Microclimatic Monitoring for Archeological Shelters Across Indoor Comfort and Conservation: The Case Study of the Villa del Casale in Piazza Armerina (Sicily, Italy)

Abstract

Conservation and use raise priority and complementary needs in the archeological built heritage and, within the contemporary paradigm, they are no longer conflictual activities. The minimum intervention principle and compatibility are key objectives to avoid altering the values of the heritage. However, the musealization process also requires a double focus: on the one hand, the conservation of the material asset; on the other, the well-being of the users. The influence of environmental parameters on material decay is a well-known item: this occurs through chemical, physical, and biological processes, which contribute to reducing the expected life of archeologi- cal finds. Furthermore, the conditions of thermo-hygrometric comfort are necessary to guarantee the correct use of the site. The paper focuses on the thermo-hygrometric well-being in archeological sites and, in particular, on the case of Villa Romana del Casale, in Piazza Armerina, Sicily, which is a UNESCO site. A complex restoration project was performed on this site a few decades ago, aimed at improving the conservation of the mosaic apparatuses and users’ well-being, through the redesign and consequent replacement of the shelter system. The microclimate monitoring, aimed to verify the environmental conditions created by the new covering system, has been focused on sample room, on which the new covering system has been completed, and rooms that still are covered by the methacrylate old system. The comparison between the environmental parameters related to the old covering system, which caused undesired effects both for use and conservation, and the data related to the new covering system, allowed verifying the improvement in microclimatic conditions after the intervention. Data have demonstrated that the new one has reduced temperature inside the rooms and has increased humidity values. These analytical data demonstrate that the conservative intervention provided a positive impact on microclimatic conditions. Indeed, the comparison also showed the absence of the dangerous greenhouse effect. The conclusion of the paper will propose a comparative analysis of these results and other general aspects of the quality of the intervention, which cannot be measured or can only be measured indirectly.