eastern atlas - Pompeii

Pompeii - Roman town under Mt. Vesuvius

Project	Investigation of Roman city planning in Pompeii – Casa dei Postumii and Terme Stabiane
Location	Pompei, Province of Naples, Campania, Italy
Period	5th century BC to AD 79
Method	Geomagnetics, GPR, geoelectrics, virtual reconstruction
Client	German Archaeological Institute (DAI), Rome Department, Dr. Felix Pirson, Dr. Jens-Arne Dickmann



Peristyle of Casa dei Postumii.		Terme Stabiane

OBJECTIVE Determination of the prospects of success of geophysical methods during running excavations considering Roman cities as an example. Expansion to investigations inside of existing ancient buildings.

COMPLETED WORKS
The most recent methods in the field of archaeological prospection were applied. Depending on the measuring conditions on site and archaeological, historical and structural questions, geomagnetics (2D), GPR (2.5D) and geoelectrical mapping (2D) as well as geoelectrical tomography (3D) were used. The investigations focused on the Casa dei Postumii and the Terme Stabiane. The transformation of geophysical data into virtual models was carried out together with architect Chris Barlieb (ZODIAC ).


Virtual model of the located ditch generated on the base of geophysical data.

Results
The geophysical results provided evidence of a North-South running ditch in the Terme Stabiane which is displayed in the resistance tomography as a zone of increased electric conductivity. The ditch is flanked and covered by water conduits associated with the use of the public baths. The exact location and even the dip of the Roman water pipes are visible in the radargrams.

In Pompeii reliable results can only be achieved by combining 2D and 3D investigation methods. The reason for this are the multiple disturbances and superpositions.


GPR timeslice in the Terme Stabiane.	Terme Stabiane - the trench, the water conduits and traces of historic excavations.	Virtual model of the located ditch, generated on the base of geophysical data.

Contact Dipl.-Geophys. Burkart Ullrich and Dipl.-Geophys. Cornelius Meyer
(info@eastern-atlas.de )

Dr. J.-A. Dickmann, Department of Classical Archaeology of the University of Heidelberg
(Jens-Arne.Dickmann@urz.uni-heidelberg.de )

Dr. F. Pirson, Director of Istanbul department of the DAI
(pirson@istanbul.dainst.org )

Links The project Casa dei Postumii at the DAI (German Archaeological Institute)
(http://www.dainst.org )

UNESCO World heritage Site: (UNESCO World Heritage Site )