Thus Pompeii revives in a sustainable key with “solar” tiles, drones, vineyards and flocks
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In the city that lived twice, Pompeii, the struggle against the elements is an integral part of its history. Witnessing the risks associated with natural hazards, it was almost inevitable that the most famous archaeological site in the world had been preparing for the challenges posed by climate change for some time. Because here, in the city re-emerged from the ashes of Vesuvius, for centuries there has been a constant balance between the conservation of an immense open-air work of art and the protection of the environment that surrounds it “which are then closely linked: one cannot imagine the 50 hectares of the archaeological area, without having a vision of the territory and of the population who live close to it”, he clearly says Gabriel Zuchtriegel director of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site (together with Herculaneum) and now under the protection of the European Union. One hundred million euros is the money allocated by Brussels for Pompeii.
Italian-German, 41 years old, Zuchtriegel has excavated in Selinunte and Eraclea. Before Pompeii he was director in Paestum. The idea of him is that of a model of sustainable and participatory archaeology. Intertwined with each other. “One cannot think that the future of Pompeii is only a factor in the promotion of tourism. It is everyone’s heritage: we must make the local people feel that they are part of a common project of not only artistic but also environmental protection. This is why we want also be a laboratory of sustainability.The energy saving and waste reduction projects that we have put in place are carried out with the citizen participationi who live in the modern city and who share the precious asset of the ancient one. From children to entrepreneurs, agricultural cooperatives, associations, high school students”.
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Director Zuchtriegel how was the impact with the largest archaeological site in the world?
“I immediately realized that first of all I had to understand the territory around the site. Thus, I understood that before arriving here I had an upside down view of the world. Often among museum managers, one looks at the territory and question: what can it give us? I speak in terms of support, of donations that are used to improve the offer. Here, however, I asked myself: what can I do for this territory? This is where I started from. And everyone supported me”.
So, let’s start right away with the invisible solar panels installed in the excavations of Pompeii which initially robbed archaeologists of sleep. What is it about?
“In an archaeological park, the classic photovoltaics would have ruined the landscape, but the energy problem must be tackled quickly even in an open-air museum. Technology has helped us: the solar panels built especially for Pompeii by Ahlux Italia are invisible, equal to terracotta tiles used by the Romans and produce the energy to illuminate the frescoes. We installed them on the Casa di Cerere, on a thermopolium and on the Casa dei Vettii”.
Did you also bring in 150 sheep to clean up and reclaim the meadows?
“There is an experimental agreement with a nearby agricultural cooperative for the eco-grazing of cattle. The aim is the eco-sustainable maintenance of the meadow. Industrially cut grass normally becomes waste to be disposed of. A sheep, on the other hand, ingests the ‘grass that chews and recycles it by fertilizing the lawn which, rich in organic matter and microorganisms, is the best insurance against flooding and drought. Herbicides are completely superfluous, of course”.
There are many fronts to protect Pompeii: do you have a reference model?
“Our references are: of course the preservation of the ancient city, but not only from an archaeological point of view, also of the traditions it has handed down, just think of some cultivation techniques still used; technology and the relationship with the territory and the city modern”.
Where did the idea of the farm come from?
“The best way to respect and protect the site is to live it. In this case it is archeology that pushes the territory to renew itself. The project plans to cultivate 60 hectares of green spaces on the site with vines treated with Pompeian methods. We have also opened educational gardens for children with Confagricoltura: schools will be able to access the site and plant some types of vegetables where there were gardens 2000 years ago, which the children can then take home. Everything will happen under the eyes of tourists”.
Let’s talk about climate change. How is it possible to prevent and contain the environmental risk on such a fragile artistic heritage in the event of extreme weather events?
“Total protection cannot be achieved even in a closed museum. Let alone Pompeii, a site with 50 hectares excavated, with more than 10,000 rooms, many of which with frescoes and mosaics. However, we can prevent and slow them down with scheduled maintenance: it is the only way to know where to intervene urgently. It has been since 1748, i.e. since the excavations began, that for Pompeii, the greatest challenge has been the conservation of the old city and the containment of environmental degradation. And it is still a daily struggle as extreme events are becoming more frequent. There are 60 people engaged in site maintenance alone.”
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After a flood, how do you understand if it has caused damage, for example, to frescoes or marble?
“By now we cannot do without artificial intelligence. Thanks to the collaboration with the Engineering Department of the University of Salerno, directed by Professor Luigi Petti: he and his students have created a very precise and closely linked monitoring system for Pompeii to maintenance activities. We are not talking about analyzing the state of conservation of a single wall or a single villa, but of the entire site”.
How?
“With the use of a drone. Thanks to very sophisticated software, the images and data acquired during the overflight are sent to the department and shared with Park officials who are ready to intervene if necessary. We are creating a database of very important information for the future. The continuous monitoring and filing of the images from above allows us to analyze the state of the archaeological structures and decorative apparatuses”.
Does the data arrive in real time?
“The system created by the University of Salerno immediately and clearly tells us where there is a risk situation. It tells us the level of alarm and where to intervene. Over time we will have more and more detailed information to plan maintenance”.
A German in Naples, excuse the cliché, but in the end what excited you the most?
“Contact with the community. They are supporting us in every way. We are on the outskirts of Naples, a complicated territory in many respects, especially environmental and social. But the site of Pompeii is a precious heritage in which to meet again. In which to feel community Starting with the kids. And that’s why this summer we’re dedicating to them the project that is dearest to us right now. We’d like teenagers to stage theatrical performances inside the park”.
Where?
“On the stage of the amphitheater of ancient Pompeii. Where the comedies of the great Latin and Greek authors were staged. This place is theirs too. Living it is the right way to protect it”.
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