Conference Presentations by Carla Galeazzi
Il IX Convegno Nazionale di Speleologia in Cavità Artificiali si svolgerà a Palermo, presso il Mu... more Il IX Convegno Nazionale di Speleologia in Cavità Artificiali si svolgerà a Palermo, presso il Museo di Geologia "G. G. Gemmellaro", dal 19 al 22 Marzo 2020. Nella giornata conclusiva del 22 Marzo, Giornata Mondiale dell'Acqua, è riservata una specifica sessione sulle opere idrauliche antiche, con particolare riguardo ai sistemi di raccolta delle acque meteoriche (pioggia e neve).
Call for abstract - Scadenza 15 ottobre 2019
Campania Speleologica Atti III Convegno Regionale di Speleologia, 2017
ABSTRACT
Near Pavona (village of Castel Gandolfo, Rome), a small body of water is what remains to... more ABSTRACT
Near Pavona (village of Castel Gandolfo, Rome), a small body of water is what remains to testimony a pre-existing volcanic crater lake. This is the Lacus Turni, lake well known to the Romans. In the seventeenth century the body of water was drained by a surface outflow, while at present the outflow is an underground one. In 2015 the Underground Research Centre Egeria - Hypogea explored a duct tributary of the same lake, apparently linked to the nearby artificial outflow of Lake Albano, in order to verify if the two structures constitute an “integrated system” similar to the Nemi-Vallericcia complex. In addition to the speleological investigations, we performed a detailed analysis of the iconographic sources, which suggested the considerations presented in this contribution.
____________
Nei pressi di Pavona (frazione di Castel Gandolfo, Roma) un piccolo specchio d‟acqua è quel che resta a testimonianza di un preesistente lago vulcanico. Si tratta del Lacus Turni, il lago di Turno ben noto ai Romani. Nel diciassettesimo secolo il bacino fu prosciugato per mezzo di un emissario di superficie, mentre attualmente è drenato da un emissario sotterraneo. Nel novembre 2015 il Centro Ricerche Sotterranee Egeria - Hypogea ha esplorato un condotto immissario dello stesso lago, apparentemente collegato al vicino esautore del Lago Albano, allo scopo di verificare se le due strutture costituissero un “sistema integrato” analogamente a quello di Nemi-Vallericcia. Oltre alle indagini speleologiche è stata effettuata una dettagliata analisi delle fonti iconografiche che ha restituito lo spunto per alcune riflessioni che vengono esposte nel presente contributo.
Karlik, in the district of Urgup, is located on the left bank of the ereeaa river, a tributary of... more Karlik, in the district of Urgup, is located on the left bank of the ereeaa river, a tributary of the lrma it lies between the towns of Karain and eill at 25 km SE of evehir, along the highway 767 connecting rtyol to Kayseri. The interdisciplinary study conducted by the authors in 2002, together with other colleagues of speleological associations and Italian Universities, showed that the rock-cut settlement develops on four levels, with each level dedicated to a different use. The particular geology of the area could have produced substantial variations in the structures over the years. This unpublished study is presented here with the aim of documenting what acquired in 2002, which could be of some use as a basis for possible future investigations of the area.
The study retraces the journey made by Saint Nilus, the leading representant of Byzantine monasti... more The study retraces the journey made by Saint Nilus, the leading representant of Byzantine monasticism in Italy, to escape from the Saracen and from his own fame. A Basilian monk, hermit and abbot, he founded the Greek monasticism with the aim of restoring the unity between the Churches of the East and the West. He stayed for about twenty years in the Mercurion, a territory in the Pollino Mt (Calabria, southern Italy) where the Greek-Oriental monasticism flourished for many centuries. With his disciples he founded many monasteries, but Nilus always preferred rock shelters and natural caves: places where he had the privilege of isolation for praying and meditating. Traces of these structures can still be found, even though with different degree of evidence, and allow to make conjectures about his passage. In 2004, on the occasion of the millenary of Saint Nilus' death, the speleological groups Egeria CRS and A.S.S.O. (Rome) undertook a campaign of speleological investigations at the Abbey of Saint Nilus in Grottaferrata (central Italy), with the purpose of finding the graves of the founders Nilus and Bartholomew. After completing this study, some researchers of the Egeria CRS went on with the investigations to retrace the journey which led Saint Nilus from Rossano Calabro to Grottaferrata.
Papers by Carla Galeazzi
Proceedings of Fourth International Symposium "Monasticism&Economy: rediscovering an approach to work and poverty" Rome, June 7-10/2016, 2019
Riassunto
L’intervento si prefigge di focalizzare l’attenzione sulla dimensione sotterranea delle... more Riassunto
L’intervento si prefigge di focalizzare l’attenzione sulla dimensione sotterranea delle strutture monastiche quale possibile fonte di sostentamento integrativa per le Comunità. Allo scopo di agevolare la comprensione delle diverse prospettive con le quali è possibile affrontare la tematica, vengono presentati diversi casi di studio già applicati, o applicabili, anche a strutture monastiche, attraverso un approccio interdisciplinare.
