Mammuthus meridionalis from Madonna della Strada (Scoppito, L’Aquila): Diagnostics and restoration

The skeleton of Mammuthus meridionalis (Nesti, 1825), found in 1954 at Madonna della Strada (Scoppito, L’Aquila, central Italy) and exhibited since 1960 in the Spanish Fortress in L’Aquila, has recently undergone a complex diagnostic and restoration project funded by the “Guardia di Finanza” as a contribution to the reconstruction of the city of L’Aquila after the earthquake of 6 April 2009. The specimen was only slightly damaged by the seismic event. The restoration based on a highly integrated multidisciplinary approach, began with a preliminary diagnostic analysis in order to acquire information on the state of preservation of the skeleton and on the dynamic behaviour of the metal supporting frame-skeleton assembly. The restoration was carried out by combining the most common techniques applied in Palaeontology with the most advanced techniques used for the restoration of cultural artefacts. The painstaking restoration enabled the original shape of the skeleton to be restored, revealing the actual shape of the skull and its pathological modifications. Before reassembling the skeleton, a new, correct posture was also defined.