We are an organization specialized in research investigations in underground archaeological sites.We can carry out study projects in dangerous environments, in compliance with safety laws and carry out surveys and professional documentation, such as the use of 3D laser scan.
SUMMARY. In the territory of the Castelli Romani, along the NorthEast wall of the caldera formed ... more SUMMARY. In the territory of the Castelli Romani, along the NorthEast wall of the caldera formed during the last phase of eruptive activity of the Latium Volcano, subsequently occupied by the water of Lake Nemi, there is an underground church dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel. The cave, abandoned since the end of the eighteenth century, is now showing signs of severe degradation, both structurally and iconographically. A study of the site is currently under way in order to determine the state of the hypogeum. This article, in addition to documenting the critical condition of the structure, and presenting its historical and artistic value, aims to promote an awareness campaign in order to recover and maintain this example of the cultural heritage of the Roman province.
The underground domus of Via Marcella on the Aventine. The remains of the domus of Via villa buil... more The underground domus of Via Marcella on the Aventine. The remains of the domus of Via villa built in the 1920s. The presence of " hopper windows " along the walls, suggests that the rooms were already semi-underground in the original construction. In the course of works for the building of the modern villa, two additional structures with the same orientation were documented, pertaining to the above-ground-ological Superintendence of Rome became aware of the structures and subjected them to the regimen of historical sites. The wall decoration system presents a geometric partition with polychrome bands on a white background. polychrome marble chips.
SUMMARY. The tunnel of the Roman aqueduct of Saldae, Algeria. The unique feature of the Saldae aq... more SUMMARY. The tunnel of the Roman aqueduct of Saldae, Algeria. The unique feature of the Saldae aqueduct consists in the fact that its chief engineer, Nonius Datus, wrote a long inscription describing the history of the work, the problems encountered during the excavation of a tunnel and the success he inally obtained in solving these problems. In so doing, Nonius gives us precious clues regarding the basic principles and the technical procedures that were adopted in his time in order to accomplish this type of challenging engineering tasks. The story begins in AD 137, when the Saldae authorities ask the commander of a neighboring legion to send an expert surveyor to design the city aqueduct. The military librator Nonius Datus comes to Saldae, makes his project, delivers a detailed plan to the city manager and leaves. Twelve years later, however, he is asked to return for further consultation, because the aqueduct is not completed. But that does not solve the problem, because four years later he has to go back again, since the two teams of diggers that were excavating the aqueduct tunnel from opposite sides of the mountain have failed to meet, in spite of extensive unproductive tunneling. Nonius makes a rapid diagnosis, gives precise directions and pretty soon the water can triumphantly rush through the tunnel. We are not told how the problem was solved, but we could probably understand Nonius' strategy from an accurate inspection of the tunnel. It seems, however, that the tunnel –although walkable– has remained locked since 1875 and no researcher has yet been able to adequately survey it. Thus, the little secret of Nonius Datus remains to be discovered.
SUMMARY. The Augustean Campanian aqueduct in the Phlegrae-an Fields (Naples). Aqua Augusta Campan... more SUMMARY. The Augustean Campanian aqueduct in the Phlegrae-an Fields (Naples). Aqua Augusta Campaniae, also known as Seri-no Augustean Aqueduct, is an important ancient hydraulic system. It is located in Campania, near Naples. It was aimed at providing fresh water to civil and military settlements in the Phlegraean Fields. The aqueduct tapped large springs in the Campanian Apennines. It ran mostly underground along the limestone hillsides of the Apennines, the Vesuvius slopes and the Phlegraean Fields volcanic craters. The overall length of the main course was about 105 km. It also left side branches to important ancient cities, such as Nola, Atella, Acerra and Naples. From 2010 on, we are performing caving research on the Aqua Augusta in the Phlegraean Fields, from Naples to Pozzuoli, Baia and Misenum. We identiied several hydraulic passages. According to their position, elevation and morphology, most of them can be attributed to the Aqua Augusta. We present a preliminary review of explored sections, together with a discussion of building morphologies. They are related to enclosing rocks and to operational hydraulic sections. The data could be helpful in checking attribution of other hydraulic passages to Aqua Augusta and in a preliminary research about Phlegraean Fields ancient water provision.
