Is Rome's Ancient Heritage Crumbling?

(May 17) -- Recent decay at some of Rome's most famed archaeological sites is fueling a debate on the precarious state of the Eternal City's historical heritage in the face of government budget cuts.

About half a square yard of mortar fell off Rome's Colosseum earlier this month, fortunately so early in the morning that the usually crowded downtown square hosting the amphitheater was deserted. Archaeologists who rushed to the site have downplayed the alarm, saying the falling mortar was not a structural failure and noting that the towering Colosseum, where ancient Romans watched gladiator combats, has successfully resisted the ravages of time since it was completed in 80 A.D.

However, the crumbling pieces are pushing experts to focus on how a lack of funds is making it difficult to prevent water infiltration, tree roots, pollution and a massive tourist presence from taking a toll on the Roman Empire's classical archaeological heritage.

Rome city officials have vowed to launch a $29 million conservation project for the Colosseum, but archaeologists say emergency funds are not enough to tackle the problem at its origin.

"All the cuts that have been made to archaeology funds have brought to zero maintenance and conservation activities. There is not enough money to even root out the weeds," said Tsao Cevoli, president of Italy's National Association of Archaeologists.

Cevoli said that while the falling mortar at the Colosseum did not involve its structure, it is still a sign that better monitoring for monuments and sites is needed. "When something happens to these famous sites, emergency funds are set aside," he said. "But what's really missing is a constant maintenance of these structures that have been standing fiercely since the ancient times."

Last March, about 645 square feet of vaulted ceiling collapsed in a gallery in the nearby archaeological complex of Nero's Palace (or Domus Aurea in Latin), the sprawling and lavish residence that the emperor used to entertain guests. It was the latest justification for long-standing concerns about the structural integrity of the richly decorated palace and its golden ceilings.

The villa, built in the first century A.D., underwent major restoration for 18 years before being reopened to the public in 1999. The underground site, whose decay is made worse by moisture, was temporarily closed in 2005, partially reopened a year later and then closed again.

Concerns about the frail state of archaeological landmarks extend beyond Rome and include the southern site of Pompeii, near Naples, which was destroyed and buried under clouds of ash during a volcanic eruption in 79 A.D. The site, one of Italy's major tourist attractions, is visited by 2.5 million people every year.

"Pompeii is certainly a fragile site, very delicate, with elevated structures and frescoes that are constantly exposed to bad weather, pollution and, in some cases, vandalism," Cevoli said.

He said one of Pompeii's major problems is a lack of personnel to monitor the extensive site, where everything from daily objects to inhabitants was buried by the ashes and frozen in time.