Conall
Entering to the left was the area set up for the person in charge of the olive press. A fireplace and a bed carved into the stone like the rest of the olive press were nested beneath three plastered and painted walls. Above the bed were the paintings dating from late XVIII and early XIX century. They are not frescos but were made on already dry plaster. They were maintained in good condition thanks to the lack of light in the room, which prevented the growth of micro flora. It is however hard to date the paintings as the pigments used – natural clays or calcined – have been used in the area since prehistoric times. The reds are natural ferrous earths, browns are reds burnt or cooked, greens are based on ferrous oxides and manganese oxides, and blacks are derived from liming of plants or bones. When found, the paintings were masked by salts and whitish shades that were carefully removed using neutral solvents and mechanically with scalpels and abrasive rubbers.
Unfortunately, on the shorter walls, only small fragments are visible nowadays. Larger elements can instead be found on the back wall where two bands are visible. The first one, at the top, is composed of leaves and stylized flowers; the second, at the bottom, is more fragmented and shows naturalistic elements with trees, bushes and perhaps animals. The deep gaps in the paintings were grouted to create continuity and to mitigate stains as well as to give more substance to the painted surface. Grouting was performed with a traditional mortar made like the original one with stone powder and hydrated lime. Once the mortar dried, it was retouched and coated with appropriate colours for restoration.
