Viviendo a Pesar de la Crisis: Parco Archeologico Sommerso di Baia

Muy buenas,
Chiara me habló de éllo hace poco y me lo acaba de mandar:
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parco_sommerso_di_Baia
https://es-la.facebook.com/parcoarcheologicosommersodibaia/

http://www.parcoarcheologicosommersodibaia.it/parco.php?id_lingua=en

History
THE UNDERWATER ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK OF BAIAE - FROM A COMMERCIAL PORT TO A PROTECTED MARINE AREA

On 30th January 2007 an agreement was signed between the Archaeological Authority of Naples and Caserta and the association Assodiving Flegreum, represented by Centro Sub Campi Flegrei, for the concession and regulation of diving activities within the underwater Archaeological Park of Baiae.

In order to follow the chain of events which led to the park’s constitution it must first be explained why this area presently lies below sea level.

We find ourselves in the Phlegraean Fields (taken from the Greek, burning earth). In this zone of volcanic origin, the phenomenon of bradyseism exists; the uplift (positive bradyseism) or subsidence (negative bradyseism) of the ground is relatively slow in respect to human life times but is very fast when considered over geological time scales. At times, as is the case with the Phlegraean Fields, these movements can occur and reoccur in cycle over a period of centuries. Generally, such a phenomenon is associated with varying volumes of a magma chamber located relatively close to the earth’s surface which empties and fills and/or heat variations which influence the volume of water contained within the excessively porous subsoil. Due to the bradyseismic movements the ancient coastal belt experienced collapse – the result being the total submersion of all the buildings which were constructed upon it. The once most reclaimed commercial city of Pozzuoli, the famous residential area of Baiae and Miseno, the seat of the western imperial fleet, were all of great significance during the Roman era; today, they are all below sea level. The first recovery of archaeological finds took place in the 1920s when, during the construction works pertaining to the widening of the docks at Port Venero, sculptures, architectonic elements and water systems with imperial insignias came to light.

In the 1940s, aerial photographs taken by pilot Raimondo Baucher, provided evidence of the submerged archaeological area of Portus Julius in the shallow waters directly in front of Lake Lucrine.

In spite of the interest raised by these discoveries the first underwater survey of Baiae did not take place until the 1960s; surveys carried out in 1959 and 1960 led to the first map of the city being drawn. There were finds in the vicinity of Punta Epitaffio at a depth of approximately 6 metres; a paved road flanked with buildings which opened onto it (two decades later, Emperor Claudius’ nymphaeum was found in one of these buildings) and, continuing towards the sea, remains of other structures reaching out into the sea by means of cemented jetties (these are now known to have belonged to the marine quarter of the Pisonian villa). Additionally, approximately 400 metres from the present coast, numerous concrete pillars were discovered; pillars which confirmed the location of the ancient coastline. The programme of surveying the area was unfortunately soon interrupted due to a lack of funds.

1969 marked two important occurrences for the underwater archaeology and the protection of the area of Baiae:

The first was that, with the collapse of the front face of Punta Epitaffio as a result of a sea storm, two statues of significant quality were revealed. These were recognised as being Odysseus, holding a wineskin, and a companion; they were still in place in the apse of a rectangular building, now known to have been the nymphaeum.

The second was the agreement between Naples’ Head Councillor, Alfonso De Francis, and the Director of the military orphanage as located in Baia Castle to assign part of this area to the Phlegraean Fields’ Archaeological Museum.

Despite a great deal of resonance these two occurrences did not succeed in attaining an immediate following.

The first underwater dig carried out by archaeologists was only undertaken in 1980. This led to the identification of Emperor Claudius’ nymphaeum and its extraordinary sculptures’ complex.

Finally, in 1984, the Supervisor of Baia Castle produced and initiated a restoration project for functional intervention within the area: a local archaeological office was established along with a laboratory for the restoration of archaeological finds. Thus, it was possible to commence with initial restoration works and experiments on the sculptures recovered from the site at the foot of Punta Epitaffio. In 1997 a hall within the museum was prepared to exhibit the nymphaeum of Emperor Claudius; whilst the display comes close to the original it is not a true reconstruction.

In the same period, the survey work in the submerged city of Baiae which had been suspended by Nino Lamboglia was recommenced by G. Di Fraia, E. Scognamiglio and N. Lombardi.

