Cross - section of the abbey wall-paintings

- irregular cut limestone blocks.

- a coarse underlying layer of underplaster, made of smashed stones and limewater; (this layer is not present in the first period paintings).

- a thin finishing plaster, made of fine sand and limewater.

- a layer of limewash, that retains the marks of bristle brushes with and the marks of the incised lines used to map out the main drawing.

The incised lines

They used to etch out the main drawing before painting, as a very rough sketch. The lines are either, deep, made in the coarse underlying plaster, or superficial, just engraved in the still wet limewash. Sometimes the artists changed their minds regarding the impression of the images. Different incised lines are seen on various details of the paintings. In some cases the painted colour does not follow the preparatory incised lines.

The incised lines of the ceiling bosses testify the use of various tools, i.e. compasses and rulers.

Now and again, the incised lines were integrated into the paintings. They outline and/or complete the structure of the details - e.g. the armour of the horseman from the first period of paintings; the eyes of some animals or people of the second period paintings (interestingly, in this case the incisions were made after the painting was completed).

The colours

The very simple palette of the paintings consists of only three main colours : red, yellow and black.

- used only on some details from the first period, e.g. the antlers of the stag, bridle of the horse, the helmet of the horseman.

- in the second period used only on the ribs of the vault.

- possibly from iron oxide pigments (red and yellow ochre).

- it is used both to outline and to colour-in the image.