I am working on my master's degree in world history at Rutgers University Newark. I had never participated in any aspect of archaeological work before, so participating in the Vacone villa excavation project awards me a unique opportunity at firsthand uncovering of ancient history that was impossible to pass by. I came to Vacone ready for the hot weather and looking forward to two weeks of hard, but rewarding scientific work. So far, my involvement with the conservation effort primarily entailed the cleaning of the mosaic floors around the site, in order to prepare these areas for future stabilization and other necessary intervention procedures.
As Annie explained in her blog entry, the cleaning technique involves removal of dirt and clay from the surface of the mosaic by the least intrusive methods possible (minimal amount of clean water, soft sponges and brushes, and wooden skewers and tongue depressors for edgework and detailing.) Soaps, cleaning products, and solvents may damage the surface of the tessellatum, as can too much wetting and drying of the mosaic, so the conservation specialists must be aware of the delicate nature of the process. It is also important to note any surface deterioration, such as detached tessarae, lacunae, cracks, and to avoid any further damage to the delicate edges of the mosaic. The cleaning procedure may appear easy enough at the first glance, but the scorching Mediterranean sun makes the treatment a much more challenging endeavor.
Above is a photo of student Jack cleaning a mosaic on site.
Aside from removal of deteriorating materials, cleaning enables the conservation specialists to better assess the condition of the mosaic, as well as prepare the area for the stabilization treatment, which ranges from resetting the detached tessarae, edging repair, infilling of lacunae and cracks, grouting of voids between preparatory layers, and injecting fresh mortar to reinforce problematic sections of the mosaic.
During my first week at Vacone, I was also involved in several other aspects of working at the archaeological site, removing soil and sand from the Geo-textile, which was used to conceal the mosaic excavated the year before, as well as some actual excavation work.
One thing that fascinated me the most was the variety and creativity of the mosaic designs around the villa. Each room has its own unique patters, and in some instances, two distinct patters can be found within the same room. Characteristically of the period, all mosaics are geometric, rather than figurative, varying from bi-chrome to polychrome in color, and feature a variety of patterns.
I've always had a profound respect and admiration for the intense labor and passion of the archaeologists, and now, having witnessed and experienced some of the process, I feel privileged to be a part of this remarkable project.
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