Frescoes of the XII century were found in Novgorod

Hundreds of thousands of fragments of the frescoes of the beginning of the 12th century, shot down from the St. George Cathedral of the Svyato-Yuryev monastery during its restructuring in the 19th century, were discovered during archaeological work in Veliky Novgorod.

“The case is unique. The total number of fragments of frescoes found is hundreds of thousands. This is a grand volume, ”said the head of the expedition, the leading researcher at the Institute of Archeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences Vladimir Sedov, to ITAR-TASS .

This is only 10% of the expected area of ​​the cathedral frescoes, but experts count on new discoveries. The holistic fresco complex of pre -Mongol times was preserved only in the Mirozhsky monastery in Pskov, partly in the temples and monasteries of Novgorod, old Ladoga, Vladimir and Suzdal.

Specialists of the Novgorod Museum-Reserve began the restoration of fragments of frescoes. It has already been established that the frescoes found in the St. George Cathedral, which in the 19th century were used as a building material to raise the floor level of the cathedral, are not like the rest of the Novgorod murals of the 12th century. Presumably, the temple was painted by many small figures with small faces.

In addition, during excavations in the altar and percopol part of the cathedral, ancient structures were found, including Sintron (episcopal benches in the main altar), ancient floor slabs, thrones, as well as freschs that have survived in the lower part of the walls with decorative ornamental compositions depicting polished marble.

Next year, scientists plan to continue excavations both inside and from the outside near the walls of the cathedral, where fragments of frescoes can also be.