Book excerpt: This book provides the first comprehensive overview of the techniques and materials used in a range of monumental paintings from the Late Classical to the Graeco-Roman period reflecting the Hellenistic culture. Based primarily on the technical examination and analyses of wall paintings, painted architectural elements and marble monuments, the scientific study of materials provides information on the chemical composition of the plasters, the nature of pigments and their microstructure and identifies patterns of trade and methods of manufacture (if synthesised). The results suggest a highly developed and cosmopolitan culture, encompassing the entire Mediterranean region and beyond, from the mountains of Macedonia to the deserts of Ptolemaic Egypt and the Eurasian Plateau, throughout which ideas and goods flowed freely.