Ancient Water Management of Stabiae
Dr. Thomas Howe, Prof. Matthew Bell & Dr. Mark Leone, Principle Investigators
Dr. Meg Watters, Project Leader
The Legacy of Stabiae
Stabiae lies within the area of the Vesuvian eruption of AD 79 near the better-known
sites of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Unlike Pompeii and Herculaneum, however, Stabiae
was not a town site but a series of enormous sea-cliff villas of up to 22,000 square meters
built directly next to one another and possibly owned by the Roman senatorial and
equestrian elite. To escape the heat of a Roman summer, members of the Imperial
family, the senatorial families and the elite left the city for their seaside villas. In fact, the
capital virtually moved from Rome during the summer season, and some of the most
significant political decisions were made within the confines of these villas. Historical
events of the later Roman Republic and early Empire are thus closely linked to these
great seaside villas on the Bay of Naples.
As at Pompeii and Herculaneum, the cataclysmic event resulted in the rare preservation
of numerous artifacts and structures from the Roman world. Stabiae has an advantage in
that it is unencumbered by modern buildings. Today at Stabiae, one can stand within the
walls of an ancient luxurious “villa marittima” or seaside villa and enjoy the same
panorama as the original owners – the breathtaking view of the sea splashing on the
beach meters below (the same beach where Pliny the Elder succumbed to the noxious
gases of Vesuvius on that fateful August day in AD 79). Thus, Stabiae offers an
accessible archaeological site possessing a rich cultural heritage—a site for scholars,
tourists, students and other interested parties to study and gain insight into the complex
and demanding lives of the most powerful people of the Roman world, the rulers of the
Roman Empire.
Abstract
Central to the sustainability of Stabiae as an archaeological site are the study and practice
of water management in the region. The Ancient Water Management at Stabiae
(AWMS) project seeks to learn potential site management methods from the ancient
Roman use and adaptation of natural hydrological systems. By studying and re-creating
site hydrological systems from the pre-eruption period, this research will focus on the
effects of storm water and problems with present day site erosion, conservation and
preservation for the future.
Formulated in 2001, the RAS Master Plan for the Stabiae became the overall guiding
document used by the Superintendency for the development of the villa site of Stabiae
into a major archaeological park. The Master Plan calls for new excavations, exposing at
least two complete villas in their entirety, and conserving newly and previously
excavated remains. It also calls for area-wide studies of the general environment of the
villas, the so-called Ager Stabianus.
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A crucial, still much neglected, area of conservation of Vesuvian sites is the study of
ancient and modern hydrology. Percolation of ground water into walls is perhaps the
main agent damaging frescoes. Noting that Vesuvian frescoes when freshly excavated
rarely have salt deposits on the walls suggests that ancient water management systems
should be studied for their effectiveness, and possibly be restored for sustainable site
conservation and management. Additional site erosion and destruction, such as cracking
and collapse of exposed villa walls and floors, are caused by broader scale hydrogeological conditions.
The AWMS project aims to analyze historic water management methods, the changing
hydrology of Stabiae region, and modern conservation problems to determine the best
approach to sustainable methods for modern water management toward the aim of
stabilization and preservation of the Stabiae archaeological features and landscape. The
project will work from a broad, regional scale down to local micro-scale with numerous
research initiatives intended to address specific problems of the Stabiae archaeological
site.
Preliminary Research
Dr. Meg Watters is coordinating the AWMS research efforts. Preliminary work focuses
on collating resources for the first AWMS meeting to be held at the Stabiae during the
period of 17-27 June 2010. This meeting will include RAS and regional researchers that
will contribute to the development and implementation of the AWMS project. The
product of this research and meeting will be a preliminary AWMS GIS, into which all
subsequent spatial data will be integrated for comprehensive mapping and analysis.