Extended Abstract
The contribution focuses on the size of Monastic underground structures, which can also become a source of supplementary livelihood for the communities. To facilitate the understanding of different perspectives, with which you can deal with the issue, are presented case studies already applied, or applicable, even in monastic structures through an interdisciplinary approach. Small and large cities point today to opening of underground structures that represent an added value to the tourism offer. Tourism linked to hospitality in the monastic structures has had in recent years a strong increase; they were born dedicated portals and published reference guides. This confirms that the flows of tourists watching with interest to the trip understood as the discovery of unusual or forgotten places. In addition to the catacombs and crypts can be of great interest wells and ancient aqueducts, oil mills, silos, cellars, wells, trenches and other underground spaces. But it is necessary that the underground heritage is analyzed by integrating knowledge and planning. The potential for valuation must be analyzed without having to start very costly projects, or duration incompatible with the cash flows. The potential to valorize must be analyzed without having to start very costly projects, or of duration incompatible with the cash flows. In this purview are placed the technical and organizational skills needed to deal productively all project phases, ranging from exploration of the underground environments, to the development projects and to the documentation. When you examine underground environments, it's necessary to take in consider the professionalism of organized and specialized expert, mitigating the risks related to the exclusive use of for-profit companies. Because they may have a scant overview of the whole and not to have specific skills with the risk of focusing exclusively on the performance of construction and plant engineering, neglecting the development prospects and the necessary respect of the charisma of the monastic works.
Proceedings of International Congress of Speleology in Artificial Cavities HYPOGEA 2019, 2019
The present artificial outflow (drainage system) of the dried up Lake of Castiglione or of Gabi h... more The present artificial outflow (drainage system) of the dried up Lake of Castiglione or of Gabi has been investigated in 1994 by Caloi et al.. This study could not solve all the questions posed by that complex structure, including the epoch of its making, the possible relations with the works carried out by the Borghese family in 1600 and 1800, the presence of tunnels - likely older - which cross the outlet. In recent times, the scholar Leonardo Lombardi has performed an accurate geological, hydrogeological and geochemical investigation of the area, in order to estimate the possibility of restoring the old lake basin. We exploited parts of this far reaching and complex work in the attempt of giving an answer to the unsolved questions mentioned before.
Poster, 2018
Poster presentato in occasione della Kermesse di Parchi del Lazio, "La Tendazione" Alvito, 5 Genn... more Poster presentato in occasione della Kermesse di Parchi del Lazio, "La Tendazione" Alvito, 5 Gennaio 2018
Poster, 2018
Poster presentato in occasione della Kermesse di Parchi del Lazio, "La Tendazione" Alvito, 5 Genn... more Poster presentato in occasione della Kermesse di Parchi del Lazio, "La Tendazione" Alvito, 5 Gennaio 2018
Atti del convegno nazionale "Cavità di origine antropica, modalità d’indagine, aspetti di catalogazione, analisi della pericolosità, monitoraggio e valorizzazione", Roma 1 dicembre 2017, SIGEA, 2018
ABSTRACT
Since 1960’s Italian speleologists have inventoried and documented thousands of
undergro... more ABSTRACT
Since 1960’s Italian speleologists have inventoried and documented thousands of
underground sites of historical and anthropological interest, realized or re-worked by
man, in function of his needs. At the end of 1980s the National Commission on Artifi cial Cavities of the Italian Speleological Society started a specifi c inventory, developed on a regional basis, denominated “Register of the Italian Artifi cial Cavities”. At the same time, a typological classifi cation of the artifi cial cavities was defi ned, based upon their function, that offi cially marks its origin of the cavity itself. Since 2012 this classifi cation has been adopted also at an international level by UIS - International Union of Speleology. This contribution has as main goal to share with geologists the typological classifi cation of the artifi cial cavities. Further, it presents some examples of actions of monitoring, safeguard, and valorization, obtained thanks to availability of the speleological data, and the future perspectives of sharing the national database, taking into the due account the respect of the intellectual property of the data.
Atti Convegno Nazionale "Cavità di origine antropica, modalità d’indagine, aspetti di catalogazione, analisi della pericolosità, monitoraggio e valorizzazione", Roma 1 Dicembre 2017, SIGEA, 2018
ABSTRACT
The exploration and study of hypogeal structures used to supply water or used as
quarrie... more ABSTRACT
The exploration and study of hypogeal structures used to supply water or used as
quarries, defence systems, mines, tombs, storerooms or escape routes often requires
the support of specialized cave divers. In such cases the aim of the immersion is to obtain information which would otherwise not be accessible; it is for this reason that during a first fact-finding “dive” it is essential to bring to the surface data and images, even when the quality of the photos and videos is not very good because of the murkiness of the water. In most cases submerged hypogeal structures have lost their main function and abandonment is the cause of their being flooded. This
results in the risk of structural and environmental decay. Therefore, a dive can present
not only technical diffi culties but also high biological risks. This is one of the main reasons why, even though the water may be shallow, there are specifi c requirements that need to be complied with, in order to safely undertake an underwater exploration in an artificial cavity. These requirements include the need for great attention, specific experience in immersionsin closed spaces and often the use of complicated equipment for the protection of the diver, which, however, may not be compatible
with the logistical and environmental conditions of the space.
