The conservation project after excavation of mural paintings in fragments and floor revetment (opus sectile) coming from the roman villa of Sant’Imbenia, Alghero, Sardinia, which will take place at the laboratories of the Convent of St. Nicholas for 24 months, give the opportunity to CCA to offer a cycle of training courses in archaelogical conservation.The main characteristic of these courses is that they are “hands on” and that, parallel to theory, participants are immediately inserted in the actual implementation of the conservation work in progress, side by side with the professional conservators. A group of 11 students from Randolph College, Virginia, USA, guided by Prof. Susan Stevens, will be the partecipants of the first edition of the course which will take place on May 17 - June 2, 2011. Participants will be hosted in  the Guest House of the Convent. A 4 days post course tour will bring the participants to Venice.

The course is structured in eight days of lectures held by Roberto Nardi, classroom discussions and practical activities in the laboratory in which students can apply the main methods of preservation of roman frescoes and opus sectilia.

The theory foresee the following topics:
- general principles of conservation;
- preventive conservation during excavation;
- traditional materials and techniques;
- mural paintings and opus sectilia conservation/
- restoration;
- documentation and diffusion
- museum presentation

The materials will be documented, studied, consolidated, cleaned and reapplied to a new movable support. Students will participate to the lab activities continuously guided by the staff of the CCA.
The course includes four days of cultural visits to Villa Adriana in Tivoli, Rieti, Assisi, Spoleto, Perugia and Rome.

View of the site of Sant'Imbenia, Alghero, Sassari