Art-eating fungus attacks Rome's ancient underground frescoes
A vast network of tunnels, dug into the soft, porous tufa rock that underlies much of the city, was created in the early Christian era for the burial of the dead. They were also used as clandestine meeting places at a time when Christians were persecuted by Rome's emperors.
But the colourful frescoes that adorn the ceilings and walls of the catacombs are being eaten away by microorganisms, a phenomenon that experts say is being accelerated by climate change.
Rising temperatures have increased humidity levels inside the underground burial sites, encouraging the growth of bacteria, moss and fungus.
The alarm about the rampant art-eating fungus has been raised by a Vatican department, the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology.
'The survival of frescoes which were created 2,000 years ago is at risk,' said Monsignor Pasquale Iacobone, the head of the department.
'There is an increase in the proliferation of vegetation, and the damage is unprecedented. It's the effect of climate change and the increase in outside temperatures.'
Ancient Romans, who cremated their dead, banned Christians from burying corpses within the walls of the capital.
So the Christians instead dug underground passageways for the interment of their dead, eventually excavating around 300 km of tunnels beneath Rome.
They wrapped the dead in shrouds and laid them to rest in rectangular niches that were carved out of the tunnel walls.
Among the treasures under threat are striking frescoes in the San Callisto Catacomb, which mark some of the earliest surviving examples of Christian art.
San Callisto, the biggest and most famous of Rome's catacombs, was established in the second century AD and contained the remains of about half a million people, as well as seven popes who were martyred in the third century AD.
'Along with the six catacombs that are open to the public, the problem is affecting all 400 of the decorated chambers that exist in Rome's 60 catacombs. We are seeing an unexpected increase in biological infestations,' Barbara Mazzei, an archaeologist and an expert on the catacombs, told Corriere della Sera newspaper.
While the problem underground is high humidity, the issue above ground is a lack of moisture – high temperatures and drought conditions mean that trees are sinking their roots deeper, breaking through the ceilings of the catacombs and penetrating the frescoes.
The confined, subterranean nature of catacombs and the lack of ventilation mean that it is hard for experts to use chemicals such as biocides to combat the growth of bacteria and mould.
Instead, they are experimenting with natural products that are not harmful to humans, including essential oils made from lavender, thyme and cinnamon.
The threats faced by the catacombs were revealed at a seminar in Rome organised by the International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works.
Many of the catacombs lie beneath the Appian Way, the 'regina viarum' or 'queen of roads' that once ran from Rome to the distant port of Brindisi on the Adriatic coast.
In 2010, the earliest known icons of four of Christ's apostles were discovered on the ceiling of an elaborately decorated chamber in a catacomb beneath the streets of Rome.
Scientists used advanced laser technology to remove a hardened crust of dirt and calcium deposits to bring to light the brightly coloured fourth-century paintings of Saints John, Paul, Andrew and Peter.
The images adorn the ceiling of a vault, carved out of volcanic rock, which provided the last resting place of a rich Roman noblewoman who converted to Christianity.
Archaeologists also found an early image of Christ, a painting of a naked Daniel with lions at his feet and a sketch of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead.
The catacombs of Santa Tecla, a labyrinth of tunnels, galleries and burial chambers, lie hidden beneath a five-storey office in Ostiense, a residential area of Rome.
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