LE TERME DI CARACALLA:

UN INTERVENTO SUI PAVIMENTI MUSIVI E UN PIANO DI

MANUTENZIONE PROGRAMMATA

Roberta Zaccara*

*Dottoranda in Restauro dell’Architettura presso il Dipartimento di Storia, Disegno e Restauro dell’Architettura,

“Sapienza”-Roma.

roberta.zaccara@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

The Thermal Baths of Caracalla (built between 212 and 217 A.D.) are the only example of an Imperial

thermal bath complex in Rome of which we can still appreciate its monumental architectural structure in its

entirety.

The Baths are an open-air monument and as such are exposed to the natural events and the consequences of

climate variations which have resulted in significant deterioration both at the surface and the interior

structure.

The restoration work has been focused on the mosaic floor (about 1,376 sqm. surface area). Following up

from an examination of the monument (through studies, research projects, and direct observations) and

especially of the mosaic floor (geometric design, materials, size of the tesserae, but also the modus operandi

used during previous restoration works), an analysis was made to assess the level of repair and identify the

different current forms of decay. The assessments were undertaken depending on the location of the different

areas, ie.where the mosaic fragments are placed within the Baths’ complex. The level andtype ofrestoration

work carried out was performed as a function of the deterioration discovered. It consisted of weedkilling

operations,disinfection,consolidation,andwhererequiredanintegrationofincompleteparts.

Finally, a control plan has been developed, as well as a planned maintenance and prevention programme

basedonthedecayanalysis,bothofwhichprovideameanstogiveprioritylevelstoeachintervention.

Parolechiave/Key-words: preservation,maintenance,weeding,disinfection,integration.