Saturday, June 29, 2013

Friday June 28th

Today we spent the day mainly with Andreina Nardi, Roberto's wife and well known consevator. She first took us through the traditional Roman process of making lime mortar. To begin, blocks of  limestone and arranged into a large kiln, also made from limestone, and a fire is lit at the base of the kiln. The following reaction takes place: calcium carbonate plus heat yields calcium oxide (quick  lime, which is very reative with water) plus carbon dioxide. The smoke from the kiln turns black when the temperature reaches roughly 700 C, and the kiln is sealed off  for three to  four days, until the smoke turns back to white.

After allowing a week for the kiln to cool off, the stone is removed and water is added along the following reaction: calcium oxide plus water yields calcium hydroxide. The stone must sit in the water for about three months; if the correct proportion of water is added, hydraulic lime is produced, but with extra water slaked lime (also called lime putty) is produced. Filler  is then added, often sand but sometimes shell, pumice, straw, or coal, depending on what the mortar will be used for. Finally, the mortar is applied and pigments must then also be applied while the mortar is still fresh.

Andreina then taught us a little about tratteggio, a form of inpainting areas of loss in paintings and painted surfaces, and showed us incredible examples of her own use of the technique. We then spent some time working on our Medusa mosaic and working on selecting pictures, videos, and music for the final video of our time here in Italy.




Thursday June 27th

Today was our first day back at the convent and not traveling. We were excited to not have to wake up early and just be at the convent in Belmonte all day. After breakfast, we spent the next several hours reconnecting with Roberto-discussing our museum and laboratory visits in Rome as well as our days spent with Roberto Cassio and Gael de Guichen. Following a large lunch, we went back to the classroom. Roberto then showed us a series of videos from past CCA projects to give us an even better idea of the excavation of mosaics and wall murals and the issues associated with such processes.

We focused especially on Roberto Nardi's work on the ancient Roman town of Zeugma, in modern day Gaziantep,Turkey, and the breathtaking floor mosaics found there. The Euphrates River running next to the town was dammed in 2000 and the water level was raising significantly every day, meaning the ruins of Zeugma were under water within a few short months. Roberto assemled a team of all of the mosaic conservation specialists in the world at the time in record speed and they lifted the most unique mosaics before the site was covered with water. They also backfilled the numerous remaining mosaics in order to protect them from the mechanical damage of the river current. The mosaics they lifted, many of them quite massive floor mosaics, are now housed in the Zeugma Mosaic Museum in Gaziantep, Turkey, making it the largest mosaic museum in the world.


Friday, June 28, 2013

Wednesday June 26th

Today we took another trip into Rome to visit the Vatican conservation labs and the Museo Vaticani. We visited three different conservation labs: the stone lab, the paintings lab, and the mosaics lab. We listened to presentations from staff of the labs with the help of our knowledgeable tour guide and translator, Giovanni.





After a quick lunch, we entered the Museo Vaticani. It was very packed inside, so we unfortunately did not have much time to admire all the beautiful artwork. Despite the time constraints, though, we managed to catch a glimpse of some famous pieces that we studied in school. After walking the length of the museum, we got to see the Sistene Chapel - definitely a life-changing experience. After exiting the museum, we explored the St. Peter's Basilica and saw some beautiful architecture and art. 




Thursday, June 27, 2013

Tuesday June 25th

Today we toured the Instituto Superiore per la Conservazione ed il Restauro (ICR). Talking with conservators about the program, they explained entrance tests including the following: a drawing test, complete reproduction, reproduction of material, color test, and fills. The program lasts for 5 years with one free month in August. Classes are 6 days a week and are further divided into two parts, 3 days for practical work and 3 days for more theory oriented material (general chemistry and history subjects). We were all amazed at the beautiful conservation labs and program.



After touring ICR, we visited the Capitoline Museum, seeing  sculptures such as the bronze she wolf with Romulus and Remus and the bronze Marcus Aurelius on his horse. We then returned to the convent for one of the best dinners of our lives, begining with truffle bruschetta (made even more amazing by the fact that none of us could have afforded it at a restaurant back home!), and followed by the main meal of hand-made pizza by the fabulous cook at the convent, Maria. And lastly, Prosecco and a chocolate and pear vanilla cake because it was one of our birthdays.


Monday June 24th

Today we woke up early to drive to Assisi, getting more and more excited as the scenery became increasingly beautiful the closer we got to the city. We enjoyed a walk through the city along the cobblestoned winding streets, up and down the hills. Our first stop was the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, where we spent hours in awe of the painted wall murals of both the upper annd the lower churches.