In addition to the AWMS project meeting, Dr. Watters will work with University of
Maryland students on field reconnaissance intended to map (using hand-held GPS)
historic and contemporary hydrological locations and possible associated archaeological
features in the Stabiae region. The survey group will also work with Enzo Sabini
(Assistant Archaeologist, Superintendency of Pompeii and Naples) on an intensive
Archaeological Park reconnaissance to investigate and map (using hand-held GPS)
hydro-geological areas of interest that include locations of poor drainage, water-related
erosion and any known water sources such as springs, wells or ancient/modern water use
infrastructure.
Interdisciplinary Research Team
The interdisciplinary nature of this project, as well as its geographically dispersed
character, lends itself to active collaboration. The three Co-PI’s are involved with the
development of this proposal and will provide expertise and oversight in their specific
areas. Additional project participants will include personnel from disciplines such as:
architecture, landscape architecture, geology, hydrology, palaeo-envirnmental studies,
volcanology, geophysics, and archaeologists specializing in a range of fields.
The scope of work for the AWMS project includes the following research initiatives:
 Pre-eruption to post-eruption landscape mapping and modeling
 Pre-eruption to post-eruption hydrogeological modeling
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Identification, mapping and modeling of Stabiae water sources
Water management of Stabiae villas, supply, use and discharge of water
Proposals for Stabiae site sustainability and conservation actions in terms of
hydrology
Various methods used as part of this project will include a number of the following:
 Remote sensing and GIS (satellite, air borne, and ground based)
 3D laser scanning, site modeling, and animation
 Environmental coring
 Archaeological landscape mapping
 Archaeological excavation
 Architectural mapping
Current Regional Hydro-Research Projects
As part of the initial data review, existing projects focusing on the hydro-geology and
ancient water use in the region will be studied with the intent to review methods for
sustainable conservation and management of archeological landscapes similar to Sabiae.
This will include a review of current projects such as:
 “Applied research project: Restoration and enhancement of the archaeological
site Stabiae, Castellammare di Stabia (NA), coordinated by Prof. Maurizio de’
Gennaro, INNOVA
 “Guidelines for the Protection of Cultural Heritage from Natural Hazards, hydro
geological analysis of Castellammare di Stabia, Varano hill and design of
intervention accommodation”, Pilot project of the Ministry of Scientific Research
(UNESCO / IGCP Subproject No. 23) ENEI
 The Herculaneum Conservation Project
(http://www.bsrome.it/BSR/sub_arch/BSR_Arch_03Herc.htm)
 “The Urban Artifact: Drainage Infrastructure and the Organization of Space at
Pompeii.” Eric Poehler, University of Massachusetts, Ahmerst, MA.
Potential Research Opportunities
The RAS organization supports the participation of undergraduate and graduate students
in research initiatives. Students participating in summer sessions at Stabiae as well as
graduate students and faculty at interested institutes will be encouraged to become
involved in any number of research opportunities. Possible opportunities as part of the
AWMS project may include:
1. Archival research to identify and map geological, topographical and
archaeological features related to the historic sources and use of water in the
Stabiae region.
2. AWMS GIS project construction, development, and management.
3. Regional field walking to identify and map geological, topographical and
archaeological features related to the historic sources and use of water in the
Stabiae region.
4. Participation in environmental coring investigation to map the pre-eruption
landscape and historic lands use of the Stabia archaeological park.
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5. Participation in various geophysical survey projects ranging from landscape
mapping to intra-villa infrastructure mapping.
Proposed Schedule for implementation
 June 17-27, 2010: AWMS meeting at RAS research center. Presentation and
review of regional water management projects including Herculaneum, Pompeii,
the Sarano Valley Survey
 NSF / NEH grant application: July 2010?
 Autumn 2010:
a) Archival data review, collation and entry to project GIS and database.
b) Acquisition of remote sensing data (satellite imagery, aerial photography,
LiDAR, etc.) for landscape modeling and water use analysis.
c) Hydrogeological modelling
 Spring / Summer 2011: Field projects commence including
a) Large scale topographical landscape survey and modeling
b) Intensive geo-archaeological coring for high-resolution landscape
reconstruction
c) Geophysical surveys, both landscape and intra-villa infrastructure
mapping
d) Methods of water use in the Stabiae villas, comparison to villas of the
Roman world
e) Site-wide mapping of the extent and nature of water based decay and
erosion
 Autumn / Winter 2011: Analysis and reporting of various field projects.
