A historic Roman victory column is being restored using up-to-date techniques. The Column of Emperor Marcus Aurelius is getting Italy's most extensive laser cleaning yet, as part of an EU-funded heritage plan.

Rome

The ancient Column of Marcus Aurelius in Rome is undergoing a restoration using handheld lasers to remove decades of pollution and grime. This technique reveals the original white Carrara marble while preserving the stone's natural aging and historic patinas, according to lead archaeologist Marta Baumgartner.

Carved around 180 A.D. and standing 40 meters tall, the column features over 2,000 figures and is one of the few monuments of its kind still in its original location. The $2.3 million restoration began in March and is scheduled to finish early next year, following a previous traditional cleaning in the 1980s.

Lasers turn back time on Rome’s Column of Marcus Aurelius

This 1,800-year-old monument in Rome, the Column of Marcus Aurelius, is getting a high-tech glow-up. Restorers are using handheld lasers to peel away decades of grime. The heat lifts away black deposits of pollution to reveal white Carrara marble underneath, says the project's lead archaeologist Marta Baumgartner. MARTA BAUMGARTNER, Archaeologist, Column of Marcus Aurelius But, above all, it ensures respect for the material, the marble itself. It is fully guaranteed respect for the material and for the patinas, which are evidence of the stone's natural aging and must be preserved. The laser also respects oxalate patinas, so it preserves not only the material itself, but also its natural aging. The column was carved around 180 A.D. and tells the story of Roman Emperor Aurelius' victories over barbarian tribes along the Danube. At 40 meters tall and including more than 2,000 figures, such as gods, beasts, soldiers, and Aurelius himself, the restoration is a big job. MARTA BAUMGARTNER, Archaeologist, Column of Marcus Aurelius The column is certainly one of the very few surviving examples of this type of monument still standing, and, moreover, still preserved in its original location. The column was last cleaned in a more traditional way in the 1980s, a time-consuming affair, with conservators finding parts of marble starting to detach. The current restoration work started in March and is due to finish early next year at a cost of $2.3 million.

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Council of the City of Sydney

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Beijing

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Brussels

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Los Angeles

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Caracas

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Breakdown