FROM THE EXTRAORDINARY NATURE OF THE GREAT POMPEII PROJECT TO PLANNED CONSERVATION

Abstract. The Archaeological Park of Pompeii promotes the most advanced methodologies in preservation, conservation, research, and the promotion of public use of the site. The Great Project Pompeii (GPP), as is evident, has intervened ‘strategically’ on the entire site: on the one hand stabilising the Regiones, on the other hand mitigating the hydrogeological risk of the plateaus and securing the excavation fronts; in addition the GPP has improved accessibility levels. Coping with environmental risks (seismic, volcanic and hydrogeological) is one of the main challenges of the Archaeological Park. First, seismic and volcanic phenomena constitute a major issue in the Pompeii area, embodied by the dormant Mt. Vesuvius. Second, the marked difference in height between the level of the ancient town and that of the unexcavated area, spanning about 22 ha, exerts a strong pressure over the ancient structures and may imply a serious danger of landslides in case of hazard events (seismic and volcanic phenomena or heavy rainfall). These dangers seriously jeopardise the protection of ancient structures and wall-paintings, with subsequent risks to the world cultural heritage site. For this reason, an urgent program of conservation, maintenance, and restoration has been undertaken as part of the Great Pompeii Project. The computerisation of archaeological data is among the most current topics of interest for the management of Cultural Heritage. The Information System (GPP-IS), created with the Plan of the Knowledge of the Great Pompeii Project (GPP), has allowed the creation of a unique knowledge tool for the entire city of Pompeii.