Integration of results into AWMS GIS.
 Spring / Summer 2012: Development of a conservation strategy for the
sustainability and long-term survival of the Stabia
a) Implementation of conservation methods such as:
 Stabilization of crumbling frescoes, disintegrating mosaics
 Reinstatement of functioning Roman water collection, movement
and disposal systems
 Roofing repairs and extensions
b) Development and commissioning of research initiatives to monitor and
improve the understanding of conservation methods established;
development and commissioning of research initiatives to continue
researching innovative conservation methods
c) Development of local initiative for sustainable site monitoring and
maintenance.
 Autumn / Winter 2012: New exploration and studies for site conservation,
preservation and management.
Staff
This proposal draws upon the expertise of the Project Investigator (PI) and three Co-PIs who
collectively have many years of experience in their fields. Professors Howe, Bell and Leone have
been involved with the Stabiae project since its inception in 1998. The accomplishments of the
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RAS Foundation have provided the PI and two Co-PIs with extensive background in maintaining
complex international coalitions, raising and managing funds, and producing research results.
Principal and Co-Principal Investigators
Project Director and Principal Investigator: Thomas Howe, Herman Brown Professor of Art and
Art History, Southwestern University. Coordinator General, RAS Foundation. Phone: 512-8631376, Email: howet@southwestern.edu , Address: 1001 E. University Avenue, Georgetown,
TX.
Project Director & Principal Investigator:
Thomas Howe has been a field architect/surveyor with excavations in Turkey, Britain and Rome,
Italy, co-directing two of those excavations. He developed new methods in the 1990’s for
integrating architectural and stratigraphic recording using digital laser technology. As
Coordinator General of the RAS Foundation since 2000 he is the joint leader for archaeology and
design for the Stabiae archaeological park and the principal author of the master plan. As an
architectural historian his dissertation on the Origin of the Doric Order has been cited in all recent
studies on the origin of Greek architecture. His commentary and illustration and collaboration for
an English translation of the Roman architect Vitruvius (Cambridge, 1999) is now the most
widely used source on that topic. As overall archaeological and planning director he will work
with project staff, the Co-PI’s and the Scientific Advisory Committee to integrate the full range of
archaeological and architectural data into the developing knowledge base.
The interdisciplinary nature of this project, as well as its geographically dispersed character, lends
itself to active collaboration at the highest level of management. The three Co-PI’s have been
extensively involved with the development of this proposal and will provide expertise and
oversight in their specific areas. Already working in close collaboration on other aspects of the
Stabiae project, they will consult regularly on planning and personnel management to assure the
achievement of planned outcomes as the AWMS project moves forward.
Co-Principal Investigator:
Matthew J. Bell, Professor, University of Maryland, School of Architecture. Registered
Architect. Vice President of the Restoring Ancient Stabiae Foundation. Phone: 202-2443892
Email: mattbell@umd.edu Address: 3619 Everett St., NW, Washington DC. 20028
Professor Bell brings a long history as designer of cities and large-scale projects such as
waterfronts, university campuses and mixed-use neighborhoods (see
http://www.arch.umd.edu/people/faculty_and_staff/bio.cfm/72). His work has been exhibited at
the Triennale di Milano and his University of Maryland studio in urban design has won several
Charter awards from Congress for the New Urbanism for urban infill and urban design/waterfront
projects for Castellammare di Stabia, Italy. His role in the project will be to provide overall
assistance in design information and to be a liaison to the Restoring Ancient Stabiae Foundation.
He will assist with the integration of the working knowledge base into the overall RAS Master
Plan.
