Conservation in Arhiđakonova ulica
A geometric floor mosaic, made by the mosaic workshop from Salona in late 4th and early 5th century, was found in 1905 during the demolition of the building east of the Vestibule and south of the temenos wall. The mosaic adorned the courtyard and porch of a Roman building on the north, west and south sides. The unique mosaic was interrupted by a medieval road (today Arhiđakonova ulica) and a medieval house (today Ethnographic Museum). The north and southwest part of the mosaic are in the open, and the south part of the mosaic is located on the ground floor of the Ethnographic Museum.
In 2001 and 2002, from 2007 to 2012, and from 2014 to 2020, the expert team of the Section for Wall Paintings, Mosaics and Stucco of the Split Department for Conservation (Croatian Conservation Institute) performed a series of tasks to protect the original mosaics: mechanical and dry cleaning of tesselatum (medieval Latin, floor surface decorated with mosaics), impregnation and consolidation of plaster and tesselatum, and reconstruction of missing parts of the mosaic. Protection was accompanied by detailed drawings and photo documentation, along with taking samples and conducting thermographic research.
The work on the mosaic began by inspecting the condition of the overall area, then a plan was drawn up and a methodology to make a replica of the mosaic for an area of about 12 m2 was chosen. The first part of the replica was made in the workshop, by making cubes from natural stone of local origin, with similar characteristics to the original material. Around two hundred thousand handmade cubes were used to make 18 mosaic fragments based on the layout. Mosaic fragments were then prepared for in situ installation. The installation was performed on an already prepared surface, and the existing layout had to be followed adjusting to the height difference between the original and fragments, and direct the slope of tesselatum towards the stormwater drain.
After compatibility between the fragments and the base was achieved, retouching between the fragment joints, filling the joints and impregnation of the surfaces was performed. Regular maintenance of the site was performed at the same time: consolidation and binding the original and reconstructed mosaic with plaster, followed by consolidation of the mosaic discovered next to the door of the ground floor room in the Ethnographic Museum. The newly found mosaic is part of a continuous sequence that once adorned a Roman porch.
After years of work on the mosaic and based on work aimed at preserving the valuable Roman complex, the expert team of the Croatian Conservation Institute concluded that the mosaics in the pedestrian zone had to be reconstructed and a protective shelter installed as another form of preventive protection. Expert reaction to the proposals of the Croatian Conservation Institute was not lacking, and in 2020, with the financial support of the City of Split and the approval of the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia, the pedestrian zone Arhiđakonova ulica was reconstructed with a new layer of tesselatum.
The current appearance of the mosaic complex in Arhiđakonova ulica contains valuable cultural and historical data from Diocletian's reign and outlines the time in which it was created and lasted, and its reconstruction enabled the public to more easily perceive one segment of the old architectural complex, as well as the aesthetic experience of the complete presentation of the mosaic.