A forgotten map of the Emissary of
lake Nemi, drafted before the 1928 works. A major
difficulty i... more A forgotten map of the Emissary of lake Nemi, drafted before the 1928 works. A major difficulty in the study of the ancient emissary of lake Nemi is due to the fact that in 1928 the canal underwent extensive rearrangements under the direction of engineer Guido Ucelli, in order to permit the drainage of the lake for the retrieval of ‘Caligula’s ships’. In the absence of adequate documentation on the emissary before such works, useful information can be obtained from a map that was drafted in 1926 by an ad hoc ministerial commission and that has hitherto escaped the attention of scholars. Such a map is not exempt from glaring mistakes and approximations, but it provides valuable details on the dimensions of the ancient artefact, its practicability, the existence of shafts, the chronology of some tunnel fillings.
The Great Underground Road, the “Strada Carrabile” of Hadrian’s Villa. This article presents the ... more The Great Underground Road, the “Strada Carrabile” of Hadrian’s Villa. This article presents the main results of a study campaign (2007-2009) focusing on the underground road system of Hadrian’s Villa (Tivoli), also known as “Strada Carrabile” or “Driveway” that led to the so-called Great Trapezium. The extensive underground network is an ingenious system connecting the different quarters of the villa and is composed of underground passages for people on foot and in carts. The underground infrastructure hid the traffic of the slaves and helped to respect the emperor’s demands of order and tranquillity. Towards the far north of the Terrace of Tempe there is the entrance to an originally artificial cavity that has never been documented. On first inspection it has been identified as a hypothetical underground road far bigger than the passages already explored. The height cannot be determined yet, since the debris fills it almost to the vault. We have been able to explore only the first 60 metres from the entrance. The tunnel first runs north-east for about 50 metres and then turns towards the south.
SUMMARY. In the territory of the Castelli Romani, along the NorthEast wall of the caldera formed ... more SUMMARY. In the territory of the Castelli Romani, along the NorthEast wall of the caldera formed during the last phase of eruptive activity of the Latium Volcano, subsequently occupied by the water of Lake Nemi, there is an underground church dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel. The cave, abandoned since the end of the eighteenth century, is now showing signs of severe degradation, both structurally and iconographically. A study of the site is currently under way in order to determine the state of the hypogeum. This article, in addition to documenting the critical condition of the structure, and presenting its historical and artistic value, aims to promote an awareness campaign in order to recover and maintain this example of the cultural heritage of the Roman province.
The underground domus of Via Marcella on the Aventine. The remains of the domus of Via villa buil... more The underground domus of Via Marcella on the Aventine. The remains of the domus of Via villa built in the 1920s. The presence of " hopper windows " along the walls, suggests that the rooms were already semi-underground in the original construction. In the course of works for the building of the modern villa, two additional structures with the same orientation were documented, pertaining to the above-ground-ological Superintendence of Rome became aware of the structures and subjected them to the regimen of historical sites. The wall decoration system presents a geometric partition with polychrome bands on a white background. polychrome marble chips.
SUMMARY. The tunnel of the Roman aqueduct of Saldae, Algeria. The unique feature of the Saldae aq... more SUMMARY. The tunnel of the Roman aqueduct of Saldae, Algeria. The unique feature of the Saldae aqueduct consists in the fact that its chief engineer, Nonius Datus, wrote a long inscription describing the history of the work, the problems encountered during the excavation of a tunnel and the success he inally obtained in solving these problems. In so doing, Nonius gives us precious clues regarding the basic principles and the technical procedures that were adopted in his time in order to accomplish this type of challenging engineering tasks. The story begins in AD 137, when the Saldae authorities ask the commander of a neighboring legion to send an expert surveyor to design the city aqueduct. The military librator Nonius Datus comes to Saldae, makes his project, delivers a detailed plan to the city manager and leaves. Twelve years later, however, he is asked to return for further consultation, because the aqueduct is not completed. But that does not solve the problem, because four years later he has to go back again, since the two teams of diggers that were excavating the aqueduct tunnel from opposite sides of the mountain have failed to meet, in spite of extensive unproductive tunneling. Nonius makes a rapid diagnosis, gives precise directions and pretty soon the water can triumphantly rush through the tunnel. We are not told how the problem was solved, but we could probably understand Nonius' strategy from an accurate inspection of the tunnel. It seems, however, that the tunnel –although walkable– has remained locked since 1875 and no researcher has yet been able to adequately survey it. Thus, the little secret of Nonius Datus remains to be discovered.