Opera Ipogea 2-2018, 2018
ABSTRACT
In November 2016 Hypogea Federation signed an agreement with Anagni Municipality (Frosin... more ABSTRACT
In November 2016 Hypogea Federation signed an agreement with Anagni Municipality (Frosinone, Lazio, Italy) in order to study, explore and enhance the natural and artificial hypogea found within the municipal area. In particular, the objective of Anagni Municipality is to open to the public the most significant urban undergrounds, with the aim of increasing the tourist-cultural offer. The study campaign proved to be complex, both from an exploratory and organizational point of view. The long history of the city, the many alterations of ancient structures (built by Volsces, Romans and during the Middle Age) occurred between the 13th and 17th centuries, together with the more recent stratigraphic overlaps, created objective limits, difficult to overcome. We rediscovered many isolated hypogea that had to be linked through historical contextualization, but with a common denominator: water. Therefore it was decided to direct the study starting from the waterways, analyzing the sites where water is still present and giving credibility to the stories of the many citizens we met. The result is amazing: in a city already widely known for its historical and archaeological beauties, we discovered works of great interest, today hidden in abandoned courtyards or in private cellars: many of them can certainly be traced back to the Roman era. The contribution presents the preliminary results of the study still in progress. ISSN 1970-9692
Atti del Convegno Nazionale "Cavità di origine antropica, modalità d’indagine, aspetti di catalogazione, analisi della pericolosità, monitoraggio e valorizzazione" Roma, 1 dicembre 2017, SIGEA, 2018
ABSTRACT
The Fontana Aqueduct was built between 1607 and 1612 by architect Giovanni Fontana to su... more ABSTRACT
The Fontana Aqueduct was built between 1607 and 1612 by architect Giovanni Fontana to supply Velletri town (Rome). It is an imposing work that winds almost entirely underground for about 14 kilometers, affecting Velletri and Nemi towns, on the Alban Hills. The structure, no longer used since the ‘70s, shows still stretches in good state of conservation that could be destined to a tourist-cultural enhancement. The path of the aqueduct is particularly interesting because it crosses the products of different eruptive phases of the Latium Volcano. These phases are clearly visible in the sections not covered by plaster and in particular in the segment known as “Porte di Ferro” which, crossing the edge of the caldera of the Latium Volcano, presents geological and
structural peculiarities of great interest.
Proceedings of International Congress of Speleology in Artificial Cavities Italy, Rome, March 11/17 - 2015 ISBN 978-88-89731-79-6, Mar 2015
Abstract
The artificial drainage tunnels are drain systems of lakes with no natural outlet. To d... more Abstract
The artificial drainage tunnels are drain systems of lakes with no natural outlet. To date, 20 underground
structures of this kind have been identified and registered in Italy, 12 of them only in Lazio. The main emissaries
of the Alban Hills, that is of the Vulcano Laziale, located only a few kilometers south of Rome, have been dug to
regularize the level of the lakes Albano and Nemi. Both basins have no natural outlet and for this reason were
affected by variations in the water level, especially as a consequence of heavy rain falls. Differently from the
lesser water basins in the region, the lakes of Albano and Nemi have not been completely drained, both because
of their depth (respectively, 170 m at the Albano lake, and 33 m at the Nemi lake) and in order to maintain a
large water reservoir, with the possibility of using it for irrigation and for mills and factories functioning. The
period of realization, the technical problems encountered during the digging, solved with limited means, the
good functioning conditions until the years 60’s, each of these characteristics place these works among the most
important historical testimonies of our past. The emissary of the Alban Lake is the best known from historical
sources. Since 2013, the Federation Hypogea for Research and Valorization of Artificial Cavities has been conducting
a study (Project Albanus), aimed at exploring, investigating and documenting the ancient emissary, to obtain its
precise topography and to examine the excavation techniques. The study has been conducted in cooperation with
the Superintendence for Archaeological Heritage of Lazio, the Regional Park of the “Castelli Romani” and the
Town of Castel Gandolfo. The project is dedicated to the memory of professor Vittorio Castellani, eminent scholar
and speleologist (Egeria CRS). This contribution studies in detail the historical sources, the ancient and modern
reports, the geological investigations and presents the preliminary results of the Project Albanus.
Keywords: artificial cavities, artificial underground outlets, Alban Lake, Alban Hills, Latium, Italy.
