archeologia subacquea,LIVELLO AVANZATO rivolto principalmente a studenti e laureati in archeologia e conservazione dei beni culturali ma aperto anche a semplici sommozzatori in possesso di brevetto di immersione ARA di secondo livello o superiore,interessati ad acquisire una preparazione di base sulle tecniche di prospezione e di documentazione in archeologia subacquea. Il corso a numero chiuso riservato a massimo 20 allievi,si articolerà in sessioni teoriche e pratiche tenute da istruttori di Reitia e da specialisti del settore. Durante l’attività pratica che si svolgerà in mare sui fondali della Riserva Marina di Baia si sperimenteranno varie tecniche, con l’utilizzo delle attre zzature di normale impiego nella ricerca e nella documentazione subacquea.
Informazioni: http://www.reitia.it
email: info@reitia.it
Mob + 39 338.4013220
Fax +39 0438.8731156 –
+ CORSO DI INTRODUZIONE ALLA FOTOGRAFIA SUBACQUE SCENTIFICA
Parco Sommerso di Baia (Pozzuoli-Napoli)
30 OTTOBRE - 1 NOVEMBRE 2009
REITIA, società che da diversi anni collabora con l'Università Foscari di Venezia, con la collaborazione del Diving Centro Sub Campi Flegrei di Pozzuoli, con il patrocinio dell'Assodiving Flegreum e l'autorizzazione della Soprintendenza Archeologica di Napoli e Pompei, organizza il corso di introduzione all’archeologia subacquea,LIVELLO AVANZATO rivolto principalmente a studenti e laureati in archeologia e conservazione dei beni culturali ma aperto anche a semplici sommozzatori in possesso di brevetto di immersione ARA di secondo livello o superiore,interessati ad acquisire una preparazione di base sulle tecniche di prospezione e di documentazione in archeologia subacquea. Il corso a numero chiuso riservato a massimo 20 allievi,si articolerà in sessioni teoriche e pratiche tenute da istruttori di Reitia e da specialisti del settore. Durante l’attività pratica che si svolgerà in mare sui fondali della Riserva Marina di Baia si sperimenteranno varie tecniche, con l’utilizzo delle attre zzature di normale impiego nella ricerca e nella documentazione subacquea.
Informazioni: http://www.reitia.it
email: info@reitia.it
Mob + 39 338.4013220
Fax +39 0438.8731156 –
Wednesday, 2 September 2009
The Gardens of the Roman Empire
Posted on behalf of Kathy Gleason:
Upon Wilhelmina Jashemski's death in 2007, the fate of the Gardens of the Roman Empire volume seemed to many to be left hanging. In fact, she made arrangments for the manuscript to be edited by those who had worked with her for many years and for its publication by Cambridge University Press. Kathryn Gleason (Cornell University) is the Executive Editor, working with Amina Aicha Malek (CNRS) and Kim Hartswick (CUNY) to complete the editing. Victoria I continues to advise on the format of the book. The absence of a comprehensive contact list, which we are rebuilding, has limited our ability to be in touch with everyone. This is just one forum we are opening up to be in touch with those who have contributed to the project over the years, and to those who may know of Roman garden excavations that we should add to the catalog before we complete our work.
The Gardens of the Roman Empire comprises two volumes, a traditionally printed book of essays (also available digitally from Cambridge), and a catalog of all the known gardens of the empire. The latter became too large for a print volume, or even a CD, and is currently being formatted for an eBook publication. There are nearly 2,000 entries. The manuscript is complete, but exists in many formats that are now being unified for publication. This is taking some time, but we are making steady progress!If you have a copy of any chapter or catalogue section of the manuscript or would like to know what state the version submitted to press is in, please email Kathryn Gleason. Due to the longstanding nature of the project, various drafts have been circulated. These are under contract with Cambridge University Press and must be cited accordingly. All drafts in circulation are in an early edited form and are known to contain errors or lack updates provided in the final versions, so do not hesitate to contact us for details. Kathryn Gleason klg16@cornell.edu. We also have a Facebook group, called Gardens of the Roman Empire, for anyone who would like to follow the progress of the book.
