Old Nisa. Interior decoration of the upper rooms in the tower building

Many years ago the excavations of the Tower in Old Nisa began withcleaning of its central elevated part. The excavations established that the construction hadhad two storeys but the second storey had almost completely collapsed. Crushed bricksand heavily damaged remains of a large clay statue were discovered on the preservedsections of its floor. The Tower was considered to be the most ascetic construction of theCentral Ensemble. However, excavations of its periphery sections and the abutting areadisproved it. Construction debris from earlier repair works was discovered at the footof its external walls. This find demonstrated that the Tower had been the most ornateconstruction in Old Nisa. Architectural terracotta, wall paintings, including paintingswith narrative scenes, and elaborately painted clay sculptures were used as elementsof decorations of the second storey. Stratigraphic observations helped identify debrisassociated with at least two repairs as well as decorative elements from the latest periodof this building occupation.