Folia archeologica 23.

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

CELLA TRICHORA OF PÉCS 21 I Fig. 2. The plaster fragments only exceptionally reach the solidity of the usual lime plasters and they can be easily crumbled by finger. It had been observed earlier that on the cracking surface of the plaster below the painting shows traces of grain. Therefore this layer was called plaster mixed with chaff.

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4 By outside appearance the basis of the wall painting, existing in two layers one above the other, on the wall of the northern apse in the cella trichora, consists of the same material as these fragments.

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5 In order to obtain information about these materials the plaster of the cella trichora was examined as part of the widespread scientific investigations. The aim of the test was to define with the methods of natural sciences the differences or the similarities between the painted fragments of plaster found during the excavations of the cella trichora and the layers of painted plaster on the inner wall of the northern apse as, by outside features they appear to be of identical material. To the tests 2i samples were at our disposal, б of them were taken on the spot from 1

4 S^onyi, O., op. cit. p. 179. 1

5 Fragments of wall paintings with similar basic coating were found at the cella septichora and in several tomb chambers of Pécs. They will be dealt with in a separate article.