According to their version of the archaeological map of Baiae with the positioning of the buildings, those situated on the northern shore are better conserved as they were further away from the trade routes. This pertains to the access channel to Baianus Lacus (an area of water similar to a lake), to a thermal bath complex 40 metres to the east of Punta Epitaffio and to the Pisonian villa (a villa with a colonnaded entrance and splendid floor decorations with a view of the street flanked with taverns and the remains of fish breeding pools and the wharfs).

On the southern side, in the area near the shipyards and the port, marine traffic has had a devastating effect to the extent that preservation of the ruins has been limited; whilst imposing harbour construction has been carried out perpendicular to the great Roman wharf, some ancient pillars have been protected by shuttering.

To the south of Baia Castle, where the outer harbour area can be found, the remains of fish and mussel breeding pools can be found. These have been well preserved partially due to their greater depth.

In 1987, the archaeological relevance of the area was acknowledged and all activities within the 500m zone off the Phlegraean coast which impacted upon the area were prohibited.

Between 1994 and 1998 specific decrees as prescribed by the Harbour Master’s Office were issued to regulate the transit of commercial vessels.

In 1998 the Authority took the waters at the northern side into its custody.

Realisation of the first underwater tour took place in 1999.

In 2000, due to serious damage caused by a ferry running aground, all commercial vessels were prohibited from the site.

On 7th August 2002 the underwater Archaeological Park of Baiae was ratified as an agency to protect the marine area; management thereof is presently the responsibility of the Archaeological Authority of Naples and Caserta.

Since then, significant steps have been taken regarding the protection and valorisation of the area. There are still many problems to be resolved but the way forward is becoming ever clearer.

On 30th January 2007 an agreement was signed between the Archaeological Authority of Naples and Caserta and the association Assodiving Flegreum, represented by Centro Sub Campi Flegrei, for the concession and regulation of diving activities within the underwater Archaeological Park of Baiae.

https://www.baiasommersa.it/

The history of Baia

"Thirty years ago, the small port of Baia was dredged which, at that time, in addition to the sailing ships that moored there for the loading of the pozzolana, also served the mooring of the boats of the line for Procida and Ischia. But the depths were low and the risky landings; the Admiralty cards marked shallows submerged by silt; a dredge and a robust bucket were needed to remove the dry ones from the bottom. Work began and the bucket was lowered into the water to bite and divel, it was seen that instead of tattered rocks, pieces of mosaic floors, marble whips and a few tattered members of the statue came between the jaws of the bucket. It was the Lido lido that summed up from the bottom of the waters, the Lido lido submerged by bradyseism which had slowly plunged over the centuries,in a millennium and a half of at least years.

It was the Lido di Baia which we see schematically depicted in a glass vase of the fourth century after Christ, known as the "Borgia vase", which represents, in engraved lines, the buildings that the sailor offered to the sight sailing after Miseno along the coast, accompanied by short legends; a kind of illustrated pilot book of the profile of the Baiano coast for use by the pilot who was preparing to moor in the bay which was already insidious by the partial sinking of its coastal buildings. In fact, the indication of oyster, of palisades for oyster culture, while confirming a rare beautiful verse of the poet Ausonius, also of the fourth century, on oysters floating in the sea of Baia,certifies that by now the conditions of the Baiano beach were such as to allow that greedy cultivation in the warm and stagnant waters of the ancient port and thermal basins. "

A. Maiuri "Archeology at anchor" from "Le vie dell'Italia" n. 3 pages 295 March 1958

The green of the volcanic valleys, covered by vegetation and vineyards, the blinding yellow tuff and the pozzolana that recalls the lands of Siena and the bright browns of some Flemish painters, follow the colossal remains of the Terme di Baia and other buildings, whose ruins conceal the secret of their identity and their owners. Opposite the solemn monumentality of the Castle, which hides other ruins and other stories under the foundations, closes the hemicycle of the bay of Baia, dotted with many brick caves and opus reticulatum.

That sea of Baia, today that seems white / light blue of a worn silk, is the treasure chest of a city that, if you sharpen your ear, speaks to you with the melodic voice of poets and arouses ghosts of intoxicated parties, faces of delicate girls , all the Latin literature to act as a chorus, in a poetic merry-go-round that has no equal in ancient history.

