PALAZZO STERI DI PALERMO, SOFFITTO LIGNEO DELLA SALA MAGNA INDAGINE FITOSANITARIA

ABSTRACf - Steri Palace of Palermo; Wooden Ceiling of the "Sala Magna ", Phytosanitary Survey. The Steri Palace (from Hosterium = fortified residence) of Palermo was built in the early fourteenth century, exactly from 1307 to 1320, it was Chiaramonte's family residence. Later, it became the seat of the viceroy of Sicily (from 1412 to 1577), of the Director of the Royal "Magna Curia", and Royal Customs (until 1698), of the Inquisition Tribunal (from 1701 to 1792), of the Judicial offices and Custom offices (from 1800 to 1958). Today it is the Centre of the Chancellor's offices of the University of Palermo. It contains several interesting cultural heritage artefacts, including the beautiful decorated wooden ceiling of the "Sala Magna". The ceilings structures were investigated in order to know the state of preservation. Several attacks due to Anobiidae and Cerambycidae beatles as well as Isoptera such as Kalotermitidae and Rhinotermitidae were found. The entomologic attack was in the primary and secondary beams and in the decorated panels. The possible causes of the establishment and development of the species responsible for the deterioration and the extent of the damage suffered by supporting structures (primary and secondary beams) and decorated panels are examined. Particularly, termites infestation, was taken into account because it was the main reason of biodeterioration. In this particular instance Reticulitermes lucifugus (Rossi), the most worrying termites species, was especially investigated with regard to the other entomologic entities found in the same monument. In the Ceiling attacks are found in the beams and in the panels of the north-east and south-west zones. The termite infestations are relatively recent and they are located on the wooden materials introduced with the last restorations, which were carried out in the seventies of the past century. The control methods are described and the defence methods to create hostile microclimatic conditions for survival of the termite colonies. According to this purpose some essays for a better conservation and maintenance have been performed in a zone among two of the 24 existing beams in the Ceiling in order to show the good practice for the safeguard of this precious artefact.