Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (19.2007(2010))

HAWARTE

SYRIA

HAWARTE
PROJECT FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE
PAINTED DECORATION OF THE MITHREUM

Dobrochna Zielinska

Salvage excavations of the cave mithreum in Hawarte in the years 1998-2005
uncovered walls covered with murals, a collapsed ceiling also bearing painted decoration
and countless fragments ofpainted plaster in thefill inside the sanctuary (Gawlikowski
1999; 2000; 2001a; 2001b; 2002; 2003; Majcherek 2004). Once the excavations were
completed in 20OS,1 and the preservation of the murals that were still in situ was
accomplished, the conservation project moved to the stores in the archaeological museum
in nearby Hama, where the loose fragments had all been painstakingly transported
(Parandowska 2006).
The purpose of the conservation project required many hours and skilled attention of
trained specialists to identify and classify the fragments and to separate the different coats
of painted plaster that frequently made up given fragments. The excavator, Michal
Gawlikowski, launched a separate reconstruction project to help with the process. Apart
from its practical side, the program has among its prime objectives studies of the
iconographic program of the m ith re urn 'spa in ted decoration. The results will prepare the
groundfor a graphic representation of the decoration.
The present report discusses the methodology and successive stages of the work, as well
as some ofthe issues that are involved in the study of this class of iconographicfinds. Two
of the more comprehensive themes have been chosen for this preliminary presentation:
the Mithraic cycle and the ceiling decoration in Room A.

1 Since then another campaign of fieldwork was carried out in 2009 in order to clear the big hall that was discovered to the
west of rooms A and B. No new wall paintings were uncovered.

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Polish Archaeology in che Mediterranean 19, Reports 2007