Kathryn GLEASON

L’archéologie du jardin

Kathryn Gleason’s own scholarship focuses on the archaeology of the designed landscapes of late Republican and early Imperial Rome and its growing empire. She is particularly interested in the public parks and monumental private gardens that appear to be the work of the topiarius, a designer of gardens with skillfully created displays of plants, water, and art. Working with Amina-Aicha Malek, she has extended the scope of work initiated by Wilhelmina Jashemski by developing systematic methods for excavating garden sites in areas outside of Pompeii. These gardens have included those of Horace’s Villa, Licenza ; the Villa Santa Maria, Nemi ; the gardens of Herod the Great, Judaea ; and the Petra Garden and Pool Project, Petra. She has examined gardens of other periods as well, notably the Mughal gardens of Naguar, Rajasthan.

Professor Gleason proposes to offer four seminars of two hours duration on the following topics :

1. Building the Roman garden : This talk will explore the ways in which ancient gardens were constructed, particularly large public and private gardens. The creation of terraces, provision of water systems, good soils, and drainage are discussed as the foundations of an environmental system to support a successful planting, as well as delightful displays of water and art.
2. Excavation techniques for recovering historic gardens : This talk will show how gardens are excavated. Examples will include Horace’s Villa, Licenza ; villa gardens at Oplontis and Stabia ; a large public garden in Petra, Jordan ; and a Mughal era garden in Nagaur, Rajasthan.
3. Relationship between Roman gardens in paintings and in the archaeological evidence : This talk looks at the evidence in garden paintings for specific design principles, methods of pruning and other activities of the topiarius that can illuminate the archaeological evidence.
4. Conservation and restitution of relict gardens : In this talk, the importance of treating garden surfaces with conservation protocols like other archaeological remains is emphasized. The value of accurate drawings and computer modeling to recreate excavated gardens-rather than replanting-is explored. Examples will range from the Ecole des Beaux Arts style of drawing in the early 20th century on garden sites, such as Horace’s Villa, to the use of Rhino and gaming software today.

  The garden palaces of Herod the Great

Futhermore, a round table is organised on Thursday, April the 10th :

• Introduction, Amina-Aïcha MALEK UMR 8546, CNRS-ENS, Paris
• The garden as a constructed landscape, Kathryn GLEASON, Cornell University, Ithaca NY
• Archéologie et restauration de jardins historiques. Définition des protocoles, Anne ALLIMANT, Chercheur associée au Centre de Ressources de Botanique Appliquée, Conseil en stratégie de restauration de jardins historiques
• The great peristyle of the villa Ariana : Roman garden painting brought to life, Kathryn GLEASON, Cornell University, Ithaca NY ; Amina-Aïcha MALEK, UMR 8546, CNRS-ENS, Paris
• Jardins et plantations de la villa de Jonzac (Charente-Maritime), Valérie MORTREUIL, Service d’archéologie départementale, Conseil général de Charente-Maritime ; Karine ROBIN, Service d’archéologie départementale, Conseil général de Charente-Maritime
• L’archéologie des jardins et la conservation des jardins historiques en France, Marie-Hélène BENETIERE, Chargée de mission parcs et jardins Ministère de la culture et de la communication, Direction générale des patrimoines
• Lecture prospective de paysages naturels et culturels, Olivier LASSERE, Paysagestion architectes-paysagistes SIA