Non-destructive technique to investigate an archaeological structure: A GPR survey in the Domus Aurea (Rome, Italy)

The discovery and touristic fruition of the Domus Aurea (Latin for “Golden House”), and the heavy rain led to the arrival of moisture, starting the slow and inevitable process of decay and collapse. Furthermore, inside the Domus Aurea, there are a lot of parts not yet excavated, attracting a continuous and archaeological interest. In order to properly plan the restoration of this building and detect buried archaeological features, a non-destructive technique, like Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), is extensively and profitably used for its rapid data collection and its high resolution images of contrasting subsurface structural or archaeological materials. The results show not only the presence of internal lesions and detachments of the wall and vault structure, but also the existence of buried archaeological targets; these preliminary results allow future restoration plans in order to prevent the rapid degradation of this important building.