The Domus of Octavius Quartio in Pompeii: Damage diagnosis of the masonries and frescoed surfaces

Domus of Octavius Quartio occupies the entire insula 2 of Region II in Pompeii, representing one of the most important village of this archaeological site. An interdisciplinary approach has been adopted in order to plan conservative, preventive and restoration actions aimed at the requalification of Pompeii within the frame of "Grande Progetto Pompei" program. 3D Laser scanner surveys and damage diagnosis following Fitzner's method were carried out. The identification and description of weathering forms was carried out using ICOMOS-ISCS and NorMaL 1/88 recommendations, readapted and reinterpreted also for frescoes. Ten different weathering forms were identified; the frescoed room and the fountain are mainly affected by fissures, convex deformations, lacuna, efflorescence, discoloration, moist areas and patinas; the surrounding wall shows back weathering due to the disaggregation of bedding mortars; moreover the blocks are interested by rounding and biological colonization (lichens). Mapping the areal distribution of weathering forms and defining the damage categories, allowed an estimation of the linear and progressive damage index. Actually, a good conservation state of frescoed room (1.5 - 2.0) and fountain (0.7 - 1.2) was identified; a definitely worse conservation state, instead, was observed in the external wall, where the highest progressive damage index value (3) was measured.