Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Explorations in the History and Heritage of Machines and Mechanisms pp 187–198Cite as

Analysis and Reconstruction of a Platform with Ball Bearings in Roman Ships of Nemi Lake

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:

  • 1181 Accesses

Part of the book series: History of Mechanism and Machine Science ((HMMS,volume 37))

Abstract

The paper presents results of a renewed study of the ball bearings that were found with Roman ships of 1st century AD when they were digged out from Nemi lake near Rome in 1930s. The investigation is focused in analysing the mechanical design of the remained ball bearings with a speculation on their manufacturing and in reconstructing a feasible solution of their use in a platform or guide to move heavy loads on the ship. Results are reported both as historical considerations and technical evaluations via simulations.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD   169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Singer C et al (eds) (2012) History of technology, vol 2. Bollati Boringhieri, Turin (In Italian)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Capocaccia A (ed) (1973) History of technique – from prehistory to the year one thousand. UTET, Turin (in Italian)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Galli M, Pisani Sartorio G (eds) (2009) Machina: technologies of ancient Rome. Palombi Editore, Rome (in Italian)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Russo F, Russo F (2009) Techne: the leading role of the military culture in technological evolution- classical age. Rivista Militare, Rome (in Italian)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Rossi C, Russo F, Russo F (2009) Ancient engineers’ inventions - precursors of the present. Springer, Dordrecht

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  6. Ceccarelli M, De Paolis P (2008) A brief account on roman machines and cultural frames. In: Proceedings of HMM2008- the third IFToMM international symposium on history of machines and mechanisms, pp 83–100. Springer, Dordrecht

    Google Scholar 

  7. Ucelli G (1950) The ships of Nemi, Istituto Poligrafico dello Stato, Roma, 3r edn. (1-st Ed 1940). (in Italian)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Ghini G (ed) (2000) Historucal guide of the museum of Roman ship of Nemi lake, Genzano di Roma. (in Italian)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Unknown (Editor) (2000) Flyer guide of the museum Palazzo Massimo alle Terme, Rome. (in Italian)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Cinelli G (1944) Report on the fire of the ships of Nemi, Rome, 31 July. (in Italian)

    Google Scholar 

  11. Bonino M (2003) An hellenistic dream: the ships of Nemi. Felici Editore, Pisa (in Italian)

    Google Scholar 

  12. RIV (1932) Ball bearings and the other mechanical devices found with the ships of Nemi, RIV Report no.864, Turin, September. (in Italian)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Moioli P, Seccaroni C (2000) Analysis of art objects using a portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. X-Ray Spectrom. 29:48–52

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Ferretti M, Miazzo L, Moioli P (1997) The application of a non-destructive XRF method to identify different alloys in the bronze statue of the Capitoline Horse. J. Stud. Conserv. 42

    Google Scholar 

  15. Giardino C (1998) Metals in antique world- introduction to archeo-metallurgy, Laterza, Roma-Bari, (Edition 2010). (in Italian)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Scott DA (1991) Metallography and microstructure of ancient and historic metals, The Getty Conservation Institute, no. 77, Los Angeles

    Google Scholar 

  17. Plinius the Old (1961) Reprint of Naturalis Historia, book XXXIV, chapter 20, pp 95–98

    Google Scholar 

  18. Marabelli M (1991) The monument of marcus aurelius: research and conservation, ancient & historic metals: conservation and scientific research. In: Proceedings of symposium, The Getty Conservation Institute, Los Angeles

    Google Scholar 

  19. David L, Fedeli M, Villedieu F (2013) The coenatin rotunda of the Domus Aurea in Vigna Barberini, Archeologia Sotterranea n 8:5–16. (in Italian)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the Museum of Roman ships in Nemi, the Archive of Rome Soprintendenza at Altemps Palace, the Archive of Italain Navvy in Rome, for providing information and archival documents that are the basis of the present work. The photographic work by Zeno Colantoni is gratefully acknowledge as part of the analysis investigation. The PhD student Matteo Russo is thankfully acknowledged for the computation of the FEM simulations. The team of Prof. Marco Marinelli from Tor Vergata University in Rome is gratefully acknowledged for the data acquisition during a campaign of investigation on the ball bearings in the museum of Nemi on 14 April 2017.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. LARM, University of Cassino and South Latium, Cassino, Italy

    M. Ceccarelli

  2. University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy

    P. G. Molari

  3. GARR, Rome, Italy

    S. Ceccarelli

  4. Ministero dei Beni e delle Attività Culturali e del Turismo, Rome, Italy

    C. Conti & G. Martines

Authors
  1. M. Ceccarelli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. P. G. Molari
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S. Ceccarelli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. C. Conti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. G. Martines
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Ceccarelli .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for the History of Natural Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

    Baichun Zhang

  2. LARM: Laboratory of Robotics and Mechatronics, University of Cassino and South Latium, Cassino, Italy

    Marco Ceccarelli

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Ceccarelli, M., Molari, P.G., Ceccarelli, S., Conti, C., Martines, G. (2019). Analysis and Reconstruction of a Platform with Ball Bearings in Roman Ships of Nemi Lake. In: Zhang, B., Ceccarelli, M. (eds) Explorations in the History and Heritage of Machines and Mechanisms. History of Mechanism and Machine Science, vol 37. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-03538-9_16

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-03538-9_16

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-03537-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-03538-9

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation