Discovery context

Discovered on the cricket ground excavation in 1996, this krater, 46 cm high, was lying in Hellenistic era levels. The characteristic volute handles and the style of its decoration allow it to be dated to the 3rd century BC. Such vases generally served for mixing water and wine.

 

Reasons for restoration

This type of krater had never before been found in Alexandria. The painted decoration, showing a vegetal motif frieze, indicates that it was made to be seen from one side only. It was interesting for the study of the object and for its intrinsic value to envisage a restoration as it was far from whole. Simply sticking it back together with tape would not have assured its continued conservation thus a full restoration was proposed that would allow for a better reading of its form and decoration.

 

Cleaning

Some encrustations and dirt due to the long burial of the ceramic were apparent on the surface. Cleaning was done with water so that adhesion would be optimal.

 

Gluing

The piece was fragmented into 52 shards, all of which fitted together. Sticking the different pieces together was done with an acrylic glue which has the particularities of being long lasting and reversible i.e. it can be dissolved. The considerable size of the piece required certain gaps to be filled before a complete and final gluing of all the parts.

 

Filling the gaps

As a good half of the vase was missing and that which existed had certain small holes, it was decided to undertake a complete restitution of the form of the piece. Filling in the gaps was done with plaster. This material possesses some interesting characteristics in that it can easily be modelled, fixes well to the ceramic when dry, is less hard that the ceramic itself and can be coloured.

Colouring

To finish, colour, in the form of acrylic paint, was applied. As the aim was to reconstitute the legibility of the form, the choice of colour was such that the final effect would resemble the original without being identical.