The Archaeological Sites: from excavation to “open-air” museum Cultural uses, preservation, environments

Abstract

“History” has allowed that ruins from past epochs characterized the contemporary landscape over the following centuries. But when did they begin setting up an “archaeological site” within this environments? This contribute provides, through the analysis of some emblematic cases, an historical reading of the main events that have contributed to the modern concepts of “archaeological park” and “archaeological site”, summarized below, and to the difficult relationship among their surroundings. Starting from 1700 the monuments of antiquity became a "material witness" and not only a model of inspiration: this was the end of the practice of re-using ancient architecture as building materials. Meanwhile, scientific archaeological research replaced the clandestine excavations, providing finds to be exhibited in new museums. The exceptional discovery of Herculaneum and Pompeii gave a new role to the architectural remains: they became materials to be restored, preserved and exhibited, also towards a non-specialist audience, in a kind of “open-air” museum with didactic purposes. Since 1800 archaeological excavations were focused on urban areas, at first in sparsely built-up areas, later in central zones. In Rome with this cultural climate, it began to feel the need of designing a route among ruins and, at the same time, reconnecting the “big central archaeological area” with the historical city. However, during the same years, the practice of “isolating monuments” also began, denying the relationship with the surrounding environment. This practice remains in use during the first half of ‘900: it determined a deep fracture (still unresolved) between the modern town and new and old excavated area. Lately, a new cultural use of the ruins and the protection of them together with their context determined the birth of the legal instrument of the archaeological park, a new concept of protection that allows you to combine all the modern instances of restoration and museology.