The Gardens of the Roman Empire comprises two volumes, a traditionally printed book of essays (also available digitally from Cambridge), and a catalog of all the known gardens of the empire. The latter became too large for a print volume, or even a CD, and is currently being formatted for an eBook publication. There are nearly 2,000 entries. The manuscript is complete, but exists in many formats that are now being unified for publication. This is taking some time, but we are making steady progress!If you have a copy of any chapter or catalogue section of the manuscript or would like to know what state the version submitted to press is in, please email Kathryn Gleason. Due to the longstanding nature of the project, various drafts have been circulated. These are under contract with Cambridge University Press and must be cited accordingly. All drafts in circulation are in an early edited form and are known to contain errors or lack updates provided in the final versions, so do not hesitate to contact us for details. Kathryn Gleason klg16@cornell.edu. We also have a Facebook group, called Gardens of the Roman Empire, for anyone who would like to follow the progress of the book.
News: Interview with Mariarosaria Salvatore
See here for the first interview (that I've seen) with Mariarosaria Salvatore, the new Superintendent of Pompeii.
American Academy in Rome: Rome prize
Each year, the coveted Rome Prize is awarded to thirty emerging artists and scholars in the early or middle stages of their careers who represent the highest standard of excellence in the arts and humanities.Fellows are chosen from the following disciplines:
- Architecture
- Design
- Historic Preservation and Conservation
- Landscape Architecture
- Literature (awarded only by nomination through the American Academy of Arts and Letters)
- Musical Composition
- Visual Arts
- Ancient Studies
- Medieval Studies
- Renaissance and Early Modern Studies
- Modern Italian Studies
Prize recipients are invited to Rome for six months or eleven months to immerse themselves in the Academy community where they will enjoy a once in a lifetime opportunity to expand their own professional, artistic, or scholarly pursuits, drawing on their colleagues' erudition and experience and on the inestimable resources that Italy, Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Academy have to offer.
Rome Prize winners are the core of the Academy's residential community, which also includes Residents and Visiting Artists and Scholars.
Fellows are encouraged to work collegially within and across disciplines in pursuit of their individual artistic and scholarly goals.
Eligibility
—Applicants for all Rome Prize fellowships, except those applying for the National Endowment for the Humanities post-doctoral fellowship, must be United States citizens at the time of the application.
—U.S citizens and those foreign nationals who have lived in the United States for three years immediately proceeding the application deadline may apply for the NEH post-doctoral fellowships.
—Graduate students in the humanities may apply only for pre-doctoral fellowships.
—Previous winners of the Rome Prize are not eligible to re-apply.
—Undergraduate students are not eligible for Rome Prize fellowships.
Individuals may submit joint applications provided the work is genuinely collaborative in nature as demonstrated by the materials submitted. In the case of joint applications, each individual must meet all eligibility requirements. Joint applications must be submitted in one package. Joint applicants selected as winners will share one prize.
Winners of the Rome Prize may hold other fellowships concurrently, as long as the requirements of such fellowships do not conflict with the Academy's rules. Applicants are required to disclose all fellowships and awards they expect to hold during their proposed residency in Rome, including sabbatical pay. The Academy may make adjustments to the stipends based on other awards held by Rome Prize recipients. Winners may not hold full-time jobs while at the Academy.
News: Beni archeologici incarico a Guzzo
Beni archeologici incarico a Guzzo
MERCOLEDÌ, 02 SETTEMBRE 2009 - LA REPUBBLICA - Napoli
L´archeologo Pietro Giovanni Guzzo, che ha lasciato dopo 15 anni la guida della soprintendenza archeologica di Napoli e Pompei per raggiunti limiti di età, si occuperà per conto della Regione di sviluppo e valorizzazione dei siti archeologici campani. L´incarico gli è stato conferito ieri. «Ringraziamo il professor Guzzo - dice il governatore Antonio Bassolino - per quanto ha fatto in questi anni per il nostro patrimonio archeologico. Siamo lieti che voglia continuare a dare il suo contributo per lo sviluppo e per la valorizzazione delle nostre aree archeologiche». «Pietro Giovanni Guzzo è tra gli archeologici più noti e stimati in Italia e nel mondo. Le sue scoperte, le mostre che ha curato, le sue pubblicazioni di studio - sottolinea l´assessore regionale ai Beni culturali Oberdan Forlenza - sono sempre state un avvenimento culturale internazionale che ha dato prestigio non solo ai monumenti di cui ha avuto la responsabilità come soprintendente, ma anche a tutto il nostro territorio». «Sono molto onorato di questo incarico - ha commentato il professor Guzzo, recentemente premiato dall´Accademia dei Lincei - e garantisco il mio massimo impegno».
