In a salvaged property at Lykeio 7-9 and Stisichorou 9 in Athens, part of a bath complex from late antiquity was discovered. Following the opinion of the Local Council of Monuments of Attica, it was decided, as testimony to the existence of the complex, a) the surviving antiquities should remain visible and accessible on the ground floor of the building, b) part of the preserved wall of the cold bath room (frigidarium), 0.40m wide. , 1.84m long. and 0.81m high, to be detached and repositioned further east by approximately 0.80m, in order to be salvaged.
The work of detachment and repositioning was carried out by the antiquities conservators of EF.A.P.A. with the following methodology:
- Covering the adjacent ancient remains of the frigidarium with geotextile and placing sandbags on the exposed sides for support and protection during the work.
- Removal of the relic that was in contact with the wall on the north and west sides, to expose it so that detachment is possible.
- Reinforcement of the wall surface, in the form of protective formwork, with white Aalborg cement from Denmark and blue glass mesh. It was allowed to dry for 10 days so that the rebar material could reach its full strength and the cohesion of the wall would remain stable during its transport.
- The wall was detached in two sections. The first section of the wall, with construction material, rat stone and grouting mortar, which had been protected by the rebar, was detached intact without damage during its transport. The second section consisting of two stones (architectural marble members in second use) was detached intact without damage during its transport. For its transportation, the first section was wrapped with soft transparent film and geotextile to protect it while it was tied with straps. The second section was tied with straps and softened at the friction points of the stones with the straps. Mechanical means (iron swords and sledgehammers) were used to separate the two parts and detach them from their seat on the heirloom.
- After the repositioning of the wall, for its support and protection, the lower part of the western face of the wall was recovered with stones and mortar of white Danish Aalborg cement and cairn in a ratio of 1:3, following the construction technique of the ancient wall. As a separating and insulating material of the intervention from the ancient material, a geotextile was placed. This work was deemed necessary to protect and support the wall during the burying of the frigidarium throughout the work that will be done on the property. The armor that had been installed to protect it during the detachment and redeployment was then removed.
- The work was completed by completely covering the frigidarium with geotextile, placing sandbags on all exposed sides, and backfilling with 3A material up to 20 (twenty) points above the surface of the ancient remains.
The following employees of EF.A.P.A. worked in the supervision and in the work of burying the frigidarium and the detachment, transport and repositioning of the wall (Tx 9): the archaeologist Niki Sakka, the conservators of antiquities, Chrysavgi Koundouraki, Anna Mitsani, Martha Athanasiadou, Efstratios Katsikogiannis, the marble technician Nikolaos Kritikos, the craftsman Georgios Dafnis and the internship student – conservator of antiquities Eugenia Tsakni.
