Preservation of historical buildings requires particular care, as any intervention must not alter or damage the style, structure or contents of the edifice. In order to properly plan the restoration of a building, non‐destructive techniques can be used extensively to detect structural elements and weaknesses. Ground‐penetrating radar (GPR) is particularly well adapted to this type of work, as the method is non‐invasive, rapid and provides high‐resolution images of contrasting subsurface materials.
In the present work we show the successful application of the GPR technique to the investigation of two historical buildings that differ in age, structure and geometry.
The first case is the GPR detection of fractures and internal lesions in the architrave of the Porticus Octaviae, a partially restored Roman building. The second case uses GPR in the important Zuccari Palace to determine the internal structure above vaulted ceilings that host a series of 16th century frescos. Both buildings are located in downtown Rome, Italy.
These examples show that GPR can give detailed, non‐invasive data that describe the state of conservation of historical buildings. In particular, this technique can produce fundamental information for the restorers (e.g., location, dimension and geometry of the structural lesions) that will help them develop the best possible protection plan, retrieving quantitative information about the location and the dimension of the lesions as well as the thickness of the different layers.
Over thepast decade, ground-penetratingradar (GPR) hasbeenrecognizedasbeingparticularly well adapted to the non-destructive survey of archaeological sites. The present work discusses such an application of the GPR to the study of the foundation geometry of the ConcordiaTemple in Agrigento (Sicily, southern Italy). Radar data were collected using a pulse EKKO1000 unit (Sensors and Software,Inc.) with 225 MHz antennae.The GPR data show a regular sequence of short reflectors alternating with'signal blanked' areas located at approximately 50 ns in the peristyle and a continuous horizontal reflector at approximately 30 nswithin the inner part of the temple (the cell).These results may indicate that the construction technique used in the temple was not a compact and homogeneous retaining wall, consisting of an outside layer of bricks and various grouting materials, as was previously thought. The twodimensional images indicate, instead, that the Greeks made use of the geomorphology of the surrounding area, which involved exploiting the surrounding landscape to obtain foundations (artificial and natural) capable of supporting such monumental and stately buildings. Furthermore, the paper demonstratesthevalidityofthistechnique toinvestigate the foundation geometryofan ancient temple, where it is undesirable to apply a destructive technique.
The opening chapter of this book defines millennialism in its broadest sense, encompassing apocalypticism, messianism, and utopia. The subsequent chapters explore a wide range of colonial and modern movements, myths, and ideologies. as they pursue millennial themes through Latin American history. The study of Spanish messianic imperialism and perceptions of the New World as Eden and New Jerusalem provide European precedents. Extensive treatment of nativist and syncretic millennialism includes the Land-without-Evil, Taqui Onqoy, the Tzeltal Rebellion, the Caste War of the Yucatan, and the myths of Inkarrí and Quetzalcóatl, among many others. End-of-the-world sects and their messiahs are also considered, as are utopian communities, Pentecostalism, Liberation Theology, military messianism, and popular Catholicism. The discussion further encompasses the secular millennialism of revolutionaries and populists, including such figures as Lope de Aguirre, Túpac Amaru, Simón Bolívar, Augusto César Sandino, Juan and Evita Perón, Che Guevara, and Shining Path’s Abimael Guzmán.
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