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0022 - HHC2016 - Valeria Amoretti
84 Plays9 years ago
Archaeological Heritage in Naples: Hidden or Used?
Valeria is an Archaeologist and Physical Anthropologist with a great passion for Cultural Anthropology. She achieved her degree in Conservation of Cultural Heritage in Pisa University. She is specialized in Forensic Anthropology, in Paleopathology, in Christian Archeology and Museum Sciences. She was Research Fellow in L’Aquila University, were she had her PhD in medieval Archeology. She is an archeologist and anthropologist both in the fieldwork and in laboratory, and thanks to this ability she is now a collaborator at the Superintendence of many Italian Regions (Liguria, Toscana, Trentino, Abruzzo). She took part in 52 archeological campaigns, 32 lab works on materials and 30 publications. The will to make known the work and the discoveries related to the archeology and the heritage led her to attend a second PhD in Architecture, Design and Cultural Heritage in Naples, with the specific intent to study how to communicate archeology. She fell in love with this city, its connected heritage and its unique cultural anthropology. Currently she is working on a PhD Thesis on “Musealization of Human Remains”, and she is attracted to the perspectives of the application of new technologies to cultural heritage for the enhancement of archeological sites and objects.
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Transcript
Introduction and Apology
00:00:00
Speaker
You are listening to the Archaeology Podcast Network.
00:00:19
Speaker
I have to apologize to you for my terrible English. And I think I will read them. It's better for me and I think it's really better for you.
00:00:37
Speaker
Let's start.
Founding of Naples: Greek Influence
00:00:41
Speaker
This is specifically planned. Naples has a very long history, beginning 2000 and 800 years ago, when the Greeks from Cassisindi arrived first to Mieszka and later in Puma, and finally, in the first half of 17th century BC, to a small island of Margarita. To lay the foundation of the first settlement that extended,
00:01:04
Speaker
One, two, and three. According to recent excavations, we have a looking piece of Alcona area. This first settlement was called Partello, and just one century later, a new part of the city, the yellow one, called Neapolis, was established on a rough plain that slopes from north to south in the direction of the sea. Today, this plain is incorporated in the earth of the center of Naples, and they landed in the north, by the end of Korea, in the south, by Corso and Berto,
00:01:34
Speaker
This is the city center, embraced by the carbonara and in the west by the Santa Maria for Santino. The great polygonal walls that fortify the ancient city center were disposed approximately inside those woods, and encompassed a settlement, the extension of which overlaps with the one actually perceived as the historic center of the motor city.
Urban Evolution: Maintaining Ancient Plans
00:01:57
Speaker
What really strikes our attention is the resistance of the Greek city plan compared to the modern one. Naples changed many times. It was born a colonial Greek city. This is a brief history, but really brief. And it was Roman, Norman, Swabian, Angevin, Aragonese, Embalto, and the final Italian.
00:02:19
Speaker
A great urban rationalization took place during the Angevin era, obsolete voluminous and lumbering structures were eliminated, while the ancient center was maintained essentially undamaged. Even if the aristocratic families chose the center to build their rich policies, in this process improved during the Barber era until the deepest change of modern times.
00:02:42
Speaker
Nowadays, ancient modern creates side-by-side enables with the nonchalance that the press particular to not in the politics. Their use of ancient buildings, considered to be still functional, is a widespread phenomenon in Italy. It is enough to recall that the Colosseum was used in medieval time as a fortress. And the Pantheon was converted from temple to church, maintaining not only the structure, but the entire site of decoration.
00:03:11
Speaker
What? Oh, sorry. I don't see leaders. It's a... Oh. Oh, thanks a lot. Sorry, screen's gone. Could you hear me? Does it work? There you go. It should be working now. It's good? Sorry.
00:03:40
Speaker
However, neighbors, the survival of the city map is still something quite extraordinary. The city planning blocks still match the original grid. OK. I have a problem with this. OK.