Co-Principal Investigator:
Mark Leone, Professor, University of Maryland, Department of Anthropology. Director,
Archaeology in Annapolis. Phone: 301-405-8767 Email: MLEONE@anth.umd.edu Address:
1108 Wood Hall, U. of MD, College Park, Maryland 20742
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Professor Leone is a historical archaeologist who has worked with Tim Goddard to create, design,
and mount a web-based GIS database for Annapolis called Preservation Search WebGIS (see
http://preservationsearchwebgis.anth.umd.edu/AIAfrontend/index.html). Leone oversaw this
project and has directed Archaeology in Annapolis since 1981. He is widely published on
historic landscapes, including LiDAR analyses of 18th century planned land forms around
Chesapeake Bay. His role in the project will be to serve as an archaeological advisor and bring
his extensive background in the methodology of landscape analysis to bear on the Stabiae site.
Project Staff
AWMS Project Leader:
Margaret S. Watters, Research Associate, University of Birmingham, UK. Watters is part of
the IBM Visual and Spatial Technology Centre at the Institute of Archaeology and Antiquity,
University of Birmingham, in the UK. Watters specializes in three dimensional visualization
of remotely sensed and excavated archaeological data for a new perspective on noninvasive modeling and analysis of archaeological sites. With extensive experience
assembling and executing large scale international landscape survey projects, her role
will be to oversee the development and operation of the AWMS research initiative. With
a specialization in geophysical surveys, Watters will also oversee all landscape survey
and data integration to the AWMS project GIS.
AWMS GIS coordinator:
Timothy Goddard, Research Associate, University of Maryland, College Park. Goddard is
currently a PhD candidate at Michigan Technological University in Houghton. Goddard has a
wide range of field experience in U.S. archaeology covering the range from low tech traditional
excavation to recent high-tech field and recording methods. As part of his research at University
of Maryland he developed Preservation Search WebGIS for the long term Annapolis
archaeological project. He will be working for the duration of this project leading the
development and integration of the AWMS project GIS into the overarching RAS GIS system.
He will train and oversee additional data entry staff.
U.S. Office Coordinator:
Susan Marie Holman, RAS USA, Washington, D.C. Please see attached resume. Holman is the
regular full time U.S. office coordinator in Washington DC for RAS-USA, the 501(C)3 U.S.
branch of the RAS Foundation in Italy. She is fluent in Italian as well as English and handles
logistics of USA-Italy communications, public relations and coordination of events. She is well
situated to handle logistics for project staff at both Southwestern and the University of Maryland.
Grant Administrator: Larkin Tom, Director of Foundation Relations, Southwestern University.
At Southwestern University Larkin Tom is responsible for proposal development and institutional
oversight of around 40 grant submissions per year. Once projects are funded, she oversees the
narrative reporting process and works with Southwestern’s Business Office to ensure that
financial reports are completed and submitted as needed.
Librarian: Patricia Kosco Cossard is on the library faculty at the University of Maryland. She
is an applied librarian, serving as the Architecture, Planning and Preservation School Librarian.
Ms. Cossard has been active in the application of computing to the humanities since 1984.
Scientific Advisory Committee
The purpose of the Scientific Advisory Committee is to ensure project success by providing
parameters in advance for the types and range of data which will be included in the knowledge
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base. The Scientific Advisory Committee will meet as needed and will regularly consult with
staff working on knowledge base development via telephone and email on issues related to their
specific areas.
These members and their areas of expertise and specialization are as follows:
 Prof. Vincenzo Morra, University of Naples Federico II, Dipartimento delle Scienze di
Terre, (RAS senior coordinator for earth sciences).
 Dr. Mariano Mercurio, vulcanologist, coordinator with Prof. Morra for “earth sciences”
project definitions and surveys.
 Prof. Mark Garrison , Trinity University (director of the Hac i musalar excavation and
familiar with the data spread of a multi-period Mediterranean site with architecture and
modern stratigraphic methods).
 Prof. Hal Haskell, Southwestern University (ceramics specialist and veteran of the Haci
musalar excavation, familiar with data entry and querying).