Under the sea, roads, villas, thermal and port facilities and works of art, despite natural disasters and centuries-old looting. The numerous ruins, scattered along the roads, in the countryside and disappearing into the sea, represent the pieces of a mosaic of puzzles never solved and which engage the experience of many archaeologists, ambitious to give a name to those remains of a city, which was magnificent and famous, lively and dazzling with marble. [...]

Now under the sea, which laces that crescent which is the Gulf of Baia, a large part of the ancient city lies sunken. Until a few years ago, when the pollution of the waters had not yet clouded the suggestive images of the seabed, it was possible to see the footsteps of grandiose buildings of the ancient city. However, the show is still enjoyable for frequent divers, who face the underwater adventure; from the peak spur Epitaffio the ruins surely extend for about 400 meters from the coast and the ancient level reaches 16 meters below the sea, as prof. Lamboglia.

Gianni RACE "The submerged empire" July 1983 Publisher "The Starting Point" Bacoli (NA)

The map

The nymphaeum of the Claudian age, located at -7 m approx. on the seabed in front of Punta Epitaffio, it only reveals part of the submerged bay. It belonged to the complex, known from scattered and poorly preserved remains, arranged in terraces from the top of the promontory to the ancient Baiae , extended into the sea up to 400 m approx. from the shore.
In Roman times, on the site of the small gulf, it was the Baianus lacus, coastal lake mentioned by Seneca, Tacitus and Martial, disappeared for bradyseism, but recognizable by the ancient remains on the banks. It was accessed from the canal identified years ago at -6/8 m in the center of the modern harbor (F). To the east of the nymphaeum, separated by a road, was a building nucleus, with thermal baths (I-III century AD) and a nymphaeum with a hemidecagonal shape with three apses, dating back to the Domitian age (81-96 AD), unique in its kind in Baia (B).
An imposing villa was built in the Hadrian era (117-138 AD) south-east of Punta on the remains of the oldest (late 1st century BC - early 1st century AD), attributed to the Pisoni family for stamps stamped on a pipeline lead water (CD). Equipped with spas, gardens and a maritime district, with living rooms, cisterns and fish ponds, defended by breakwaters, the building shows architectural analogies with the Hadrian's Villa in Tivoli. This suggests the interventions of Hadrian himself and the belonging of the villa to the imperial state property, after the confiscation of that of the Pisoni, perhaps following the failed conspiracy against Nero (65 AD).
To the north of the canal were spas, perhaps public, given the urban character of the buildings, highlighted by tabernae and a road (E).
The east and west shores of the lake, called Portus Baiarum by Pliny the Elder and Floro, are identified by other structures, placed under the harbor quay, where years ago sculptures and marble decorations of the III century were found. AD Other remains are on the seabed in front of the Cantieri di Baia (G).
Monumental fish tanks were then recently discovered in front of the Aragonese Castle (H), on whose site scholars locate the villa of Giulio Cesare. The emperors and the court often stayed in Baia. The Nymphaeum of Claudius (41-54), with its sumptuous decoration, is however the only monument that can certainly be identified with an environment of its residence, and also the only one to provide precise geo-archaeological data on the era of bradyseism (end of the III century AD) on this stretch of coast. However, this was not the only imperial residence. Ancient authors attest that many emperors built in Baia, almost in competition with their predecessors. To Nero (54-68 AD), for example, is attributed the Sosandra Complex ", located in the Archaeological Park, recognizable as the ebeterion built by him, according to Dione Cassio,for rest and recreation of the sailors of the Miseno fleet.
At the Hadrianic age they date the room known as the "Temple of Venus" and the upstream sector in the Archaeological Park. In the "Temple of Diana", and in the surrounding complex, the building erected by Alessandro Severo (222-235 AD) in honor of his mother Giulia Mamea, perhaps a dynastic heroon, can be recognized.
The monumental remains of Baia, however, seem to indicate the complex reality of the Palatium, of which the boundaries with the properties are unknown and how it was inserted in the urban context.
Noteworthy is the schematic representation of the monuments of the Regio Baiana on the three glass jars of Populonia, Ampurias and Warsaw, built in puteoli (late III- early IV century AD). The one in Warsaw, in particular, seems to return the complete picture, as it had to offer itself to the eyes of the ancients and as it gradually takes shape today following research in the submerged archaeological area.

Paolo Caputo (The submerged Nymphaeum of Punta Epitaffio - Baia Castle - Archaeological Superintendence of NA and CE)