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.