 Prof. Pedar Foss, De Pauw University (co-director of CGMA, GIS system, author of a
forthcoming general introduction to Pompei and familiar with data range from Vesuvian
sites).
 Prof. Maurizio Fedi, University of Naples, Federico II, Istituto Geofisico (remote
sensing, geomorphology).
 Dr. Margaret Watters, University of Birmingham, HP Visual and Spatial Technology
Centre, Archaeological Computing Division (geophysics; conducted 2002 feasibility
study on the site of Stabiae).
 Dr. Frank Vento, Mercyhurst College, Clarion University (Palaeo-river mapping, geoarchaeology).
 Prof. Steve Wilkes, University of Birmingham, HP Visual and Spatial Technology
Centre, Archaeological Computing Division (remote sensing, knowledge base).
 Dr. David Romano, University of Pennsylvania, or Prof. Mark Davison, Lykaion Survey
(area mapping and GIS knowledge base).
 Prof. Loretta Gratani, University of Rome La Sapienza, director of Orto Botanico,
Rome (paleoenvironmental studies).
 Prof. Ian Sutherland, Gallaudet University (archaeologist, director of House of the
Large Fountain study project, familiar with Pompei material).
 Prof. Lindley Vann, University of Maryland, College Park School of Architecture,
experienced archaeological field architect and architectural historian.
 Prof. Michael Ambrose, University of Maryland, College Park School of Architecture
(architect, digital visualization of architecture).
 Dott.sa Monica Martelli-Castalli, Surfaces conservator, Naples, Herculaneum
Conservation Project (working with Herculaneum knowledge base).
 Architect Gionata Rizzi, conservation architect, Torino, Herculaneum Conservation
Project.
 Christiana Cunningham-Adams, Fines Arts conservator, the U.S. Capitol.
Representatives and collaborators from the Superintendancy of Archaeology of Pompei:
 Dott.sa Anna Maria Sodo, direttrice, S(istema) I(nformatico) A(rcheologico)
V(esuviano) knowledge base, Boscoreale.
 Dott.sa Giovanna Bonifacio, direttrice, Scavi di Stabia.
 Architect Bruno Sammarco, architect responsible for technical coordination of Stabiae
site.
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
Enzo Sabini, Assistant Archaeologist, Superintendency of Pompeii and Naples
Additional Staff
Curriculum Development Specialist. RAS Foundation USA is already actively working to
develop ongoing relationships with high school teachers of classics, Italian, history, art history,
and music throughout the US. New curricula will be based on existing RAS outreach materials.
NEH funding is requested in Year 1 of this project for a Curriculum Development Specialist to
create educational high school curricula in classics, Italian, history, art history, and music. The
person chosen for this position will be an experienced classroom teacher with extensive
background in curricular design. These curricula will be posted with complete open access on the
web portal of the knowledge base, to serve as an ongoing public educational resource.
Student Research Assistants
These can be undergraduate or graduate level students with some experience in archaeology and
standard computer skills. They will work ten to fifteen hours a week during the academic year at
Southwestern University and the University of Maryland. They will be recruited, trained and
supervised by the PIs and the AWMS Project Leader to enter legacy data and – in some cases –
new data into the developing AWMS data base. Student Research Assistants funded by the
project may be joined by other students supported by additional university funds.
Dissemination
As a permanent international cultural management institution, the RAS Foundation and its
partners focus on public outreach and education. The audience for the open access aspect of the
knowledge base will include: visitors to the Vesuvian sites of Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabiae;
an international educational audience of university and college students; and online and visiting
high school and primary students, both those traveling internationally and those from local Italian
or European schools.
Students and teachers will have access to published material, bibliography structured for various
levels from popular and primary levels to advanced research, prepared curricula and lesson plans
supported by NEH funding, and 3D virtual reality reconstructions (such as the RAS Capware
DVD submitted as supplementary material to this proposal). The web portal will support up-todate news postings and other applications such as live webcams showing students and researchers
working on site at Stabiae. This access will become available from 2010 onward.
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