Riassunto
Gli emissari artificiali sono canali di drenaggio dei laghi privi di sbocchi naturali. In Italia sono state
individuate e censite sino ad oggi 20 strutture sotterranee di questo tipo, delle quali 12 nel solo Lazio. Gli
emissari maggiori dei Colli Albani, cioè dell’edificio del Vulcano Laziale, situato pochi km a sud di Roma,
furono scavati per regolarizzare il livello dei laghi di Albano e Nemi, bacini privi di emissari naturali e
quindi soggetti a variazioni di livello, soprattutto a seconda delle precipitazioni atmosferiche. Contrariamente
a quanto avvenuto per gli specchi d’acqua minori, i laghi di Albano e Nemi non furono completamente
prosciugati sia in ragione della profondità (170 m per il lago Albano e 33 m per il lago di Nemi), sia per
mantenere un’ampia conserva d’acqua con possibilità di sfruttamento del rivo ottenuto per l’irrigazione
o per il funzionamento di mulini, opifici, etc. L’epoca di realizzazione, le difficoltà tecniche incontrate
nello scavo e risolte con mezzi limitati, la funzionalità rimasta intatta sino agli anni ‘60 del secolo scorso
collocano queste opere tra le più importanti testimonianze del nostro passato. L’emissario del lago Albano è
il più noto alle fonti storiche. Dal 2013 è in corso uno studio condotto dalla Federazione Hypogea Ricerca e
Valorizzazione Cavità Artificiali, denominato Progetto Albanus che ha l’obiettivo di riesplorare, studiare e
documentare l’antico emissario, acquisire la topografia completa della struttura e analizzare le tecniche di
scavo e realizzazione. Lo studio è condotto in collaborazione con la Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici
del Lazio, il Parco Regionale dei Castelli Romani ed il Comune di Castel Gandolfo. Il progetto è dedicato
alla memoria del professor Vittorio Castellani, insigne accademico e speleologo (Egeria CRS). Il contributo
analizza dettagliatamente le fonti storiche, le relazioni antiche e moderne, gli studi geologici condotti sulla
struttura e presenta i risultati preliminari del Progetto Albanus.
Parole chiave: cavità artificiali, emissari artificiali sotterranei, Colli Albani, Lazio, Italia.
Gli antichi acquedotti sotterranei costituiscono una preziosa testimonianza delle opere idraulich... more Gli antichi acquedotti sotterranei costituiscono una preziosa testimonianza delle opere idrauliche realizzate nel corso dei secoli al fine di garantire disponibilità di risorse idriche alle popolazioni. Per la predominante natura di opera ipogea, essi si sono conservati pressoché intatti anche dopo millenni, ed in molti casi risultano ancora in funzione, pur in assenza di opere di manutenzione. Il presente contributo riassume le attività sinora svolte nel corso di un progetto sull'intero territorio nazionale, a cura della Società Speleologica Italiana, relativo alla raccolta e catalogazione di dati sugli antichi acquedotti sotterranei, nonché alla loro esplorazione e rilievo mediante tecniche speleologiche.
Fu realizzato per regolare il livello del lago di Albano, privo di un emissario naturale, in caso... more Fu realizzato per regolare il livello del lago di Albano, privo di un emissario naturale, in caso di eccessivo innalzamento delle acque, rendendo abitabili e coltivabili le rive del lago.
Un’opera di straordinario valore storico, archeologico e speleologico sino ad oggi scarsamente indagata a causa della oggettiva difficoltà di percorrenza dello speco, quasi completamente allagato. La presenza di imponenti depositi concrezionali rende inoltre l'accesso dall'incile percorribile solo con tecniche speleo-subacquee.
Dal 2013 è oggetto di una campagna di studi multidisciplinare coordinata e condotta da HYPOGEA Ricerca e Valorizzazione Cavità Artificiali, organizzazione no profit, in stretta collaborazione con Parco Regionale dei Castelli Romani.
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Conference Presentations by Carla Galeazzi
Call for abstract - Scadenza 15 ottobre 2019
Near Pavona (village of Castel Gandolfo, Rome), a small body of water is what remains to testimony a pre-existing volcanic crater lake. This is the Lacus Turni, lake well known to the Romans. In the seventeenth century the body of water was drained by a surface outflow, while at present the outflow is an underground one. In 2015 the Underground Research Centre Egeria - Hypogea explored a duct tributary of the same lake, apparently linked to the nearby artificial outflow of Lake Albano, in order to verify if the two structures constitute an “integrated system” similar to the Nemi-Vallericcia complex. In addition to the speleological investigations, we performed a detailed analysis of the iconographic sources, which suggested the considerations presented in this contribution.
____________
Nei pressi di Pavona (frazione di Castel Gandolfo, Roma) un piccolo specchio d‟acqua è quel che resta a testimonianza di un preesistente lago vulcanico. Si tratta del Lacus Turni, il lago di Turno ben noto ai Romani. Nel diciassettesimo secolo il bacino fu prosciugato per mezzo di un emissario di superficie, mentre attualmente è drenato da un emissario sotterraneo. Nel novembre 2015 il Centro Ricerche Sotterranee Egeria - Hypogea ha esplorato un condotto immissario dello stesso lago, apparentemente collegato al vicino esautore del Lago Albano, allo scopo di verificare se le due strutture costituissero un “sistema integrato” analogamente a quello di Nemi-Vallericcia. Oltre alle indagini speleologiche è stata effettuata una dettagliata analisi delle fonti iconografiche che ha restituito lo spunto per alcune riflessioni che vengono esposte nel presente contributo.
Papers by Carla Galeazzi
L’intervento si prefigge di focalizzare l’attenzione sulla dimensione sotterranea delle strutture monastiche quale possibile fonte di sostentamento integrativa per le Comunità. Allo scopo di agevolare la comprensione delle diverse prospettive con le quali è possibile affrontare la tematica, vengono presentati diversi casi di studio già applicati, o applicabili, anche a strutture monastiche, attraverso un approccio interdisciplinare.