Next, we visited the Curch of Saint Claire, and then  ran through the rain to get back to the cars to head off to Spoleto. In Spoleto we went to the Duoma Sant'Imbria Assunti and then walked along a Roman aqueduct and were greeted by a breathtaking view of the valley and surrounding cliffs.

Sunday June 23rd

Today we visited the Foro Romano, the Colosseo, and the Museo Nazionale, so just about as much of Rome as one can see in a day! The fantastic art historian, Giovanni Ferni, met us at our hotel bright and early to try to beat the heat at the Forum.  It was amazing to see so many layers of Roman history represented in the center of a bustling metropolis.  We discussed the traditional uses of the basilica as both places of public trial, and areas for the gathering of Romans to discuss business.



 After lunch, it was off to the Colosseo, which is a truly amazing place.  The Colosseo was built on what was once an artificial lake, in order to return the space to the people of Rome.  Although what is left of the Colosseo is basically just it's skeleton, one can image the grandeur of what once was a marble covered, heavily decorated public space with statues in all of the arches.



We spent the remainder of the afternoon at the Museo Nazionale looking at mosaics, wall paintings, and marble sculptures. The museum was a nice change of pace from the heat, and seeing mosaics similar to our medusa was a blast! A day so packed of knowledge and images to absorb made for a pretty tired group, but we are excited for our trek back into Rome on Tuesday.


Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Saturday June 22nd

Today was our first day in Rome! After quick cappuccinos at a local bar, we went to Peter Rockwell's, sculptor and son of Norman Rockwell, studio. He started the day by giving a brief lecture on ancient carving tools and techniques.


We then went to do our own carving in both soft and hard stones.




Taking a quick break for lunch in the park and a gelato, we got back to work. We definitely gained a new respect for master sculptors.



At the end of the day, being thoroughly coated in dust, we took a walk from the studio to the hotel. We went to Gael de Guichen's apartment for appetizers and conversation before having a pizza dinner and spending the night in Trastevere.


Friday, June 21, 2013

Friday June 21st

Today we had the pleasure of working with Roberto Cassio, a Roman mosaic master who reproduces and restores classic, religious, and modern subjects and portraits using traditional Roman materials and techniques. Introducing us to the new mosaic material he uses, comprised of glass with metals and minerals, he walked us through his method of creating tesserae (out of small glass rods) and melting and molding them with a blowtorch. After sufficiently stretching the melted tesserae to the desired thickness, we practiced breaking the tesserae and learned how to place them on the mosaic, eager to try and match Roberto’s perfect technique.



After, Roberto helped us with the Medusa mosaic. Bringing out plans we drew at the site, including sketches of where each excavated rock was found, we all attempted to put as many pieces together as we could, taking measurements and predicting the geometric pattern that the mosaic had. After putting several pieces together, the Medusa was transferred up to the conservation labs where we then flipped it over and applied talcum power (so the clay doesnot permanently stick) and a thick layer of clay to hold each tessera into place. Covering the layer with newspaper, we then flipped the Medusa back over. Then, using hot water (the wheat glue used to attach the fabric to the tesserae is water soluble) and sponges, we carefully lifted the velatura layer. Unveiling brilliantly colored mosaics, we used scalpels to scrape away excess clay, fully opening areas of loss. Using talcum powder again, we used extra loose tesserae found on the site to fill in losses. Ending the day by applying a new coat of velatura, we are anxious to continue work once we come back from Rome!








Thursday June 20th

We spent the day with Gaël de Guichen, the father of preventive conservation. After a delicious breakfast, we immediately got to work in the classroom. Gaël introduced us to ICCROM (International Center for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property), an organization that promotes the conservation of cultural heritage. As a class, we brainstormed and discussed the definition of cultural property. We then split into groups and created lists of agents of deterioration that conservators have to take into account.

Gaël spent a good deal of time with us defining the different types of conservation: preventive conservation, remedial conservation, and resoration. Because he specializes in storage, Gaël showed us two PowerPoint presentations showcasing his efforts to reorganize two disastrous museum storage spaces in Iraq and India. The transformations were incredible and demonstrated how a little effort can  create a safe, efficient, and pleasant workplace that improves the security of stored artifacts.

After a long day of fascinating lessons, we enjoyed yet another wonderful meal prepared by Maria, the convent's talented cook. We had vegetable soup, meatloaf, and potatoes, followed by an incredible fruit salad. 

