Christos Doumas
The Wall-Paintings of Thera, pp. 14-15
These wall paintings [of Thera] are the largest and best preserved artistic [collection] known
in the Aegean from any period. Certainly the circumstances of their burial after the
destruction of the city at Akrotiri contributed to this. The thick layer of volcanic ash which
covered the settlement and the entire island ensured stable conditions of temperature and
humidity, creating an ideal environment for both the plaster and the pigments. Furthermore,
the [preservation] of the paintings - even in tiny fragments - within the rooms they decorated
prevented their dispersal. Thus a high degree of recovery and restoration is nowadays
possible.
As a rule those walls which were decorated with paintings no longer survive. In many
instances they had actually collapsed, together with their plaster coat… before the volcanic
eruption. The retrieval of these fragments today is a painstaking and time-consuming
process. As soon as plaster fragments begin to appear in the area being excavated, the
conservator is called to the site. With his delicate ‘surgical’ instruments (scalpel, paintbrush,
gauze, scissors, etc.) he first brushes off the earth from the exposed surface of the fragment
and impregnates it with acetone in order to expel all traces of moisture. He then
consolidates it with different dilutions…of acetone, of increasing concentration, and finally,
with the help of the gauze stuck on top with the same fixative [special glue], removes it from
the ruins and transfers it to the laboratory for conservation. Here all surfaces of the
fragment are scrupulously cleaned, using a scalpel and brush, and then the search begins for
fragments which fit together to form larger pieces, exactly as in a jig-saw puzzle. When all
possible fragments have been glued together, the wall painting is then reassembled within
an aluminium frame of the same dimensions, backed by wire netting. The gaps in which no
pieces can be accommodated are filled in with special plaster and the entire composition is
thus transformed in to a relatively light, portable picture.
The Wall-Paintings of Thera, pp. 14-15
These wall paintings [of Thera] are the largest and best preserved artistic [collection] known
in the Aegean from any period. Certainly the circumstances of their burial after the
destruction of the city at Akrotiri contributed to this. The thick layer of volcanic ash which
covered the settlement and the entire island ensured stable conditions of temperature and
humidity, creating an ideal environment for both the plaster and the pigments. Furthermore,
the [preservation] of the paintings - even in tiny fragments - within the rooms they decorated
prevented their dispersal. Thus a high degree of recovery and restoration is nowadays
possible.
As a rule those walls which were decorated with paintings no longer survive. In many
instances they had actually collapsed, together with their plaster coat… before the volcanic
eruption. The retrieval of these fragments today is a painstaking and time-consuming
process. As soon as plaster fragments begin to appear in the area being excavated, the
conservator is called to the site. With his delicate ‘surgical’ instruments (scalpel, paintbrush,
gauze, scissors, etc.) he first brushes off the earth from the exposed surface of the fragment
and impregnates it with acetone in order to expel all traces of moisture. He then
consolidates it with different dilutions…of acetone, of increasing concentration, and finally,
with the help of the gauze stuck on top with the same fixative [special glue], removes it from
the ruins and transfers it to the laboratory for conservation. Here all surfaces of the
fragment are scrupulously cleaned, using a scalpel and brush, and then the search begins for
fragments which fit together to form larger pieces, exactly as in a jig-saw puzzle. When all
possible fragments have been glued together, the wall painting is then reassembled within
an aluminium frame of the same dimensions, backed by wire netting. The gaps in which no
pieces can be accommodated are filled in with special plaster and the entire composition is
thus transformed in to a relatively light, portable picture.
Using the core narrative…

Largest, best preserved artistic collection from Aegean

The settlement was covered with thick volcanic ash

Temperature and humidity were kept stable

Tiny fragments of the paintings were preserved within their rooms

Many walls collapsed before the volcano erupted

The conservator brushes dirt off the fragments with a paintbrush and removes any moisture
with acetone

Pieces are taken to the laboratory, with gauze stuck on top

Surfaces are cleaned with a scalpel and brush

Pieces are reassembled

Gaps filled with plaster
Give a new interpretation to the facts…
Although the largest and best-preserved artistic collection in the Aegean, the reliability of
the Theran frescoes is doubtful at best. The settlement at Akrotiri was covered by a thick,
volcanic ash which kept the temperature and humidity stable enough to preserve certain
remains, however many of the walls had already collapsed before the volcano even erupted.
As a result, only tiny fragments of paintings remain.
These fragments have been covered with dirt, which must be brushed away by the
conservators before removing the moisture with a chemical application. The pieces are held
together with gauze and taken to a laboratory, before reassembling. After scraping and
cleaning the surfaces, the conservators then try to piece together the small fragments into a
possible picture, filling any gaps with plaster.