Extended Abstract
The contribution focuses on the size of Monastic underground structures, which can also become a source of supplementary livelihood for the communities. To facilitate the understanding of different perspectives, with which you can deal with the issue, are presented case studies already applied, or applicable, even in monastic structures through an interdisciplinary approach. Small and large cities point today to opening of underground structures that represent an added value to the tourism offer. Tourism linked to hospitality in the monastic structures has had in recent years a strong increase; they were born dedicated portals and published reference guides. This confirms that the flows of tourists watching with interest to the trip understood as the discovery of unusual or forgotten places. In addition to the catacombs and crypts can be of great interest wells and ancient aqueducts, oil mills, silos, cellars, wells, trenches and other underground spaces. But it is necessary that the underground heritage is analyzed by integrating knowledge and planning. The potential for valuation must be analyzed without having to start very costly projects, or duration incompatible with the cash flows. The potential to valorize must be analyzed without having to start very costly projects, or of duration incompatible with the cash flows. In this purview are placed the technical and organizational skills needed to deal productively all project phases, ranging from exploration of the underground environments, to the development projects and to the documentation. When you examine underground environments, it's necessary to take in consider the professionalism of organized and specialized expert, mitigating the risks related to the exclusive use of for-profit companies. Because they may have a scant overview of the whole and not to have specific skills with the risk of focusing exclusively on the performance of construction and plant engineering, neglecting the development prospects and the necessary respect of the charisma of the monastic works.
Since 1960’s Italian speleologists have inventoried and documented thousands of
underground sites of historical and anthropological interest, realized or re-worked by
man, in function of his needs. At the end of 1980s the National Commission on Artifi cial Cavities of the Italian Speleological Society started a specifi c inventory, developed on a regional basis, denominated “Register of the Italian Artifi cial Cavities”. At the same time, a typological classifi cation of the artifi cial cavities was defi ned, based upon their function, that offi cially marks its origin of the cavity itself. Since 2012 this classifi cation has been adopted also at an international level by UIS - International Union of Speleology. This contribution has as main goal to share with geologists the typological classifi cation of the artifi cial cavities. Further, it presents some examples of actions of monitoring, safeguard, and valorization, obtained thanks to availability of the speleological data, and the future perspectives of sharing the national database, taking into the due account the respect of the intellectual property of the data.
The exploration and study of hypogeal structures used to supply water or used as
quarries, defence systems, mines, tombs, storerooms or escape routes often requires
the support of specialized cave divers. In such cases the aim of the immersion is to obtain information which would otherwise not be accessible; it is for this reason that during a first fact-finding “dive” it is essential to bring to the surface data and images, even when the quality of the photos and videos is not very good because of the murkiness of the water. In most cases submerged hypogeal structures have lost their main function and abandonment is the cause of their being flooded. This
results in the risk of structural and environmental decay. Therefore, a dive can present
not only technical diffi culties but also high biological risks. This is one of the main reasons why, even though the water may be shallow, there are specifi c requirements that need to be complied with, in order to safely undertake an underwater exploration in an artificial cavity. These requirements include the need for great attention, specific experience in immersionsin closed spaces and often the use of complicated equipment for the protection of the diver, which, however, may not be compatible
with the logistical and environmental conditions of the space.
In November 2016 Hypogea Federation signed an agreement with Anagni Municipality (Frosinone, Lazio, Italy) in order to study, explore and enhance the natural and artificial hypogea found within the municipal area. In particular, the objective of Anagni Municipality is to open to the public the most significant urban undergrounds, with the aim of increasing the tourist-cultural offer. The study campaign proved to be complex, both from an exploratory and organizational point of view. The long history of the city, the many alterations of ancient structures (built by Volsces, Romans and during the Middle Age) occurred between the 13th and 17th centuries, together with the more recent stratigraphic overlaps, created objective limits, difficult to overcome. We rediscovered many isolated hypogea that had to be linked through historical contextualization, but with a common denominator: water. Therefore it was decided to direct the study starting from the waterways, analyzing the sites where water is still present and giving credibility to the stories of the many citizens we met. The result is amazing: in a city already widely known for its historical and archaeological beauties, we discovered works of great interest, today hidden in abandoned courtyards or in private cellars: many of them can certainly be traced back to the Roman era. The contribution presents the preliminary results of the study still in progress. ISSN 1970-9692
The Fontana Aqueduct was built between 1607 and 1612 by architect Giovanni Fontana to supply Velletri town (Rome). It is an imposing work that winds almost entirely underground for about 14 kilometers, affecting Velletri and Nemi towns, on the Alban Hills. The structure, no longer used since the ‘70s, shows still stretches in good state of conservation that could be destined to a tourist-cultural enhancement. The path of the aqueduct is particularly interesting because it crosses the products of different eruptive phases of the Latium Volcano. These phases are clearly visible in the sections not covered by plaster and in particular in the segment known as “Porte di Ferro” which, crossing the edge of the caldera of the Latium Volcano, presents geological and
structural peculiarities of great interest.
