The architectural decoration of the Nymphaeum of the Tritons: design, construction and workforce

The nymphaeum of the Tritons is a particularly favourable case study to investigate the organization of an ancient building site in relation to the execution of the marble architectural decoration. A fairly high percentage of architectural blocks of the imposing façade of the monument has been preserved, which allowed a systematic and thorough study of the syntax of each ornamental element and of all the iconographic and stylistic variations, of which a spatial analysis was also carried out on the basis of a “block to block” reconstruction of the entire front. Significant data emerged from the study particularly regarding the influence of visibility and hierarchy of the ornaments in the organization and division of work, and, on the other hand, the relationship between the decorative schemes established at the design stage and the degree of freedom of the individual stonemasons in the carving of ornamenta. In parallel with the iconographic and stylistic analysis, archaeometric investigations were also developed on the origin of the marbles employed: the integration of the results has allowed to understand that the monument was built by drawing mainly on local resources regarding the materials as well the masons.