Restoration of mosaics in situ

Maria Mavrommati <maria [at] spark__net__gr> wrote:

> The reinstallation of mosaics is our next step. The problem we face
> is to fill those 3 meters with the proper and best stuff available.

I sent this along to an archeologist friend, Nick Eiteljorg
(neitljo [at] brynmawr__edu), figuring that someone who has been working
at Pompeii recently might know something about mosaics...  He in
turn sent it out on the American Institute of Archeology list, and I
got two replies.  I've sent them directly to Maria Mavrommati, but
by the authors' permission I'll record them here as well since the
question might someday arise for another reader of the list.  I have
condensed and reformatted them.

>From: "S. Campbell" <scampbel [at] epas__utoronto__ca>
>
>The best source for your mosaic conservation problem is:
>
>The International Committee for Mosaics Conservation of UNESCO
>Secretariat: ICCROM
>13 Via di San Michele
>00153 Rome, Italy
>
>They have held whole conferences on the conservation of mosaics in
>situ and will have the most up to date info for you. I also have an
>email address to try for ICCROM in Italy, which is: MC5356 [at] mclink__it.
>
>Sheila Campbell.

>From: "James Strange (REL)" <strange [at] chuma__cas__usf__edu>
>
>I confess that I have not tried what you are doing, but I am much
>influenced by conversations with Roberto Nardi of Rome, whose firm
>engages in restoration of mosaics and frescos using ancient methods.
>I am sure that Roberto would counsel you to refill floors with the
>ancient soil that was excavated from them.  He would also counsel
>you to use plaster mixed by the ancient formula to make up beneath
>it for reconstruction of its root.
>
>Professor James F. Strange, University of South Florida

John Martin

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 9:46
                 Distributed: Monday, December 4, 1995
                        Message Id: cdl-9-46-002
                                  ***