Painted funeral chambers from Constanța (Roman Archaeological Objective)

Partnership:

• INOE – Coordinator
• Museum of History and Archaeology of Constanta
• Art History Institute “G. Oprescu” – Romanian Academy
• GRAFIX SRL

History:

25th of February 1988 – date of discovery, within the area of antique necropolis of Tomis. It is dated – most probably – between the Roman period and Roman – Byzantine one (IVth century AD)

Objectives

• Microclimate monitoring and stabilization
• Thermal control of the walls for infiltration ways and other stress factors determination
• Multispectral investigations of the painting for early hidden degradation
• Protective construction design
• Modern presentation of the historical objective in the special allocated space of the museum

The technique of execution of the wall paintings

• a “fresco” painting done on a freshly white – washed wall.
  general aspect of the surface is porous and highly irregular.
  used colors: mineral blue pigment, red pigment, ochre-red, ochre-yellow, white colour from the line, black colour – coal, green colour, green ground.

The conservation state

• humidity caused by infiltration, by capillarity, frequent flooding, humidity variations and temperature oscillations
  degradation of the wall – detachments, friability of the support – layer, deep – set and shallow gaps, efflorescences, powdery paint layer, clay sediments.