Alba Regia. Annales Musei Stephani Regis. – Alba Regia. A Szent István Király Múzeum Évkönyve. 32. 2002 – Szent István Király Múzeum közleményei: C sorozat (2003)

Tanulmányok – Abhandlungen - Harsányi Eszter–Kurovszky Zsófia: Theoretical reconstruction of a room from the 3rd century A.D., excavated in Tác/Gorsium, based on information gathered during the excavation and the restoring process of the wall-painting fragments (Preliinary report). p. 35–42.

VI., Fig. 13.) On its surface the same mortar mixed with brick-dust

10 has remained as on the in situ wall-painting of the dado in the north-eastern corner. (Plate VI, Fig. 14.) Decoration of the northern wall The highest existing wall of the room is the northern one with the relatively well-preserved in situ dado painting. At its east end, above the yellow stripe with the white border, closing the dado, the beginning of a wide red field can be seen. (Plate VI., Fig. 14.) Therefore at the east end of the northern wall beside the candelabra panel, closing the north end of the eastern wall, a wide red surface appears again, which also clearly concludes from the composition scheme. The red disc painted in the middle of the dado may suggest that this wall could have been decorated symmetrically. If this is the case, there must have been a red field on its west end as well. (Plate VI., Fig. 15.) In the middle of the 10 Roman feet wide wall, above the red disc on the dado a 2 Roman feet wide surface remains, the appearance of which is not yet known. It can be assumed that the disc merely emphasizes symmetry, but it is possible that the surface above it had a special function. There could have been a niche, or even a window here, because the excavated parts of the building imply, that this was an external wall, and not a dividing wall. Decoration of the western wall Painting of the western wall was probably similar to that of the eastern wall, with the difference that since this is also an external wall of the building, so it could have had a window. At present it can only be stated definitely that there was a red field at its south end. Only one fragment is left from the ends of the longitudinal wall, on the arched surface of which the adjoining of the sidewall and the ceiling can be seen, and on its left side the perpendicular forward bending of the plaster can be observed. (Plate VI, Fig. 16.) On the fragment, under the cornice motif part of a red field is visible. Beginning the south end with a red field also fits the rhythm of the scheme given on the eastern and the northern walls. This way on the south end of both longitudinal walls a red field them the beginning of a black background, on the other the beginning of a red field can be seen. In the north-eastern comer traces of a technique entirely different from the high standard preparation of the painted surface appear. On the painted surface a layer of mortar mixed with brick-dust remained, the function of which is not know,n yet. It is possible that the eastern wall is a dividing wall, not bonded in, which is during the use of the building separated from the northern wall, and the thus generated cracking was filled. The other possibility is that something was fixed to the comer in this manner. The question is still to be answered, but it can certainly be assumed that something was used to cover this mortar, or it was put on the painted surface as a later repair. was placed, so that the painting of the two facing walls started symmetrically from this direction. Fragments with black background, belonging to candelabra panels, without a location at the moment Location of some candelabra panels in the ancient room is still uncertain, but in all cases it is worth considering the possible options, and in a given case stating the reasoning why certain possibilities in the placing of the surfaces were left out. With the progressing of the restitution the number of the possible options will hopefully reduce, leaving finally only one, proven option. Candelabra panel with "sedge" (Plate VII., Fig. 17.) A relatively large surface could be assembled of the candelabra panel, on which simple, real sedge is depicted, painted only in greens. The panel is narrower than the already described candelabra panels with stylised motifs. Its black background is only 3 palms wide, reaching the 1 Roman foot together with the framing yellow stripes with the white border. On its left side the plaster bends curved backward from the surface of the wall, while on the right side it bends perpendicular forward. Here, under the yellow stripe, the red layer of the surface formerly beside it can be seen. There are two options for its original location. It is possible that the panel was placed in one of the corners of the room, but it could also have been located in the inner left side of a niche. At present it is more probable that the candelabra panel was in one of the corners of the room. The forward bending of the right side of the plaster reduces the number of the possible locations, out of the corners with still free surfaces to two. Thus this candelabra panel was located either at the north end of the western wall, or the west end of the south wall. The approximately 60 cm long section of the wall remaining from the south wall of the room starts approximately 1 Roman foot from the middle of the 10 Roman feet wide room, towards east. At its western end the eastern side of the doorway was found. If the 1 Roman foot wide candelabra panel was situated on the west end of the south wall, then the west side of the doorway would be formed by the panels left side bending backward. Thus the width of the door would be almost 5 Roman feet, which, considering the size of the room seems too spacious. By reducing the possible width of the door, the length of the wall section on the west side increases. Therefore the surface with the sedge motif can be placed here only if there was another recess in this section of the wall. If the distance between the door-posts was only 3 Roman feet, which could be an entrance of appropriate size, then the surface remaining between the wall section necessary to hold the door, and the 44