Project:
Roman town planning considering Pompeji as example – Casa dei Postumii and Terme Stabiane
Left: GPR measurements in the peristyle of Casa dei Postumii.
Right: Terme Stabiane.
Location:
Pompeji, Italy
Client: DAI (German Archaeological Institute), Rome department
Target:
Determine the prospects of success of geophysical methods during running excavations considering
Roman cities as example and expansion on investigations inside of existing ancient buildings.
Operations:
The most modern methods which are provided to geophysicists in the field of archaeological
prospection were applied. Depending on the measuring conditions on site and the archaeological,
historical and structural questions, geomagnetics (2D), GPR (2.5D) and geoelectrics as mapping
and imaging (2D) as well as tomography (3D) were used. The investigations focused on Casa dei
Postumii and Terme Stabiane.
Transforming geophysical data into virtual models is carried out together with architect
Chris Barlieb
ZODIAC.
Virtual model of the moat generated on the basis of geophysical data.
Results:
The geophysical results basically provided evidence of a North-South running trench in the Terme Stabiane
which is displayed in the resistance tomography as a zone of increased electric conductivity. The trench
is flanked and covered by conductions which are associated with the use of the public spas. The exact
location and even the dip of the Roman water conduits appeared in the radargrams.
Well utilisable and surely interpretable results were not achieved in Pompeji until 2D and 3D investigation
methods were combined. The reason for this are manifold disturbances and overlays so that the
complexity of the structures appeared only by and by.
Left: Geoelectrical tomography in the Terme Stabiane.
Centre: Terme Stabiane - the trench, the piping and tracks of excavations of the previous century.
Right: Virtual model of the moat, generated on the basis of geophysical data.
Contact persons:
Dipl.-Geophys. Burkart Ullrich and Dipl.-Geophys. Cornelius Meyer
(info@eastern-atlas.de)