The artificial drainage tunnels are drain systems of lakes with no natural outlet. To date, 20 underground
structures of this kind have been identified and registered in Italy, 12 of them only in Lazio. The main emissaries
of the Alban Hills, that is of the Vulcano Laziale, located only a few kilometers south of Rome, have been dug to
regularize the level of the lakes Albano and Nemi. Both basins have no natural outlet and for this reason were
affected by variations in the water level, especially as a consequence of heavy rain falls. Differently from the
lesser water basins in the region, the lakes of Albano and Nemi have not been completely drained, both because
of their depth (respectively, 170 m at the Albano lake, and 33 m at the Nemi lake) and in order to maintain a
large water reservoir, with the possibility of using it for irrigation and for mills and factories functioning. The
period of realization, the technical problems encountered during the digging, solved with limited means, the
good functioning conditions until the years 60’s, each of these characteristics place these works among the most
important historical testimonies of our past. The emissary of the Alban Lake is the best known from historical
sources. Since 2013, the Federation Hypogea for Research and Valorization of Artificial Cavities has been conducting
a study (Project Albanus), aimed at exploring, investigating and documenting the ancient emissary, to obtain its
precise topography and to examine the excavation techniques. The study has been conducted in cooperation with
the Superintendence for Archaeological Heritage of Lazio, the Regional Park of the “Castelli Romani” and the
Town of Castel Gandolfo. The project is dedicated to the memory of professor Vittorio Castellani, eminent scholar
and speleologist (Egeria CRS). This contribution studies in detail the historical sources, the ancient and modern
reports, the geological investigations and presents the preliminary results of the Project Albanus.
Keywords: artificial cavities, artificial underground outlets, Alban Lake, Alban Hills, Latium, Italy.
Riassunto
Gli emissari artificiali sono canali di drenaggio dei laghi privi di sbocchi naturali. In Italia sono state
individuate e censite sino ad oggi 20 strutture sotterranee di questo tipo, delle quali 12 nel solo Lazio. Gli
emissari maggiori dei Colli Albani, cioè dell’edificio del Vulcano Laziale, situato pochi km a sud di Roma,
furono scavati per regolarizzare il livello dei laghi di Albano e Nemi, bacini privi di emissari naturali e
quindi soggetti a variazioni di livello, soprattutto a seconda delle precipitazioni atmosferiche. Contrariamente
a quanto avvenuto per gli specchi d’acqua minori, i laghi di Albano e Nemi non furono completamente
prosciugati sia in ragione della profondità (170 m per il lago Albano e 33 m per il lago di Nemi), sia per
mantenere un’ampia conserva d’acqua con possibilità di sfruttamento del rivo ottenuto per l’irrigazione
o per il funzionamento di mulini, opifici, etc. L’epoca di realizzazione, le difficoltà tecniche incontrate
nello scavo e risolte con mezzi limitati, la funzionalità rimasta intatta sino agli anni ‘60 del secolo scorso
collocano queste opere tra le più importanti testimonianze del nostro passato. L’emissario del lago Albano è
il più noto alle fonti storiche. Dal 2013 è in corso uno studio condotto dalla Federazione Hypogea Ricerca e
Valorizzazione Cavità Artificiali, denominato Progetto Albanus che ha l’obiettivo di riesplorare, studiare e
documentare l’antico emissario, acquisire la topografia completa della struttura e analizzare le tecniche di
scavo e realizzazione. Lo studio è condotto in collaborazione con la Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici
del Lazio, il Parco Regionale dei Castelli Romani ed il Comune di Castel Gandolfo. Il progetto è dedicato
alla memoria del professor Vittorio Castellani, insigne accademico e speleologo (Egeria CRS). Il contributo
analizza dettagliatamente le fonti storiche, le relazioni antiche e moderne, gli studi geologici condotti sulla
struttura e presenta i risultati preliminari del Progetto Albanus.
Parole chiave: cavità artificiali, emissari artificiali sotterranei, Colli Albani, Lazio, Italia.
Un’opera di straordinario valore storico, archeologico e speleologico sino ad oggi scarsamente indagata a causa della oggettiva difficoltà di percorrenza dello speco, quasi completamente allagato. La presenza di imponenti depositi concrezionali rende inoltre l'accesso dall'incile percorribile solo con tecniche speleo-subacquee.
Dal 2013 è oggetto di una campagna di studi multidisciplinare coordinata e condotta da HYPOGEA Ricerca e Valorizzazione Cavità Artificiali, organizzazione no profit, in stretta collaborazione con Parco Regionale dei Castelli Romani.
Call for abstract - Scadenza 15 ottobre 2019
Near Pavona (village of Castel Gandolfo, Rome), a small body of water is what remains to testimony a pre-existing volcanic crater lake. This is the Lacus Turni, lake well known to the Romans. In the seventeenth century the body of water was drained by a surface outflow, while at present the outflow is an underground one. In 2015 the Underground Research Centre Egeria - Hypogea explored a duct tributary of the same lake, apparently linked to the nearby artificial outflow of Lake Albano, in order to verify if the two structures constitute an “integrated system” similar to the Nemi-Vallericcia complex. In addition to the speleological investigations, we performed a detailed analysis of the iconographic sources, which suggested the considerations presented in this contribution.
