Masada - MARDA

The walls of the church and northern chapel were decorated in a unique technique and manner: the entire surface from the floor level till the anticipated level of the roof was covered with coarse plaster layer into which potsherds were sunken. They were placed in an ornamental sequence. So, the surface was divided into three registers (at least) with horizontal stripes, which were separated into the rectangular panels with vertical lines. The panels were adorned with potsherds. They were laid into lines and comprised different large-scale patterns: diamonds (rhombuses), rectangles, chevrons, fish scales, waves, spades etc. The walls of the apse were left without this peculiar cover, so it was decorated in the other way. For the illustrations see "Architectural members" section.