LA SFIDA DI CONSERVARE LE AREE ARCHEOLOGICHE FRAGIL: DAL MONITORAGGIO ALLA PROGETTAZIONE NEL CASO DELLA TOMBA DEI PESCI DI CAGLIARI

The paper describes the results of the collaboration between Polimi and SPABAP, which since 2017 have carried out microclimatic monitoring of "Tomb of fish and spikes" at the necropolis of Tuvixeddu in Cagliari and diagnostic tests of various types with the aim to release in safety, restore, and optimize conditions to ensure the durability of the decorated surfaces of the Tomb. The Roman tomb is located along one of the urban expansion lines of the second half of the ‘800, in addition to others already restored over the years and returned to public use. The major criticalities of the tomb were related to the presence of moisture of all forms and the degradability of materials (calcarenite, decorated plasters, and stuccos) and their vulnerability in an urban humid environment. From the multidisciplinary and specialized studies carried out, it resulted that the real possibilities of combining conservation and usability were not the best, and it led to choosing to design an enclosed space, insulated and fully conditioned to prevent the thermal-hygrometric imbalances that occurred due to seasonal and daily variations and the anthropic use of the buildings nearby the tomb. The new space is configured as a filter space, visitor center, and technical space to accommodate the machinery of air conditioning systems, by design of the Soprintendenza. The verification of the consistency with the guidelines derived from the monitoring was carried out by the Polytechnic. The project’s execution phase was contracted out to professionals who also guaranteed its proper execution. The construction is expected to be completed by 2025.