Diagnostic investigations at the “Grotte di Catullo”, Sirmione (BS)
28 April 2021
On behalf of the Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities – Directorate-General for Museums, Regional Directorate of Museums of Lombardy, a diagnostic investigation campaign was carried out in the “Grotta del Cavallo,” part of the archaeological site of the “Grotte di Catullo” in Sirmione (BS).
The “Grotte di Catullo” complex is a large archaeological area covering approximately two hectares, within which the remains of a Roman villa dating back to the Augustan age are preserved. It is a site of significant historical and touristic interest.
The diagnostic activity focused on a specific portion of this remarkable site, known as the “Grotta del Cavallo,” consisting of a rectangular chamber covered by a barrel vault, whose geometry and construction typology required investigation.
Exploratory openings were carried out at the extrados of the vault, along with vertical and horizontal core drillings, subsequently inspected through video endoscopy, and complemented by ground-penetrating radar surveys.
The diagnostic data collected, processed and integrated with the geometric survey, made it possible to accurately define the different materials composing the vaulted structure and their thicknesses—an essential basis for the subsequent design phases.
