Identification There were many blank areas on the Marble Plan, including the spaces occupied by the Tiber River (see fragment 24d), by gardens, arenas, temple precincts and courtyards--in short, any space devoid of architecture or human construction. In addition, several rows of large marble slabs occupied the entire lower part of the wall of the aula on which the Plan was installed, and perhaps other walls as well. Blank fragments like this one could have originated from any of these areas.

The floral(?) decoration painted on this fragment poses a problem, however. The incised lines of the Marble Plan were filled with red pigment and certain streets were also painted red, but thus far there has been no indication that non-architectural forms like trees and plants were painted on the Plan. There seems to be two options only: Either this fragment did not belong to the Marble Plan, or we need to reconsider our notion of the Plan being an undecorated monument.

Significance This database includes the first public presentation of 394 blank fragments--they are not catalogued or illustrated in either of the two fundamental publications, PM 1960 and AG 1980. Because there are no incisions to guide scholars, the blank fragments have so far not played any role in attempts to put the Plan back together. Digital 3D matching may now allow blank parts of the Plan to be reconstructed together with incised areas. The painted decoration of this fragment raises the question if unincised areas of the Plan were painted.

Text by Tina Najbjerg and Jennifer Trimble.