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Wednesday June 19th

Today we reluctantly left Sardinia, although we were looking forward to less intense heat at the convent up in Belmonte. We woke at 5:00am to drive two hours to the ferry, rode the ferry for five and a half hours, and then drove two hours back to the convent. It was a very long day and many of us took advantage of sleeping in the car. We all enjoyed the ferry ride, though, and marveled at the size of the boat. We enjoyed a fabulous dinner of pasta with pesto, among other dishes, cooked by Maria, the cook at the convent.

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Tuesday June 18th

Today was our last day on site in Sardinia and it was very bitter sweet.  We worked on getting the pieces of mosaic ready for transport and the site cleaned up and ready for our departure.  By backfilling the room of the mosaic with sand, we were able to protect the remaining mosaic and make the site look taken care of and aesthetically pleasing.  Chiseling the excess layers of rock from the back of the mosaic was nerve-wracking but necessary, as we needed to get the pieces down to a manageable size and weight.



Despite our busy day, we were able to finish early and spend some time shopping and exploring in Alghero before our last meal; a meal that most certainly did not disappoint. On top of the usual two courses, we were served appetizers-five to be exact; two different kinds of fish, fava beans, organs, and veggie fritata.  After these, the requisite two courses, lasagna with meat sauce or pasta and cheese and then seafood risotto or zucchini and egplant mini pies, were enough to send us into a food coma, but not until after some gelato.


Monday June 17th

Today we started wrapping up the projects started at the site. It was decided that because of the mass quantity of mosaics found, we would change the initial plan for the site and focus on the mosaic removal and conservation. But before that was completed, we had to finish the mortar for the cracked vault. Using damp sponges, the smooth and dry mortar was wiped to reveal the crushed brick and stone particles. This reduces the porosity of the mortar (waterproofing it), but also aesthetically incorporates it more into the structure and texture of the stone.

Once this was complete, we continued to remove tesserae from the mosaic site. The mosaic was backed with velatura (textile attached with water soluble wheat paste) and lifted from the site, then chiseled to remove remaining plaster off of the back for easier transport. This gave a nice break from the sun which was the hottest it has been so far. Little did we know, a camera crew from an Italian news program came to interview Roberto about the work and a group of students were interviewed.

After a hard day of work we had a scenic drive back to Alghero with a lot more time to spare than usual before dinner. We took the opportunity to explore the town and shop. Dinner tonight had some of the most adventurous dishes so far. Pasta with squid ink sauce and cuttle fish (tentacles and all!), which was followed by a veggie frittata and, of course, gelato.


Sunday June 16th

After visiting La Basilica della Santissima Trinita di Saccargia, we drove to see the Nuraghe, inhabited by 8,000 Nuragic people ranging from different tribes in 1600 B.C. Primarily a shepherding society, the head lived in the main Nuraghe which also served as a fortress or for protection. All surrounding structures were made of stone and cane roofs. However, somewhere between the Bronze and Iron Age, the purpose of these were forgotten and the Nuraghe then became a religious site. The Nuraghe tower we toured was one central tower with three smaller ones arranged in an equilateral triangle. It is believed that the Nuragic people used dry construction and ramps to construct these monumental structures. Surrounded by three generations of volcanoes, the structures were also built so that during a solstice light would enter straight through the structure.

After the Nuraghe we visited La Domus VI- Tombu De Capo, a 3rd millennium B.C. tomb that was reused by the Roman and Byzantines, approximately 5,000 years old. The layout was based on huts—designed as a circular room entrance leading to a second and third rectangular room. Due to ideas of reincarnation, the tomb was designed based off of the deceased’s house so that once entering the afterlife they would find a familiar place.
Initially finding the tomb coated in black smoke, graffiti, and as a home to many endangered bats, the black layer was removed and filled with lime mortar. Watercolor washes and trattegio were applied to faded paintings to absorb graffiti and bats were relocated.

After a wonderful tour of the tomb, we camped ourselves outside for a picnic lunch before proceeding to tour the beautiful town of Bosa. Of course, like any day in Italy, our day would not be complete without visiting one of the numerous Sardinian beaches. However, the beach got the best of us, sending two to the hospital for heat rashes and sea urchins due to the giant gorges under the water. Yet, we all made it back in time for dinner, health problems resolved, and feasted on mushroom risotto, gamberoni, veal, and fried breaded eggplant, followed by our favorite flavors of gelato.

