09/11/2024
THE ONLY ROMAN BOILER IN THE WORLD, FOUND INTACT, WITH ALL ITS PIPES, VALVES AND ACCESSORIES.
An extraordinary find, unique in the world, found in the excavations of the Villa Della Pisanella in Boscoreale.
The Villa della Pisanella, located in the Roman countryside of Boscoreale (Naples), constitutes one of the many productive settlements that, in Roman times, were scattered in the northern suburbs of Pompeii. Unfortunately, these settlements, except in rare cases, have not been the subject of systematic excavations, but only partial explorations. These rapid excavations, carried out without any scientific systematics, had the objective of recovering precious finds, which today are scattered in various museums around the world.
The first testimonies of the Villa Della Pisanella date back to November 1868, when Modestino Pulzella, while tracing the foundations of a wall, found some pre-existing wall structures. Continuing the excavations, some mosaics were found. The excavations then had to stop because the owner of the neighboring land, Vincenzo De Prisco, highlighted the danger of damage to his land. Only in September 1894 were excavations resumed, which continued until June 1895. This time precisely at the initiative of De Prisco who, evidently, no longer feared "damage." This is how the famous "Boscoreale Treasure" came to light, sensationally sold abroad due to a failure in legislation protecting cultural heritage. There was another interruption, which lasted about a year, before excavations resumed in May 1896. Thus the Roman baths and boiler came to light, found intact, with all their pipes. De Prisco then carried out the restoration of part of the villa, transforming it into a kind of museum (before it was decided to rebury it). And it is precisely during the life of the “Museo De Prisco” that the Alinari Brothers had the opportunity to take this extraordinary photo.
The boiler was equipped with real taps to regulate the flow of water. The valves were of the male type: the upper cylinder was then inserted into the valve body and, by piercing it, it closed and opened the flow of water with a 90 degree rotation. The production of this type of mechanisms by the Collegia Fabrorum had to comply with precisely established standards, similar to those defined today by the EU, which we know through the work of Frontinus: De aquae ductu urbis Romae.
The boiler and pipes were made of lead but the valves were made of bronze and cast in a single block using molds. The connection to the lead pipes was made by soldering. Instead of the blowtorch, small flat-tipped rods (a type of screwdriver) were used, the tips of which had been heated to red hot thanks to the use of portable forges. Additionally, a solder wire with a 70% lead alloy was used. For the flux (the product that favors the distribution of the new metal on the surface to be soldered, protecting it from oxidation) pine resin was probably used.
As for the current location of the caldera, thanks to the information provided by Nobile Di Castroreale, it is known that it is preserved in the technological section of the National Archaeological Museum of Naples (MANN). Section currently under renovation and not open to the public.
(Ettore Di Caterina).
Photography: Alinari Brothers.
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