VILLA WITH MOSAICS
The extant walls of the Villa with Mosaics were raised with a masonry of creek stones, travertines and sieved earth mortar as per original in order to protect the extant parts (Fig. 1).
Following the photographic documentation of the mosaic pavements in two of the rooms the bed for the protective border, and the earth, sand and dust between the tesserae were cleaned mechanically (Fig. 2).
The mortar to be used for restoration was prepared in the same colour and fabric after analysing the original mortar. The aggregate of the mortar used comprises sand, lime putty, marble and brick powder.
The gaps that formed by caving or fracture between the nucleus and rudus layers were diagnosed by assessing the sound rising from the knocking on the surface by fingers. In the areas thus identified one tessera was removed at about every 10 cm and channels were gouged out reaching the lacunae under the nucleus using slim chisel. These lacunae were filled by injection first with water with 5% alcohol, primal AC-33 (5% in water) + lime milk mixture; and finally with dilute mortar prepared with malta 6001 (50% in water). Following the filling process, the tesserae removed were placed using mortar.
The cracks, slits and lost mortar under the tesselatum layer were filled also with injection. A border was made around the mosaic pavements to keep the tesserae in place. Following the conservation and restoration of mosaic flooring, pure water and non-ionic detergent were applied using paper pulp at places to remove the chalk, salt and mortar residues (Fig. 3).