Mentényi Klára szerk.: Műemlékvédelmi Szemle 2004. A Kulturális Örökségvédelmi Hivatal tájékoztatója (Budapest, 2004)

MŰHELY - Forrai Kornélia: A szombathelyi Romkertben lévő ún. Oktogonálé mozaikpadlójának kutatása

Kornélia FORRALTHE INVESTIGATION OF THE MOSAIC FLOOR IN THE SO-CALLED OCTAGONALE OF THE SZOMBATHELY RUIN PARK The walls of the group of 4th century buildings remaining in the forum of Roman Savaria (Szombathely) were excavated in 1938. The fragments of the audience chamber' 650 m

2 mosaic floor, approximately 10% of them, were found at that time. As a result of the excavations made since then lead by Tihamér Szentléleky further floor mosaics were found in the 1960-1970's. Unfortunately the conditions if the fragments shown formerly „in situ" got worse and their restoration was necessary. We have made together with the colleagues Mária Brutyó, Marianna Hoós, Alajos Andróczi the preliminary investigation of the mosaics excavated in the so-called Octagonale building in 1970. The raising of the pavement of the 3

rd century perystilium court took place around the time of the palace complex's building at the beginning of the 4

th century. The finishing must have happened during the rule of the emperor of Constantine the Great but the interior was transformed already during the time of Constantine II. A wide octagonal building was raised in the central axe of the courtyard the sides of which were enlarged with quadratic, hexagonal and octagonal rooms. One of them was decorated with the mosaics. The building must have functioned as a bath with a heating drain. The hard terrazzo cover of the next room proved that water was used there. The base of the Ocatgonale was an 8-10 cm thick layer of pebbly crock placed on sandy bed. Above it was a 2-3 cm layer of thick limy mixture. The 1 cm plaster was made of calcic quartz containing limestone powder also. The material of the mosaic pieces originated presumably from Hungarian mines. The white colour was given by marble and limestone, the black by basalt, the red by sandstone. Beside them pink, yellow and green coloured stones were also used for the representation. Unfortunately the ground sank in the line of the heating drain and at a point was fallen in. In the course of the years passed the excavated territory has decreased with 15 % as a result of the constant leaking and mechanic irritation. Them main reason for these damages was the bad construction of the defence building. On its interior water was lead directly to the mosaics. Airing was made worse by the walling up of the heating drain's opening. Constant change of temperature, wet and rain have dissolved the material and the base of the floor became crumbly. A greater part of the stone granules is still in good condition although we have found broken and crumbly mosaics also. As the surface was rather polluted, results can be told only after the total cleaning of the stone material. Following physical investigation a drawing was made with a foil of 1:1 and a map with the help of which the damaged mosaic pieces could be put back to their original places. Finally test cleaning and emergency conservation was made when it was absolutely necessary. The mosaic's restoration could be made only in the case if its final place - a defence building - would be built. If it could be done a system of necessary airing for the original