Cryptoportico Horti Sallustiani - Rome

The cryptoporticus dating back to the I-II century A.D. was discovered in 1949 under the Villa Boncompagni Ludovisi in Rome, in the area of the ancient Horti Sallustiani, where the U.S. Embassy now stands. Since 1949 the Embassy has undergone numerous structural interventions that have required the complete closure of the area and the restoration of frescoes by means of protein based materials. Since the cryptoporticus served as hypogaeum, it was subject to extremely high humidity levels and extensive infiltrations coming from the upper floors, which had devastating effects on the surface of the frescoes, including the formation of a thick carbonation layer and biological attacks of various nature. Once environmental rehabilitation work had been carried out, the frescoes were completely restored (see section "Wall paintings"). Programmed maintenance work on the frescoes, including the removal of superficial patina and several preventive biocidal treatments on the whole surface, has since also been carried out.
(Photo by P.Soriani)