00:04:02
Speaker
still makes the regional reorganization visible. Also, the Romans were considered the human reorganization and political project kept the Greek rule while suited to wear out terrain intact. The reason for such resilience is interpreted by some authors as a proof of extreme efficiency of an economic plan. A great number of buildings were demolished, but what was considered as functional was simply absorbed into many buildings.
00:04:28
Speaker
Step by step, the Greek Naples disappeared, except for a few shreds of walls that are still visible. And the only trace of the ancient splendor was the Greek plan with its long city blocks, 35 meters wide and 185 long, cut by three main plateaui, you can see. Three main plateaui.
00:04:55
Speaker
and the stenography that you can see in vertical. Still today, those three streets are called by Napoleon's people as detonates, higher, medium, and lower, as a memory of the Greek road partitioning that was ratified in Monatans. Actually, the lower recommend coincides with the famous Spakana literary Great Nipples.
Challenges of Excavation in Modern Naples
00:05:17
Speaker
Great. That is this one, you can see. Great Nipples.
00:05:25
Speaker
But exactly the presence of those precincts in the center of the city is the reason why it is really difficult for archaeologists to investigate it. As stated by one of the most eminent Italian archaeologists, two sediments, the cholera epidemic in 1882 and the earthquake in 1980,
00:05:43
Speaker
while the foundation of the archaeological research invented an algorithm. In the first case, the playbook was followed by a series of interventions on a city map, called the Risan Amunstok, that permitted to identify a series of ancient buildings, in particular in the Anglo-area, and fortunately every part of these buildings were destroyed or damaged. On the second hand, the 1980 earthquake permitted, during intervention for security with the historical center, the evaluation with modern archaeological techniques.
00:06:12
Speaker
but that, at present times, our archaeological knowledge of the city is made from a series of interventions without physical or chronological continuity. And therefore, it is a sequence of data put in relation in a paratactical order. That said, the relationship between Naples, if the city is a next possible, be considered an anti-kuma.
00:06:42
Speaker
One of the most emblematic traits in this relationship is venti-cardia theater. This, along with the area modified by a subsequent road development, when creating bold lines in the conducted city blocks, in particular in the neighboring area of the venti-cardia.
00:07:02
Speaker
This structure was always identified as the neo-theater, as reported by written sources, but on the basis of men's horizontal photography, there is evidence of a clear face from a recent age, and another one from flooding the age. It was literally swallowed up by little buildings, and it is actually at last, because the remains are separated by the different housing units created in time.
00:07:27
Speaker
At the center point, some elements for strengthening facade were built, and actually are recognizable in two arches that stand above the antichaldia that are part of the chaotic life of a city. This fact, if in all the self-centrances present in the collective unconscious, on the other, through its particular form of privatization, reinforce
00:07:57
Speaker
They believe that this is a private structure where it is normal to un-laundry or make all the changes that one requires to be in a shelter. You can see the laundry here. And all the works in progress here. There's something private in here. The cave is preserved in an extraordinary well and is located inside the surrounding buildings. Windows in the arch.
00:08:25
Speaker
And this is Vekava, this is the official photo. This is the real estate. It's located inside the surrounding buildings. When it is to be in the São Paulo or the Mierticale and the monument is located inside the private court making it, in fact, extraordinary outreach.
00:08:46
Speaker
In reality, this is a manifest of a relationship of deep interpenetration events and inner pursuits. Velkawa's steps were maintained for their usefulness, but what remains of the walls function as when they show a series of historical dreams where life goes on, indifferent to the historical relevance of some walls.
00:09:07
Speaker
But these nationals must not be confused for dissatisfaction, right? The monuments consider it as private, aren't it maintained by people, even if they use them?
00:09:27
Speaker
actually is under evaluation and assessment of the area in order to restore fruition for inter-community.