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Saturday June 15th


Today began with our usual morning trip to the site of the Sant'Imbenia villa. We jumped right into work, splitting into several different teams. One group continued to smash bricks into dust and small pieces. These materials, along with sand, hydraulic lime, slaked lime, and water were mixed with a large electric mixer to create mortar for consolidating the crack in the structure of one of the villa's vaults. Some brave volunteers took turns using the electric mixer, which required a fair amount of upper body strength.


Once the mortar was prepared, Roberto Nardi showed us the proper technique for consolidating the crack. He first wet the area in order to simulate the humid conditions that mortar needs to dry and set properly. With our help, he began to slowly fill the crack with the mortar, adding chunks of broken ceramic to help stabilize the material. This consolidation method is most effective because it is similar to the way the original vault was built. Unfortunately, we did not prepare enough mortar, so the crack will need to be finished on Monday.



Meanwhile, a second group was working on the mosaic itself. We cleaned several new sections of the mosaic and applied velatura with a mixture of wheat paste and Primal (a member of the PVA family) to several intact pieces for ease of lifting. Using a crowbar and some wooden boards, we were able to successfully lift several major sections of the mosaic from the ground. A separate group worked on cleaning these pieces and removing some of the heavy back layer to decrease their weight for transportation. 

Work on the mosaic is still continuing. There are many more pieces to be cleaned and lifted, and it seems for every piece we uncover, we find two more new ones. We have also begun to find other Roman artifacts, such as bone, glass, small chunks of wall fresco, and a column capitol. Another important discovery was made when we uncovered a second, beautifully preserved mosaic present underneath the Medusa: this was originally the ground floor of the villa. Sadly, we had to cover the second mosaic and leave it for future excavations.

 

After work, we took a trip to the same beach we went to on Friday for a quick swim before dinner. We certainly have our work cut out for us in the next few days, but we enjoy every second of it.

 

Friday June 14th

We arose and headed directly to the Sant'Imbenia site after a breakfast provided by the  hotel in Alghero, Sardinia. The teams from yesterday were rearranged in order to give everyone a chance to work on all aspects of the excavation and conservation of the site. Some people worked on continuing to excavate and clean the mosaic in situ, for the time being only removing loose tesserae (the small cubic-cut pieces of stone that make up a mosaic).



Trowels, scalpels, and brushes of various sizes were used to clean the pieces of mosaic in situ and the dirt that was removed from the mosaic was sifted before being discarded to make sure no tesserae were lost. Other people worked with scalpels, tooth brushes, and water to clean the loose tesserae. Still others continued cleaning the large crack in the vault. And finally, the last group used small sledge hammers to smash bricks (original Roman bricks from  the site)  into powder to eventually be made into mortar to stabilize the crack in the vault.

We wrapped up our work at the site around 6:00pm and, as with yesterday, changed into our bathing suits to go swimming. Roberto showed us a different beach than the  one from  yesterday; this one had a Nuraghe watch tower on a hill on the far side of the bay where we swam. After swimming we drove back for a quick shower and change of clothes before dinner, followed by a walk around Alghero.


Friday, June 14, 2013

Thursday June 13th

Today was our first day at the Roman villa at the Sant'Imbenia site in Sardinia, although we first visited the site of the Nuraghe di Sant'Imbenia. This site was where the large, free-standing, warrior sculptures we saw yesterday afternoon were found. We were shown around the site and told about the excavation and theories regarding the origins and creation of the Nuraghe by Marco Rendeli, a colleague of  Roberto's and a profesor at a local university.

We then arrived at the Roman villa at the Sant'Imbenia site to eat a picnic lunch, Italian style with fresh fruit and vegetables and olive oil, and to discuss how to proceed. We divided into three groups: one to work in the room with the mosaic, removing the sand backfill left to protect it in 2005 (when the Medusa center piece was recovered) and begining to excavate the remaining mosaic; one to work in the main room, cleaning the room and then backfilling it with sand to protect it; and one to work at the vault, removing debris and cleaning a large crack.

We worked until around 6:00pm, at which time we were tired but very satisfied, having found much more mosaic then Roberto had expected. Roberto then decided to take us to a "secret beach" to go swimming in the Mediterranean, which was just as amazing and refreshing as he promised. The  day ended with another fantastic dinner at the same authentic Sardinian restaurant as last night and more gelato, along with a walk along the coast.


