The Wooden Church from Petea, a Model for Iconographers

Declared a historical monument, the wooden church from the village of Petea, the commune of Band, can be considered one of the oldest Orthodo religious buildings in Mure! Count"# The church has an interesting histor", belonging to the class of itinerant places of worship, because it is assumed that it was donated b" a voivode from Oltenia and was brought and placed on the present$da" site in %&'&# Its dating however is %(( "ears earlier# Built in the shape of a boat, the church dedicated to )*t# Peter and Paul+ was built of wood in %,'&# -i.e man" buildings in this categor", the church had no tower, the belfr" being located ne t to the church in %&,%# It was e ecuted in the same register $ an open, wooden ground floor, and a hipped tower with a p"ramidal sconce# Both buildings were covered with shingles# In time, the porch with carved pillars was built on the southern side# Beautifull" preserved is the entrance frame, decorated with specific motifs of /omanian fol. art $ rosettes, wolf tooth shapes, triangles, semicircles, circles and ropes# The church ground plan is rectangular, with a three$sided pol"gonal, undetached apse# The oa. beams the church is built of are connected through the dovetail procedure, their heads being carved# The dome of the church, uni0ue for the nave and the narthe , is semi$c"lindrical and made of boards, being supported b" arches, and the altar is covered b" a half c"linder connected to three rectangular, curved planes# The interior painting of the church, the wor. of the *chool of 1eisa, was destro"ed mostl" because of natural vicissitudes# *o was the wood used to build the church# The first step towards its preservation has been made, both the church and the belfr" roofs being replaced# In addition, the church was adorned with several icons that bear the signature of the painter Toader 2ugrav, from %&'&# 1our of them are still preserved toda" and the" depict the 3rchangels Michael and 4abriel, 5esus$Deisis, *t# 6icholas and Our -ad" with the Child#