MERCOLEDÌ, 02 SETTEMBRE 2009 - LA REPUBBLICA - Napoli
L´archeologo Pietro Giovanni Guzzo, che ha lasciato dopo 15 anni la guida della soprintendenza archeologica di Napoli e Pompei per raggiunti limiti di età, si occuperà per conto della Regione di sviluppo e valorizzazione dei siti archeologici campani. L´incarico gli è stato conferito ieri. «Ringraziamo il professor Guzzo - dice il governatore Antonio Bassolino - per quanto ha fatto in questi anni per il nostro patrimonio archeologico. Siamo lieti che voglia continuare a dare il suo contributo per lo sviluppo e per la valorizzazione delle nostre aree archeologiche». «Pietro Giovanni Guzzo è tra gli archeologici più noti e stimati in Italia e nel mondo. Le sue scoperte, le mostre che ha curato, le sue pubblicazioni di studio - sottolinea l´assessore regionale ai Beni culturali Oberdan Forlenza - sono sempre state un avvenimento culturale internazionale che ha dato prestigio non solo ai monumenti di cui ha avuto la responsabilità come soprintendente, ma anche a tutto il nostro territorio». «Sono molto onorato di questo incarico - ha commentato il professor Guzzo, recentemente premiato dall´Accademia dei Lincei - e garantisco il mio massimo impegno».
Book: The Splendor of Roman Wall Painting
Umberto Pappalardo, The Splendor of Roman Wall Painting, Getty Publications, 2009.
'Visitors to the former residences of wealthy ancient Romans cannot help but be astonished by their grand architecture and enchanting wall paintings, still vibrant with cinnabar reds, golden yellows, and deep greens. The beauty and intricacy of these ancient frescoes are showcased in the sumptuous volume Domus: Wall Painting in the Roman House, published by the J. Paul Getty Museum in 2004 and now available in this abridged and affordable edition. Following an introduction to the Roman domestic ideal that inspired these wall decorations and a discussion of the evolution in painting styles, the author conducts a tour of twenty-eight houses in Pompeii, Herculaneum, Oplontis, and the city of Rome. Here are painted scenes--rich with fabulous details of illusionistic architecture, lush gardens, exotic animals, and erotic adventures--impressive in their display of technical mastery and enduring in their visual impact.'
'Visitors to the former residences of wealthy ancient Romans cannot help but be astonished by their grand architecture and enchanting wall paintings, still vibrant with cinnabar reds, golden yellows, and deep greens. The beauty and intricacy of these ancient frescoes are showcased in the sumptuous volume Domus: Wall Painting in the Roman House, published by the J. Paul Getty Museum in 2004 and now available in this abridged and affordable edition. Following an introduction to the Roman domestic ideal that inspired these wall decorations and a discussion of the evolution in painting styles, the author conducts a tour of twenty-eight houses in Pompeii, Herculaneum, Oplontis, and the city of Rome. Here are painted scenes--rich with fabulous details of illusionistic architecture, lush gardens, exotic animals, and erotic adventures--impressive in their display of technical mastery and enduring in their visual impact.'
Tuesday, 1 September 2009
That Mitchell and Webb Look again
A few weeks back I posted about a comedy sketch from 'That Mitchell and Webb Look'. Readers outside the UK wouldn't have been able to view the BBC IPlayer recording I linked to (sorry!), but the sketch has now turned up on UTube. Enjoy!
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