RIFLESSIONI SUI MARGINI DELLE AREE ARCHEOLOGICHE URBANE

Maria Grazia Ercolino

DipartimentodiStoria,DisegnoeRestaurodell’Architettura,“LaSapienza”,Roma,mariagrazia.ercolino@uniroma1.it

ABSTRACT

Findings of an excavation are often incomprehensible, their simple storage in 'archaeological fences' is an

useless operation, because they require a previous decoding to restore their meaning. City is the result of

several diachronies that the archaeological 'emptiness' may irreparably disrupts it. The ‘edges’, with their

various heights, contribute to make obscure and marginal a heritage that should be shared, jeopardizing the

conservationofthesameplaces.

Central point of this reflection is the necessity to define, in a shared way, an idea of space that is generated

by the relationship between the excavation and the urban structure which participates in that imagine,

changingtheidentitybothinitsinternalspatialrelationsandinthesurroundingcontext.

Breaking the splendid isolation of the ruins and restoring their identity, is the purpose that a correct

evaluation should be aimed to; the key role in this research is carried out by the edge created between the

excavationandtheurbanenvironment.

Physical boundary of the investigation area, metaphorical filter between past and present time, a line of

demarcation among the different diachronies of the same place, and the limit of an excavation engraved into

the fabric of living city will always involve a relationship with the surrounding reality, deeply pondered or

completelydisregarded.

Through the analysis of some examples, this paper aims to highlight the importance and the role of this

boundary,sofullofmeaning,bothincasesinwhichitwasdesigned,orignored.

Key-words:conservation,edges,fences,urbanarchaeologicalareas,ruins.