Folia archeologica 23.

Ferenc Fülep – György Duma: Examinations of the Wall Paintings in the Cella Trichora of Pécs

196 F. FÜLEP - GY. DUMA On the lower part of the curtain pattern a curving ribbon with black contours is running. On the upper section the curving frame consists of a double line that embraces an ornamental motif derived from Kufic letters. Above it the pleats of the curtain are indicated by yellowish-reddish stripes, between them circular black patches, surrounded by dots and triangular leaves resembling the tip of a lance, are visible.

3 Below the ribbon containing the Kufic letters a dark gray area can be seen the lower edge of which closes in a downward arch at one section of the northern apse, and below this dark gray area a faint red stripe of 8 to 10 cm width is running. The upper portion of the curtain pattern has decayed. Already in 1963 we supposed that above the curtain pattern standing figures of saints had been represented in the chapel of Pécs as well.

4 This was referred to by the remark of the leader of the excavations, O. Szőnyi, that during the works in 1922 fragments of wall paintings with parts of figures and even with inscriptions were found.

5 When the materials of the 1922 excavations were re-examined we came across fragments of a face representing a left eye with a marked brow of brown hue among the pieces of wall paintings. The fragment of a hand was also found showing the ring-finger and the little finger of a right hand. There is also a fragment of a nimbus surrounded by a thin line showing yellow colour (presumably imitating gold). There are several fragments of folds and among them a piece where the round-shaped brooch fastening the folds of the garment is visible; furthermore there is a piece preserving the fragment of a Greek inscription.

6 The problem of the paintings has raised the interest of the experts as soon as they were found. The wall paintings were already defined as double layered by Szőnyi.

7 This was the opinion of Gy. Gosztonyi,

8 L. Nagy,

9 A. Alföldi

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0 and T. Nagy.

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1 Earlier we dealt with the problem of the wall paintings along the same lines.

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2 From the point of dating the second layer, the opinion of the researchers was different. One group, to which we also used to belong to, attributed them to the 9th, whereas the other one to the 1 ith century.

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3 For making a distinction between the two layers of wall paintings no close investigations had been carried out earlier. This is the first occasion that the wall paintings are taken under a sicentific examination. The tests have been carried out by college teacher Gy. Duma, and the definition of the age of the wall paintings is given below by F. Fülep. * 3 Nagy, T., Szépművészet 1941. p. 147. 4 Fiilep, F., Pécs római kori emlékei. (Pécs 1963) p. 79., Fig. 40. 5 Szőnyi, 0., Jb. d. Ung. Arch. Ges. 2 (1923-26) p. 180. 6 Ibid, speaks about two fargments of wall painting with inscription but one of them was lost. - The painted pieces with figures and the fragments with Greek inscription are to be discussed in a separate paper. 7 Ibid. p. 179. 8 Gosztonyi, Gy., A pécsi ókeresztény temető. (Pécs s. d.) p. 15. 9 Nagy, L., Pannónia Sacra. SzIE 1. (Bp. 1938) p. 34. 1» Alföldi, A., Pannónia Sacra. SzIE 1. (Bp. 1938) p. 158. 1

1 Nagy, Г., op. cit. p. 147.; Idem, Zum Problem der Kontinuität in Pannonién. Das Bildwerk. (Bp. 1942) p. 5. 1

2 Fiilep, F., Acta Arch. Hung. 1959. p. 415. 1

3 Ibid. p. 415, Note 43 for more lit.