Wednesday June 12th

Today was another travel day that began with some more classroom preparation for our trip to Sardinia.  After a short flight, we landed in beautiful and sunny Alghero. We grabbed a quick bite to eat and then headed to the Centro di Conservazione e Restauro Dei Beni Culturali to see the lab and the amazing sculptures of Monte Prama.  The sculptures of Monte Prama are large, free-standing, carved stone warriors which represent a small percentage of the 5178 fragments that were found at the site in the 1970s.  These beautiful sculptures have been dated as far back as the eighth century, B.C. and are an amazing and very important find. After leaving the Centro di Conservazione, we then settled into our hotel in Alghero and had an amazing Sardinian dinner outside with a view of the streets of the town and the sound of the ocean close by.  Of course, the evening ended in a trip to the gelato shop!



Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Tuesday June 11

After a beautiful night of sleep after about 15 hours of straight traveling, we woke up to an amazing view and an even more amazing breakfast. Perfectly cooked hard boiled eggs, nutella on Italian bread, cereal that does not come close to coco puffs, and fruit were all stacked in the kitchen where we congregated to fill our plates and our stomachs. Nothing could be compared to sitting on the porch in the sun looking at the amazing view of Belmonte while sipping a cup of coffee.

When we finished we congregated in the classroom to get down to business and discuss the coming weeks in more detail. Roberto Nardi started off by discussing the site in Sardinia where we are flying June 12th to start field work in the villa. The Roman villa of Sant'Imbenia is located on the northwestern side of the island.

We then discussed how we were going to prepare a video throughout the trip that would be used by the CCA (Centro di Conservazione Archeologica) to promote, educate, and explain what we did in the program. Jumping right into it, each student on the trip was interviewed and taped on their initial expectations for the trip and  why they came.

During this interview process, Andreina, Roberto's wife and fellow conservator, gave a hands on demonstration of the technique used to clean marbles and that was being used on opus sectile, a form of mosaic decoration, that are from the villa we are going to be working on in Sardinia. The process was broken down into first mixing a solution of 30 g ammonium carbonate, 25 g EDTR, and an antibacterial. To this a fine paper pulp is mixed in. The marble then has a thin piece of tissue paper applied to the surface of the marble with a wetted brush. After, the solution and wood pulp mixture is evenly applied and covering it all with a sheet of plastic to prevent evaporation. After 15 minutes, this is then removed, washed with the solution and a toothbrush and sponged off. Using a sharp scalpel, any additional accretions on the surface are then carefully scraped off the surface of the marble.

 
 


Just as our stomachs started to growl, a lunch of fried rice balls, deviled eggs, tuna pasta,  melon and prosciutto, and tomatoes and mozzarella were loaded on to our plates. We went back to work immediately after to discuss where in the villa we are working and the plans for treatment. We wrapped up the work day by watching a video on a previous treatment done by the cca on prehistoric sculptures found at monte prima. The comparison between our sites and other like it in other countries is vital in Gaining context clues and finding possible answers to the questions surrounding the site in Sardinia.

With the little time left between class and dinner, the entire group decided to go for a walk around the convent. On the walk we took in the perfectly picturesque scenery of the region including sheep and lambs, horses, lttle houses stuck on the side of the hills, and sweet Italian women with dogs. The perfect end to this perfect day was a dinner of bean soup with homemade pasta, sausage, salad, rosemary potatoes, cheese, and a fruit pastry.




Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Monday June 10th


Our journey began with a 5:15 p.m. flight out of JFK to Dusseldorf for a two-hour layover. There, not only we were anxious to finally arrive in Italy, but also were eager to soak in German atmosphere but most importantly German chocolate. Pacing the airport and weaving amongst stands of perfectly wrapped candy bars, we sipped espresso and snacked while preparing for our next flight. After a short two-hour flight to Rome, Roberto’s colleagues picked us up at the airport, and shortly thereafter began an hour-long journey up the mountains to the convent, our new home for the coming weeks. As time went on, the roads, which started as large highway lanes, transformed into small dirt paved winding roads lined with ancient olive trees revealing villas and monasteries hidden amongst the hills. Arriving at the quaint green gate, we were all taken back by the beauty of the convent as our car carefully drove up the narrow drive.

Once arriving and settling in, Professor Roberto Nardi gave us a tour of the area, leading us out on the terrace overlooking the countryside, the beautiful kitchen and living room areas, and finally the conservation labs on the top floor. Following our tour, was our first Italian dinner: pasta, salad, veal, mozzarella, finishing with Italian gelato.


Thursday, June 6, 2013

Schedule

Here is our schedule so everyone can keep up with all of the exciting events in store for us!