The Washington times., 1927-02-19
PLASTER USED.
BY ANC|ENTs

Back in the ancient days some
4 700 years ago, the art OF decOrHt,
ing Of a primitive kind began so
far as historical records show ac-
cording to prominent writers and
on home owning. Arch
itectures Is said to be the mother
OF arts, for primitive mans first
need being food his second was
shelter, The first thing that dig
man from an animal was
the desire to express himself by
means OF decoration. When tho
earlier civilization appeared and
people began to live in communities.
systematic decoration appeared ana
with 1t the decorator
From the Island of Crete, king
dom OF Minos, comes the earliest
information about house decoration.
This island In the Mediterranean
Is famous In mythology as the
scene of a labyrinth and the abode
of the Minotaur-half man and
half bun. In 1894 excavations
were begun upon the ancient city
OF Knossos, capital OF the kingdom.
which revealed world of informa.
ton about the decoration Of homes
of the people who lived on the
island.
Probably the most important dis.
coveries made by the excavators
was the work OF Minoan decorators.
perhaps the first organized and de.
veloped system OF domestic decora-
ton in the history of the world.
There were master painters skilled
artisans and apprentices: In short.
a complete system. Cretan dec.
orators found building stone soft
and liable to rapid deterioration,
This discovery led to a method OF
protection. The surface was COW
cred with plaster made from quick
lime.
Pure lime was made by burning
limestone or marble and q lime
putty prepared by shaking the lime
and storing 1t in jars to mature.
The rough wall was given the first
coat with this lime putty. When
it had set a second coat about q
quarter of an inch thick was put
on very carefully and worked up
to reduce cracking possibilities to
a minimum. AS soon as the second
coat had reached what is known
as the first setting. and before The
final setting. the painting or or
namenting was started, but had
to be finished the day it was begun.
The first coat varied in thickness
and was fairly stiff. After II had
been worked over a second coat was
applied and carefully worked.
Someone discovered that pigment
applied to the plaster after ii had
made its initial set. but before it
was thoroughly dry, would not
wash off. The pigments were mixed
with lime water. Thus 1000 years
or SO ago people recognized, as Il
done today, the necessity for prop
erty protection. and the Cretan
decorators had discovered process
supposed to have been discovered
by the Italians in the Fourteenth
Century and christened ''fresco.''
When one considers the intricacy
OF some OF the designs and beauti.
full craftsmanship of the figure
compositions made with a pure lime
plaster. the skill OF these ancient
decolorators may be comprehended
No oil. Varnish or grease were used
to bind the pigment to the surface.
The adhesion of the pigment were
induced by the actual setting OF
the lime. 1t is somewhat bewilder'
ing to come upon those beautiful
frescoes several thousands years
after they were executed. One can
only marvel at the decorative in,
stinct OF those men, at the lasting
qualities of pure lime plaster
worked into beautiful designs and
remember that when they were
conceiving these decorations ar.
tisans of ancient Egypt were their
only rivals, Greece at that time be.
ing inhabited by a few uncouth
rowing tribes.