Restoration and Modern Integration
00:09:34
Speaker
A recent project proposed to reconstruct the regional volumes with non-permanent and low-impact structures to restore seeds and expand the capacity, consequently allowing the restoration of the wood for the staging of performances of the residential group.
00:09:55
Speaker
Another iconic place to understand the Vincent modern relationship is certainly the church of Saint Paul Mature that absorbs in the facade of two beautiful Corinthian poems. The city plan based on terraces places the larger terrace that stands on the Roman form. The memory of a Vincent form persists so much in time. Its medieval name was Forum Vitus. But the facade of a Vincent temple of the Austrian physically remains for more time.
00:10:27
Speaker
This is now, it's under restoration. Those are the columns. And those are our documents. It is well-documented, almost intact, in the chronical pattern of identity in 1526, which it stands out about the city walls with a larger scale than in reality. Precisely, we intend to highlight one of the most recognizable monuments in the city.
00:10:57
Speaker
This continuity was due to the fact that in 16th century there was a great restoration and an enlargement of the building. But the facade was kept intact. Maintaining the facade essentially unchanged. Such care was not, was yet suspended after earthquakes of 1686 and 1688 when the entire building was heavily damaged.
00:11:26
Speaker
What is really peculiar is the fact that the ruins were maintained in situ until 1711, when Haveli documented them. The Vallejo document stated that there were four columns since this time, but a new project for the expansion of the church that was not compatible with the plan of the temple removed two of them.
00:11:47
Speaker
while another two are still visible in the existing facility. In first sight, they are perfectly mimetic with the surrounding Baroque architecture and make clear the status of Spolia only at more accreditation. This is Santa Chiara Monastery, another important piece of archaeology in Naples that was discovered in conjunction with the restoration after the 1998 earthquake.
00:12:18
Speaker
This is a Greek thermal complex that is near the closet of Santa Cara Convent outside the ancient city walls. The medieval walls of the closet are directly placed on the strong Roman wall structures used as foundation. You can see the white one is Roman. This one is medieval. This is modern.
00:12:47
Speaker
A few centimeters. The Thema complex dated from 140 to 160 was well articulated and had all the spaces for public entry. Natas, Natasio, Tepidarium, Laconica with related sponuses, Suspeceura. This is the archaeological area outside the monastery.
00:13:16
Speaker
You can see the coverage that is similar to the lab room that is really light on structures. The relationship between Neapolitan and Mespolia, or architectural fragments in general, is something unique. They are conceived as part of a human structure, and thus so familiar to be sometimes invisible.
00:13:44
Speaker
They are not regarded as archaeological finds, but are considered as part of a city, or part of five buildings, as in the case of a theatre. One of many cases of Roman sport that are under the eyes of a fetishist treaty with this kind of familiarity, is a series of architectonic fragments from Roman Cornish.
00:14:03
Speaker
that are literally cancelled inside the bell tower of Santa Maria Machura de la Santa. You can see what familiarity this is with coffee time limits. This time I was in Pizzetamillo where was recovered at this time.
00:14:33
Speaker
At first, he was confused with what was said of a woman because of a port value and the cupid's early chest that appeared to be breastfed. For this reason, the celly was identified with the same city that nursed its citizens and called them with their local name of God of Miracles, after nothing. Following his studies, he verified the fact that it is the restater of an old man lying down, identified with the very God of Miracles.
00:15:01
Speaker
This is an integral part of the visual landscape of the city, but the lab of the Openinago is one of the most crowded places. And this table, located on the arch of this pedestal in a little square that does not develop to a good view, at first sight is ignored by the lesson. This is official, this is reality. You can see 12 person, nobody's looking at it.
00:15:28
Speaker
But it's present, it's assigned, because during the Second World War, when the city was hit by bombs, three of the cubits and the other 15th of the students were stolen. The last one was founded in 2013 in Austria. And the second, that seemed neglected by the city, was the object of a great and sincere celebration. You can see.
