The interdisciplinary research project conducted by the team of restorers, archaeologists and scientists from the Istituto centrale per il restauro (ICR) in collaboration with the Sovrintendenza Capitolina ai Beni Culturali inside the Sepolcreto along via Ostiense aimed to analyse the degradation of the decorated surfaces, in order to understand its causes and stop it. Recently the project has been improved thanks to the contribution of an ICR master’s degree thesis in Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage, dedicated to the restoration of Columbarium III. This study, conducted in one of the most representative environments of the Sepolcreto, allowed to deepen the knowledge of the executive techniques, the constituent materials, and the degradation phenomena affecting the surfaces, carrying out a pilot project for the conservation of the entire site. During the restoration, particular attention was paid to the use of innovative volatile binding media such as menthol, used for temporary conservation operations, and of green and eco-sustainable products such as essential oils. The work also provided indications for the scheduled maintenance of the entire archaeological site.
