NOTE PRIVIND PALEOTEHNOLOGIA SI RESTAURAREA UNOR ELEMENTE ARHITECTONICE ROMANE
NOTES ON PALEOTECHNOLOGY AND RESTORATION OF SOME ROMAN ARCHITECTONIC ELEMENTS

Summary/Abstract: Recent rescue excavations carried out in the southwestern area of Alba Iulia city in the site from Izvorul Împaratului evidenced the vestiges of a Roman building. Among the recovered archaeological materials are fragments of tiles, gutter tiles and antefixes which were decorating the roof of the respective edifice. According to Roman beliefs, the ornamental antefixes were investited with apotropaic powers, being considered beneficent genii of the house. Arcahaeological materials underwent specific interventions of restoration and conservation: removal of soil deposits and depositions of calcium carbonate, assemblage of the fragments, completion with mould plaster chromatically integrated of the lacunar areas and protective coating. Restoration procedures allowed the evidencing of some aspects concerning the antefixes’ manufacturing, as well as of some technological vices. At the majority of the restored pieces, the gutter tiles split in the joining area of the moulded mask with the imbrex separately made, because of their imbalanced joining with clay. There was also noticed that the pieces haven’t been carefully finished after the extraction from the mould. Over their surface exist rets of clay, accidentally remained during manipulation, and in certain areas are visible the fingerprints of the potter. Utilisation of a clay paste with a lot of degreaser or maybe too dry led in some cases to the appearance of some exfoliations and microcraters with unmelted carbonate, or some fissures and inestetic craquelures all over the surface of the artefact. Typologically, the restored antefixes are included in two categoriers: expressive feminine figures (3 restored specimens, as well as 7 disparate fragments belonging to other samples) and tragic masks – persona tragica – (7 restored masks and two disparate fragments that do not allow anymore the completion of the respective pieces). The both types of antefixes present a series of iconographical and stylistic particularities, common but also distinct which determine us thinking that they are the conception and the execution manner of the same figulus who functioned in one of the officinae from Apulum. Made with a great artistry, but considered to be a type of figlinum opus with provincial character, the analysed antefixes yet show an original facies, which spreads lots of harmony and personality.

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