SUMMARY. The Augustean Campanian aqueduct in the Phlegrae-an Fields (Naples). Aqua Augusta Campan... more SUMMARY. The Augustean Campanian aqueduct in the Phlegrae-an Fields (Naples). Aqua Augusta Campaniae, also known as Seri-no Augustean Aqueduct, is an important ancient hydraulic system. It is located in Campania, near Naples. It was aimed at providing fresh water to civil and military settlements in the Phlegraean Fields. The aqueduct tapped large springs in the Campanian Apennines. It ran mostly underground along the limestone hillsides of the Apennines, the Vesuvius slopes and the Phlegraean Fields volcanic craters. The overall length of the main course was about 105 km. It also left side branches to important ancient cities, such as Nola, Atella, Acerra and Naples. From 2010 on, we are performing caving research on the Aqua Augusta in the Phlegraean Fields, from Naples to Pozzuoli, Baia and Misenum. We identiied several hydraulic passages. According to their position, elevation and morphology, most of them can be attributed to the Aqua Augusta. We present a preliminary review of explored sections, together with a discussion of building morphologies. They are related to enclosing rocks and to operational hydraulic sections. The data could be helpful in checking attribution of other hydraulic passages to Aqua Augusta and in a preliminary research about Phlegraean Fields ancient water provision.
A forgotten map of the Emissary of
lake Nemi, drafted before the 1928 works. A major
difficulty i... more A forgotten map of the Emissary of lake Nemi, drafted before the 1928 works. A major difficulty in the study of the ancient emissary of lake Nemi is due to the fact that in 1928 the canal underwent extensive rearrangements under the direction of engineer Guido Ucelli, in order to permit the drainage of the lake for the retrieval of ‘Caligula’s ships’. In the absence of adequate documentation on the emissary before such works, useful information can be obtained from a map that was drafted in 1926 by an ad hoc ministerial commission and that has hitherto escaped the attention of scholars. Such a map is not exempt from glaring mistakes and approximations, but it provides valuable details on the dimensions of the ancient artefact, its practicability, the existence of shafts, the chronology of some tunnel fillings.
The Great Underground Road, the “Strada Carrabile” of Hadrian’s Villa. This article presents the ... more The Great Underground Road, the “Strada Carrabile” of Hadrian’s Villa. This article presents the main results of a study campaign (2007-2009) focusing on the underground road system of Hadrian’s Villa (Tivoli), also known as “Strada Carrabile” or “Driveway” that led to the so-called Great Trapezium. The extensive underground network is an ingenious system connecting the different quarters of the villa and is composed of underground passages for people on foot and in carts. The underground infrastructure hid the traffic of the slaves and helped to respect the emperor’s demands of order and tranquillity. Towards the far north of the Terrace of Tempe there is the entrance to an originally artificial cavity that has never been documented. On first inspection it has been identified as a hypothetical underground road far bigger than the passages already explored. The height cannot be determined yet, since the debris fills it almost to the vault. We have been able to explore only the first 60 metres from the entrance. The tunnel first runs north-east for about 50 metres and then turns towards the south.
Il CRSA – Centro Ricerche Speleo archeologiche
organizza corsi introduttivi alla speleo-archeolog... more Il CRSA – Centro Ricerche Speleo archeologiche organizza corsi introduttivi alla speleo-archeologia rivolti ai neoiti che intendano approfondire le tecniche di esplorazione, studio e ricerca di sotterranei di interesse archeologico e di chiara origine antropica.
