Colors of the Late Chalcolithic

During the excavation of the remains of a burned Late Chalcolithic house at Provadia-Solnitsata, we discovered numerous fragments of wall plaster on which a rich red paint is still clearly visible. Some of them have preserved their color, surprisingly vivid despite the millennia spent underground. On some of these fragments, bands painted in white can also be seen. Fragment by fragment, part of the interior of a Late Chalcolithic house begins to emerge. The interior walls were not simply a functional part of the structure. They were carefully finished, colored with red paint, and further decorated with white lines, creating a sense of comfort for the inhabitants. We also discovered fragments of thick clay plaster surrounding a wooden post, with a red-painted surface. This structure inside the house undoubtedly had a ritual role. Today, we see only separate pieces of fired clay plaster. More than six thousand years ago, however, they were part of a real home, filled with life, color, and ideas about the agricultural cosmos.