painting

Introduction

While researching ancient lime mortar technology, we encountered a number of cases in published archaeological studies that refer to the use of ashes and charcoal as aggregates in mixtures.

Introduction

During the Bronze Age, the craftspeople of the eastern Mediterranean practiced a form of reuse or recycling: fragments of mortar were used as aggregates in lime mixtures intended for walls or floors (Shaw, 1973, p.222; Brysbaert, 2003, pp.168-173, pp.175-176; Jones, 2005, p.220; Brysbaert, 2008, p.118). Such a mixture was found in a house in the Akrotiri settlement of Santorini, in a part of the wall that was intended to be painted (Jones, 2005, p.220).

The premise

The author is currently studying for a PhD in experimental archaeology at the University of the Aegean. The focus of the research involves the recreation of a 4th Century B.C. wall painting (Tomb of Persephone, Vergina) using the same pigments and painting method that was used by the ancient painter. In this project, we sought to identify the painting technique used, and wanted to demonstrate the way in which the wall was painted. The technique that was used in the tomb is a variation of the fresco technique, which is why we examined similar methods.

In very rare cases, a deceased woman is depicted alone, as in the tombs of Čalma