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Nei pressi di Pavona (frazione di Castel Gandolfo, Roma) un piccolo specchio d‟acqua è quel che resta a testimonianza di un preesistente lago vulcanico. Si tratta del Lacus Turni, il lago di Turno ben noto ai Romani. Nel diciassettesimo secolo il bacino fu prosciugato per mezzo di un emissario di superficie, mentre attualmente è drenato da un emissario sotterraneo. Nel novembre 2015 il Centro Ricerche Sotterranee Egeria - Hypogea ha esplorato un condotto immissario dello stesso lago, apparentemente collegato al vicino esautore del Lago Albano, allo scopo di verificare se le due strutture costituissero un “sistema integrato” analogamente a quello di Nemi-Vallericcia. Oltre alle indagini speleologiche è stata effettuata una dettagliata analisi delle fonti iconografiche che ha restituito lo spunto per alcune riflessioni che vengono esposte nel presente contributo.
L’intervento si prefigge di focalizzare l’attenzione sulla dimensione sotterranea delle strutture monastiche quale possibile fonte di sostentamento integrativa per le Comunità. Allo scopo di agevolare la comprensione delle diverse prospettive con le quali è possibile affrontare la tematica, vengono presentati diversi casi di studio già applicati, o applicabili, anche a strutture monastiche, attraverso un approccio interdisciplinare.
Extended Abstract
The contribution focuses on the size of Monastic underground structures, which can also become a source of supplementary livelihood for the communities. To facilitate the understanding of different perspectives, with which you can deal with the issue, are presented case studies already applied, or applicable, even in monastic structures through an interdisciplinary approach. Small and large cities point today to opening of underground structures that represent an added value to the tourism offer. Tourism linked to hospitality in the monastic structures has had in recent years a strong increase; they were born dedicated portals and published reference guides. This confirms that the flows of tourists watching with interest to the trip understood as the discovery of unusual or forgotten places. In addition to the catacombs and crypts can be of great interest wells and ancient aqueducts, oil mills, silos, cellars, wells, trenches and other underground spaces. But it is necessary that the underground heritage is analyzed by integrating knowledge and planning. The potential for valuation must be analyzed without having to start very costly projects, or duration incompatible with the cash flows. The potential to valorize must be analyzed without having to start very costly projects, or of duration incompatible with the cash flows. In this purview are placed the technical and organizational skills needed to deal productively all project phases, ranging from exploration of the underground environments, to the development projects and to the documentation. When you examine underground environments, it's necessary to take in consider the professionalism of organized and specialized expert, mitigating the risks related to the exclusive use of for-profit companies. Because they may have a scant overview of the whole and not to have specific skills with the risk of focusing exclusively on the performance of construction and plant engineering, neglecting the development prospects and the necessary respect of the charisma of the monastic works.
Since 1960’s Italian speleologists have inventoried and documented thousands of
underground sites of historical and anthropological interest, realized or re-worked by
man, in function of his needs. At the end of 1980s the National Commission on Artifi cial Cavities of the Italian Speleological Society started a specifi c inventory, developed on a regional basis, denominated “Register of the Italian Artifi cial Cavities”. At the same time, a typological classifi cation of the artifi cial cavities was defi ned, based upon their function, that offi cially marks its origin of the cavity itself. Since 2012 this classifi cation has been adopted also at an international level by UIS - International Union of Speleology. This contribution has as main goal to share with geologists the typological classifi cation of the artifi cial cavities. Further, it presents some examples of actions of monitoring, safeguard, and valorization, obtained thanks to availability of the speleological data, and the future perspectives of sharing the national database, taking into the due account the respect of the intellectual property of the data.
The exploration and study of hypogeal structures used to supply water or used as
quarries, defence systems, mines, tombs, storerooms or escape routes often requires
the support of specialized cave divers. In such cases the aim of the immersion is to obtain information which would otherwise not be accessible; it is for this reason that during a first fact-finding “dive” it is essential to bring to the surface data and images, even when the quality of the photos and videos is not very good because of the murkiness of the water. In most cases submerged hypogeal structures have lost their main function and abandonment is the cause of their being flooded. This
results in the risk of structural and environmental decay. Therefore, a dive can present
not only technical diffi culties but also high biological risks. This is one of the main reasons why, even though the water may be shallow, there are specifi c requirements that need to be complied with, in order to safely undertake an underwater exploration in an artificial cavity. These requirements include the need for great attention, specific experience in immersionsin closed spaces and often the use of complicated equipment for the protection of the diver, which, however, may not be compatible
with the logistical and environmental conditions of the space.
In November 2016 Hypogea Federation signed an agreement with Anagni Municipality (Frosinone, Lazio, Italy) in order to study, explore and enhance the natural and artificial hypogea found within the municipal area. In particular, the objective of Anagni Municipality is to open to the public the most significant urban undergrounds, with the aim of increasing the tourist-cultural offer. The study campaign proved to be complex, both from an exploratory and organizational point of view. The long history of the city, the many alterations of ancient structures (built by Volsces, Romans and during the Middle Age) occurred between the 13th and 17th centuries, together with the more recent stratigraphic overlaps, created objective limits, difficult to overcome. We rediscovered many isolated hypogea that had to be linked through historical contextualization, but with a common denominator: water. Therefore it was decided to direct the study starting from the waterways, analyzing the sites where water is still present and giving credibility to the stories of the many citizens we met. The result is amazing: in a city already widely known for its historical and archaeological beauties, we discovered works of great interest, today hidden in abandoned courtyards or in private cellars: many of them can certainly be traced back to the Roman era. The contribution presents the preliminary results of the study still in progress. ISSN 1970-9692
The Fontana Aqueduct was built between 1607 and 1612 by architect Giovanni Fontana to supply Velletri town (Rome). It is an imposing work that winds almost entirely underground for about 14 kilometers, affecting Velletri and Nemi towns, on the Alban Hills. The structure, no longer used since the ‘70s, shows still stretches in good state of conservation that could be destined to a tourist-cultural enhancement. The path of the aqueduct is particularly interesting because it crosses the products of different eruptive phases of the Latium Volcano. These phases are clearly visible in the sections not covered by plaster and in particular in the segment known as “Porte di Ferro” which, crossing the edge of the caldera of the Latium Volcano, presents geological and
structural peculiarities of great interest.
