Archeometrical Study of a Mural Painting in the a fresco Technique Discovered in Tomis (Constanța, Romania): Applicability in the Conservation and Restoration Process

The main objective of the present study is to reveal the palette of pigments and the other specific constituent materials as well as the techniques used by the Roman artists to create the mural paintings discovered in the ancient city of Tomis, the modern-day Constanţa, Romania’s largest seaport and a major tourist hub on the Black Sea. This paper is an archeometric study based on the physical, chemical and biological analyses of the archeological Roman mural painting fragments from the ancient city of Tomis dating from the 5th to 6th century A.D. and to our knowledge is among the very few research studies carried out so far on the ancient Roman wall painting discovered in Romania. The methods of scientific investigation employed directly on the archeological fragments, on samples taken from the fragments and on the cross-sections prepared from the samples were: optical microscopy (OM), digital microscopy, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) and attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). Examination and analysis of the archeological mural fragments revealed that the painted fragments consist of ground support and successive layers of color displaying specific characteristics of the artistic technique, such as imitation of marble cladding or meticulous smoothing of the surface to achieve a glossy and compact finish. It was also found that fragments exhibit subtle variations in different colors, identified in general terms, showing seven color tones: cinnabar red, red-violet, red ochre, yellow ochre, white, gray-blue, gray-black and black. The physical–chemical and biological analyses carried out provide the diagnosis and theoretical basis for choosing an appropriate conservation methodology and the correct restoration treatment of the discovered mural painting, with a view to its museum display through exhibition and virtual reconstruction and scientific use by the setting up of a useful database for researchers or specialists in museums on Roman archeology and art.