Conservation issues of Pompeii and Herculaneum

Paintings being exposed to light, buildings being worn away by natural forces and water damage due to inappropriate excavation and reconstruction methods, as well as theft and vandalism all play a part in the slow decline of the sites' integrity.

In 1996, the organization claimed that Pompeii "desperately need[ed] repair" and called for the drafting of a general plan of restoration and interpretation.

[3] In order to effectively establish widespread conservation efforts across both sites, the Packard Humanities Institute in collaboration with a "Soprintendenza," a branch of the Ministry of Culture (Italy), organized private-public partnership to subsidize and contract restorative projects.

[4] While the excavation of the cities has led to a wealth of information on the two towns and on Roman life in general, it has also allowed the sites to be exposed to common agents of deterioration.

The statues, Hercules and the Vestal Virgins captured the imaginations of the general populace, and soon excavations with the intent to find more art had begun.

[5] Unfortunately, early excavations weren't undertaken with care, and the removal of the layer of ash, mud, and rubble that protected the artifacts and the city beneath resulted in immediate deterioration.

The eruption had disrupted many of the building's foundations, while initial excavations left them unstable and vulnerable, and exposing them further to the elements exacerbated the deterioration process.

In Herculaneum, the skeletal remains of 300 humans were found along the ancient shoreline[6] left exposed to the elements, due to a lack of funding, they are at risk of further deterioration.

While some of the damage is irreparable, the issues of funding and threat mitigation have prompted conservation and restoration specialists to reexamine and enact proper protocol in order to prevent future harm to the objects and the site itself [7] The frescoes, sculptures, and paintings prevalent in both towns were highly preserved, retaining a large amount of detail, color, and vibrancy as a result of the thick layer of ash that covered them from the eruption.

Their feet trample the plants; in closed-off areas, particularly those closest to unexcavated parts of the cities, and carry the seeds around the site causing growth in various areas—this can severely damage the buildings.

(See more on Wikimedia Commons) Amedeo Maiuri, director of Pompeii and Herculaneum from 1924 to 1961, was intent on re-creating the "atmosphere" of the two towns as they were before the eruption of Mt.

An example of vandalism occurred in June 2024 when a 27-year-old tourist from the Netherlands damaged the stucco wall of an excavated Herculaneum villa with a graffiti signature in black permanent marker.

[10][11] The most significant bombing damage occurred between 13 and 20 September 1943, as part of the Allied effort to defend the Salerno beachhead which had been established by the success of Operation Avalanche from an Axis counterattack.

[11] Many of the buildings that were damaged or destroyed as a result of bombings were reconstructed in the postwar period, yet the legacy of these military operations has continued to pose threats to the site's preservation.

[13] In 2019, an investigation published by the Italian newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano estimated that approximately 7 to 10 unexploded bombs may still be lying dormant beneath the sediment and ash in unexcavated portions of the site.

[14] While the existence of these bombs poses a threat to future archaeologists, the procedures which military engineers frequently employ to excavate and defuse them are often invasive and have the potential to cause damage to archaeological remains.

These acts of theft often cause accidental damage to surrounding objects, and the thieved antiquities are no longer in situ and lose their context and cultural associations.

The Soprintendenza Speciale per i Beni Archeologici di Napoli e Pompei is the major administrative body of both sites and others in the Naples and Vesuvian area.

It has overall responsibility for caring for both ancient cities, managing the sites, conserving them, removing plants, providing security to prevent further theft, administering tourist entry into the area, and reconstructing various buildings.

Additionally, modern technology is used to help in conservation; in 2006, a laser survey was created of the Forum complex, allowing a three-dimensional, digital reconstruction.

The superintendent decided all funds should be diverted into preserving the remains of both cities rather than excavating when massive amounts of work are needed on unearthed areas.

The Anglo-American Project currently undertakes minor excavations, such as the House of the Surgeon at Pompeii (at the cost of 10 million euro a year), which are still allowed.

In addition scientific research is underway so that suitable methodologies can be identified to conserve Herculaneum's wall paintings, plasters, mosaics, wooden features, structures, etc.