Gli acquedotti dell’antica Roma rappresentano uno dei più noti monumenti dell’antichità. Il loro ... more Gli acquedotti dell’antica Roma rappresentano uno dei più noti monumenti dell’antichità. Il loro sviluppo, prevalentemente ‘lineare’ ed in sotterraneo, li rende di difficile individuazione e valorizzazione. L’esperimento che si vuole portare avanti in questo testo è l’individuazione di un’area geografica di notevole interesse, come quella attorno a Tivoli, e il segnalamento dei resti dei condotti in seguito allo studio della bibliografia e ad una campagna di esplorazione tenuta dall’associazione Sotterranei di Roma tra il 2016 e il 2024. La fusione di questi elementi porta ad un ritracciamento del percorso degli acquedotti, ottenuto tramite studi approfonditi resi possibili dagli attuali strumenti di localizzazione geografica. Il tutto è arricchito dall’attraversamento di un territorio straordinariamente ricco di testimonianze storiche, segnalate con approfondimenti tematici che spesso esulano dal tema acquedottistico.
Gli acquedotti dell’antica Roma rappresentano uno dei più noti monumenti
dell’antichità. Il loro... more Gli acquedotti dell’antica Roma rappresentano uno dei più noti monumenti
dell’antichità. Il loro sviluppo, prevalentemente ‘lineare’ ed in sotterraneo, li rende di difficile individuazione e valorizzazione. L’esperimento che si vuole portare avanti in questo testo è l’individuazione di un’area geografica di notevole interesse, come quella attorno a Tivoli, e il segnalamento dei resti dei condotti in seguito allo studio della bibliografi a e ad una campagna di esplorazione tenuta dall’associazione Sotterranei di Roma tra il 2016 e il 2024. La fusione di questi elementi porta ad un nuovo tracciamento del percorso degli acquedotti, ottenuto tramite studi approfonditi resi possibili dagli attuali strumenti di localizzazione geografica. Il tutto è arricchito dall’attraversamento di un territorio straordinariamente ricco di testimonianze storiche, segnalate con approfondimenti tematici che spesso esulano dal tema acquedottistico.
Gli acquedotti dell’antica Roma rappresentano uno dei più noti monumenti
dell’antichità. Il loro ... more Gli acquedotti dell’antica Roma rappresentano uno dei più noti monumenti dell’antichità. Il loro sviluppo, prevalentemente ‘lineare’ ed in sotterraneo, li rende di difficile individuazione e valorizzazione. L’esperimento che si vuole portare avanti in questo testo è l’individuazione di un’area geografica di notevole interesse, come quella attorno a Tivoli, e il segnalamento dei resti dei condotti in seguito allo studio della bibliografi a e ad una campagna di esplorazione tenuta dall’associazione Sotterranei di Roma tra il 2016 e il 2024. La fusione di questi elementi porta ad un nuovo tracciamento del percorso degli acquedotti, ottenuto tramite studi approfonditi resi possibili dagli attuali strumenti di localizzazione geografica. Il tutto è arricchito dall’attraversamento di un territorio straordinariamente ricco di testimonianze storiche, segnalate con approfondimenti tematici che spesso esulano dal tema acquedottistico.
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Papers by Centro Ricerche Speleo Archeologiche - Sotterranei di Roma
lake Nemi, drafted before the 1928 works. A major
difficulty in the study of the ancient emissary of
lake Nemi is due to the fact that in 1928 the canal
underwent extensive rearrangements under the
direction of engineer Guido Ucelli, in order to permit
the drainage of the lake for the retrieval of ‘Caligula’s
ships’. In the absence of adequate documentation on
the emissary before such works, useful information can
be obtained from a map that was drafted in 1926 by
an ad hoc ministerial commission and that has hitherto
escaped the attention of scholars. Such a map is not
exempt from glaring mistakes and approximations,
but it provides valuable details on the dimensions of
the ancient artefact, its practicability, the existence of
shafts, the chronology of some tunnel fillings.