00:15:57
Speaker
The date was restored with private profiling and given back to the city life. Naples does not only have monuments on display. A great part of this, even if personally documented, were kept hidden since a third impact event for archaeology, the creation of a new metal line.
Metro Construction and Archaeological Discoveries
00:16:27
Speaker
First one and second one. Considering the land of archaeological and evidence, the first metro land about it went city center, passing a bridge to northern side. The same meant for the second line that avoided passing in Romania and was conceived to run through the southern side. But this too was an area of strong archaeological risk.
00:16:55
Speaker
The result was a severe delay in the creation of an infrastructure in a very limited part of your archaeology. And the identification of a series of archaeological discoveries without parallel that changed the project of the metro and other way. Regarding the excavation of the new subway, you can see the Piazza Nicoramora station,
00:17:24
Speaker
the Temple of East Olympic Games, a wonderful structure that nobody has seen because it's still under construction. And the Piazza Muicica Station.
00:17:46
Speaker
In this case, archaeological excavation caused great technical problems. In fact, archaeologists had to work at 30 meters under the sea level. We talked about the location related to groundwater, the morphology of the soil, the depth of the site. But this peak of excavation led to the discovery of a roving angle dated to first and second century ages.
00:18:08
Speaker
In particular, three round-shippers were found, still in a traditional condition for humanitarian climate because of your muted condition. But, in this case, archaeology was perceived by the community as absolutely iron, because of the technical difficulties that involved the best specialists in this field.
00:18:32
Speaker
gave the priority to the intervention of professionals, keeping the citizens at the distance, physically, and emotionally. Those are the directions. We are still waiting to see all of them. Those are publications, but this is not included in the metro station as in the project.
00:19:01
Speaker
A last consideration interests the northern part of Naples, the Pozilivo Promontory. It is characterized by a rich proximity with the sea and an exceptional landscape and panoramic situation. This area has always had a residential location, but it was also linked to productive, maritime and fishing activities. Because of the phenomenon of volcanic origin called the Bregsism, a great part of the Roman structures are now under the scenario.
00:19:30
Speaker
Those structures were biologically investigated, especially in recent years. But they were always being known, known by people. Their relationship with the submerged ruins almost exceeded the concept of familiarity. People used them for a place to collect seafood. And then some tanks for fish farming are used as places for setting octopus traps. You can see this octopus trap.
00:19:59
Speaker
And this is where it's located. And Ensign, thanks for your follow-up. The further part of the promontory, in the further part of the promontory stands the villa of the Contraparsa people of Ensign Rome, Velio Polione, who moved here to file life. Upon his death, it's magnificent, we know it's all
00:20:27
Speaker
and a unique villa, became property of Augustus, and was connected to Pozzoli with a monumental tunnel carved into a rock called Sejano scale. Actually, this magnificent complex is part of an environmental and archaeological part of Bausilimo. One of the buildings related to the villa, that is probably part of an infeos fabric, still maintains, sorry, archaeological part,
00:20:57
Speaker
Now, this one still maintains two order of arches. It is known by Neapolitan language as Ghost Palace, Casa del Espirito. This building is one of the favorite places for young people to dive in arches into a sea under a people's gaze. It's considered a fire of strength. This is the Casa del Espirito, and this is the house.
00:21:28
Speaker
In summary, the relationship between neighbors and menopolitans and a very large archaeological heritage that is the symbol of the city's long history could appear to be at first sight, one of the negatives of years. But actually, it is heritage, even if not exhibited and treated with a sort of messiness, shall I say, is very, very loved. And this love is embodied in its use.
00:21:53
Speaker
When a poet has no fear to wear monuments, if he has monuments as a part of his history, as structure, he can see, touch, and also use them. This feeling of belonging could be translated into a confidence that cannot be understood outside of the law of this unique city. This is just a video.
00:22:19
Speaker
You can see the use of the monument. Okay. Let's stop.
00:22:50
Speaker
This show is produced by Chris Webster and Tristan Boyle.