The Nymphaeum of Massa Lubrense: conservation issues of an archaeological palimpsest in the coastal landscape

The Nymphaeum of Massa Lubrense (Naples), located in Marina della Lobra, is the only tangible evidence of a wider complex, one of the seaside villas that characterized the Gulf of Naples from the 2nd century B.C. Adapting to the coast topography, such forms of architecture were conceived in order to enjoy the surrounding landscape. After the excavations conducted since 1993, the Nymphaeum was brought to light in all its extension. It is characterized by a mosaic surface that follows the main theme of the flowered garden, considered an excellent example in ancient Campania. Its panoramic position on a rocky slope has exposed the structure to the risk of yielding. Reasons closely related to the conservation of the decorated system led to the decision to detach the mosaic from the original context, which determined the fragmentation of the architectural support. Starting from this introduction, the paper deepens the knowledge of the Nymphaeum architecture, highlighting the relationship with the coastal context of the Sorrento Peninsula. Through the study of the surviving material traces and sources regarding the transformations occurred, it draws attention to the difficult dialogue between the archaeological remains and detached mosaic surfaces in the complex history of fragmentation of the Roman structure.