Program F : Carsulae Roman Baths Project (Architectural & Structural Survey)
/San Gemini Preservation Studies 2024
Session 2: July 15 – August 9 (4 weeks) THIS PROGRAM WILL NOT TAKE PLACE IN 2024
Location: San Gemini, Carsulae, Italy
Program Information
Due to ongoing work at the excavation, this program will not take place in 2024
One goal of the project is to record and analyze the building structures that have emerged at the excavation of the Public Bath in the ancient Roman city of Carsulae both from a structural and architectonic point of view. The second goal is to study the bath excavation site in relation to the entire present-day archaeological park and plan a new access for visitors.
Primarily a research work program, this project will not consist of a set of structured lectures and most field activities will be focused on the research, design, and the documentation process. There will be a series of lectures and visits focused on specific subjects that are relevant to the research work being done. The work will not involve any archaeological excavation, although the student-researchers will have access to the archaeological excavation to observe and document the structures.
This project is open to a small group of graduate student-researchers that have the specific skills necessary for the research. Preference is given to students that can read Italian and who are interested in incorporating the summer research into longer-term work, such as thesis research.
Requirement for Student Researchers (7 Students)
2 architecture students with good drawing and cad skills, including AutoCAD and Rhino
2 students (architecture or art History) familiar with in Roman Architectural History that can read and do research from Italian sources
1 Student familiar with handling point clouds and interface to AutoCAD
1 Student familiar with Photo modeling software preferably Photoscan , ReCap or 3DF Zephyr (drone operation would be a plus)
1 Student familiar with GIS and archaeological data bases
Work will be structured 5 days a week from 10:30 AM to 7:30 PM with a 2 hour lunch break.
Note: Notre Dame University Students should contact Prof. Steven Semes
Research Activities Season 2019
Core: Academic staff
Max Cardillo, Architect SGPS
Steve Semes, Architect Head of Graduate Historic Preservation program at UND
Andrew Wilkinson, Archeologist SGPS
Consulting Academic Staff:
Nikolas Vakalis, Conservator SGPS
Jane Whitehead, Archeologist Director of Excavation AVPSSG
Elisabeth Collantoni, Archaelogist UR
Marco Corradi, Engineer UP
Sandro Corradi, Engineer Head of Terni City Planning
Collaborating organizations
AVPSSG: Associazione per la Valorizazione del Patrimonio Storico San Gemini
SGPS: San Gemini Preservation Studies (part of IIRPS)
IIRPS: International Institute for Restoration and Preservation Studies
UR: University of Rochester
UND: University of Notre Dame
SAU: Soprintendenza Archeologica dell’Umbria
POCT: Planning Office of City of Terni
UP: Universita degi Studi di Perugia facolta di Ingegneria Civile
Outline of Research Work
1) Documentation
Study and document the existing conditions of the archaeological site and the building elements that have so far been revealed by the excavation. Study and evaluate different surveying and imaging technologies to document and present the structures in the archaeological site (Participants: SGPS, UND, UP):
a) Traditional architectural drawing methods
b) 3D laser scanning (already scanned in 2016)
c) 3D photo modeling (already done in 2016, but probably new update will be done in 2018)
d) produce plans, sections and elevations of the site
e) produce 3D model of existing site
2) Structural and Typology Study
Structural analysis of the ruins in order to make various hypothetical reconstructions of the original architecture of the baths (Participants: SGPS, UND, UP):
a) structural analysis of the existing building structures
b) typological study of roman bath buildings ( by period and Region)
c) hypothetical reconstructions of building structures
d) 3D virtual models of the hipothetical reconstructions
3) Planning Study
Planning study for the Carsulae Archaeological Park. (Participants: SGPS, UND, UP, UR, POCT):
a) planning and architectural study of possible ways to present the bath excavation site to the public :
Design of temporary viewing platform to be built in 2018 – 2019 period
Design for long term arrangement of a viewing path
b) planning study on of the entire Carsulae Archaeological Park in order to create a better experience for visitors.
new entrance
logical entry and visitor paths
Preliminary Publication of 2018 Research Work
The following is a preliminary publication of the research work done so far by the San Gemini Preservation Studies program in July 2018, studying the archaeological site of the public baths in the ancient Roman city of Carsuale. We are publishing this ongoing study in order to engage in the discussion the many people involved and interested in this project. The project still needs elaboration and completion. In the summer of 2019 we plan to continue work on this study.