The artificial drainage tunnels are drain systems of lakes with no natural outlet. To date, 20 underground
structures of this kind have been identified and registered in Italy, 12 of them only in Lazio. The main emissaries
of the Alban Hills, that is of the Vulcano Laziale, located only a few kilometers south of Rome, have been dug to
regularize the level of the lakes Albano and Nemi. Both basins have no natural outlet and for this reason were
affected by variations in the water level, especially as a consequence of heavy rain falls. Differently from the
lesser water basins in the region, the lakes of Albano and Nemi have not been completely drained, both because
of their depth (respectively, 170 m at the Albano lake, and 33 m at the Nemi lake) and in order to maintain a
large water reservoir, with the possibility of using it for irrigation and for mills and factories functioning. The
period of realization, the technical problems encountered during the digging, solved with limited means, the
good functioning conditions until the years 60’s, each of these characteristics place these works among the most
important historical testimonies of our past. The emissary of the Alban Lake is the best known from historical
sources. Since 2013, the Federation Hypogea for Research and Valorization of Artificial Cavities has been conducting
a study (Project Albanus), aimed at exploring, investigating and documenting the ancient emissary, to obtain its
precise topography and to examine the excavation techniques. The study has been conducted in cooperation with
the Superintendence for Archaeological Heritage of Lazio, the Regional Park of the “Castelli Romani” and the
Town of Castel Gandolfo. The project is dedicated to the memory of professor Vittorio Castellani, eminent scholar
and speleologist (Egeria CRS). This contribution studies in detail the historical sources, the ancient and modern
reports, the geological investigations and presents the preliminary results of the Project Albanus.
Keywords: artificial cavities, artificial underground outlets, Alban Lake, Alban Hills, Latium, Italy.
Riassunto
Gli emissari artificiali sono canali di drenaggio dei laghi privi di sbocchi naturali. In Italia sono state
individuate e censite sino ad oggi 20 strutture sotterranee di questo tipo, delle quali 12 nel solo Lazio. Gli
emissari maggiori dei Colli Albani, cioè dell’edificio del Vulcano Laziale, situato pochi km a sud di Roma,
furono scavati per regolarizzare il livello dei laghi di Albano e Nemi, bacini privi di emissari naturali e
quindi soggetti a variazioni di livello, soprattutto a seconda delle precipitazioni atmosferiche. Contrariamente
a quanto avvenuto per gli specchi d’acqua minori, i laghi di Albano e Nemi non furono completamente
prosciugati sia in ragione della profondità (170 m per il lago Albano e 33 m per il lago di Nemi), sia per
mantenere un’ampia conserva d’acqua con possibilità di sfruttamento del rivo ottenuto per l’irrigazione
o per il funzionamento di mulini, opifici, etc. L’epoca di realizzazione, le difficoltà tecniche incontrate
nello scavo e risolte con mezzi limitati, la funzionalità rimasta intatta sino agli anni ‘60 del secolo scorso
collocano queste opere tra le più importanti testimonianze del nostro passato. L’emissario del lago Albano è
il più noto alle fonti storiche. Dal 2013 è in corso uno studio condotto dalla Federazione Hypogea Ricerca e
Valorizzazione Cavità Artificiali, denominato Progetto Albanus che ha l’obiettivo di riesplorare, studiare e
documentare l’antico emissario, acquisire la topografia completa della struttura e analizzare le tecniche di
scavo e realizzazione. Lo studio è condotto in collaborazione con la Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici
del Lazio, il Parco Regionale dei Castelli Romani ed il Comune di Castel Gandolfo. Il progetto è dedicato
alla memoria del professor Vittorio Castellani, insigne accademico e speleologo (Egeria CRS). Il contributo
analizza dettagliatamente le fonti storiche, le relazioni antiche e moderne, gli studi geologici condotti sulla
struttura e presenta i risultati preliminari del Progetto Albanus.
Parole chiave: cavità artificiali, emissari artificiali sotterranei, Colli Albani, Lazio, Italia.
Un’opera di straordinario valore storico, archeologico e speleologico sino ad oggi scarsamente indagata a causa della oggettiva difficoltà di percorrenza dello speco, quasi completamente allagato. La presenza di imponenti depositi concrezionali rende inoltre l'accesso dall'incile percorribile solo con tecniche speleo-subacquee.
Dal 2013 è oggetto di una campagna di studi multidisciplinare coordinata e condotta da HYPOGEA Ricerca e Valorizzazione Cavità Artificiali, organizzazione no profit, in stretta collaborazione con Parco Regionale dei Castelli Romani.