results of a study campaign (2007-2009) focusing on the underground road system of Hadrian’s Villa (Tivoli), also
known as “Strada Carrabile” or “Driveway” that led to the so-called Great Trapezium. The extensive underground
network is an ingenious system connecting the different quarters of the villa and is composed of underground
passages for people on foot and in carts. The underground infrastructure hid the traffic of the slaves and helped
to respect the emperor’s demands of order and tranquillity. Towards the far north of the Terrace of Tempe there
is the entrance to an originally artificial cavity that has never been documented. On first inspection it has been
identified as a hypothetical underground road far bigger than the passages already explored. The height cannot
be determined yet, since the debris fills it almost to the vault. We have been able to explore only the first 60
metres from the entrance. The tunnel first runs north-east for about 50 metres and then turns towards the south.
lake Nemi, drafted before the 1928 works. A major
difficulty in the study of the ancient emissary of
lake Nemi is due to the fact that in 1928 the canal
underwent extensive rearrangements under the
direction of engineer Guido Ucelli, in order to permit
the drainage of the lake for the retrieval of ‘Caligula’s
ships’. In the absence of adequate documentation on
the emissary before such works, useful information can
be obtained from a map that was drafted in 1926 by
an ad hoc ministerial commission and that has hitherto
escaped the attention of scholars. Such a map is not
exempt from glaring mistakes and approximations,
but it provides valuable details on the dimensions of
the ancient artefact, its practicability, the existence of
shafts, the chronology of some tunnel fillings.
results of a study campaign (2007-2009) focusing on the underground road system of Hadrian’s Villa (Tivoli), also
known as “Strada Carrabile” or “Driveway” that led to the so-called Great Trapezium. The extensive underground
network is an ingenious system connecting the different quarters of the villa and is composed of underground
passages for people on foot and in carts. The underground infrastructure hid the traffic of the slaves and helped
to respect the emperor’s demands of order and tranquillity. Towards the far north of the Terrace of Tempe there
is the entrance to an originally artificial cavity that has never been documented. On first inspection it has been
identified as a hypothetical underground road far bigger than the passages already explored. The height cannot
be determined yet, since the debris fills it almost to the vault. We have been able to explore only the first 60
metres from the entrance. The tunnel first runs north-east for about 50 metres and then turns towards the south.
organizza corsi introduttivi alla speleo-archeologia
rivolti ai neoiti che intendano approfondire le
tecniche di esplorazione, studio e ricerca di sotterranei
di interesse archeologico e di chiara origine
antropica.
dell’antichità. Il loro sviluppo, prevalentemente ‘lineare’ ed in sotterraneo, li rende di difficile individuazione e valorizzazione. L’esperimento che si vuole portare avanti in questo testo è l’individuazione di un’area geografica di notevole interesse, come quella attorno a Tivoli, e il segnalamento dei resti dei condotti in seguito allo studio della bibliografi a e ad una campagna di esplorazione tenuta dall’associazione Sotterranei di Roma tra il 2016 e il 2024. La fusione di questi elementi porta ad un nuovo tracciamento del percorso degli acquedotti, ottenuto tramite studi approfonditi resi possibili dagli attuali strumenti di localizzazione geografica. Il tutto è arricchito dall’attraversamento di un territorio straordinariamente ricco di testimonianze storiche, segnalate con approfondimenti tematici che spesso esulano dal tema acquedottistico.
dell’antichità. Il loro sviluppo, prevalentemente ‘lineare’ ed in sotterraneo, li rende di difficile individuazione e valorizzazione. L’esperimento che si vuole portare avanti in questo testo è l’individuazione di un’area geografica di notevole interesse, come quella attorno a Tivoli, e il segnalamento dei resti dei condotti in seguito allo studio della bibliografi a e ad una campagna di esplorazione tenuta dall’associazione Sotterranei di Roma tra il 2016 e il 2024. La fusione di questi elementi porta ad un nuovo tracciamento del percorso degli acquedotti, ottenuto tramite studi approfonditi resi possibili dagli attuali strumenti di localizzazione geografica. Il tutto è arricchito dall’attraversamento di un territorio straordinariamente ricco di testimonianze storiche, segnalate con approfondimenti tematici che spesso esulano dal tema acquedottistico.