**3. Presentation of wooden church "Archangels Mihail and Gavril," Draghia**

Drăghia is a small village in the land of Lăpuș, in Maramureș County. The first mention of the village dates from 1393 with the Hungarian name of Dragusfalva

[19]. Its name is mentioned in the document attesting that members of the Bánffy family of Losonc split between them certain holdings, among which Dragusfalva, on the 13th of October 1392, in Gilău [20].

In this village, one of the many wooden churches of the Lapuș Country built in 1706 is located, according to the Latin inscription above the entrance: Anno 1706 D. 14 obrys. According to the Orthodox tradition, the church was under the patronage of Saints Archangels Mihail and Gavril, and today, it is part of the Lăpuș Deanery, belonging to the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Maramureș and Sătmar. It is made of oak wood, a very common building material in this geographical area.

The church is 12.40 m long, 4.45 m wide, 7.50 m high at the ridge, and 15.50 m high at the tower's spire. The base and the walls are all made of oak beams placed on a dry laid stone foundation [21] (**Figure 2**).

The entrance to the church is 161 cm high and 85 cm wide, forcing most people to bow in reverence while entering. The door was painted on the outside with the Archangel Mihail, but unfortunately it has faded to the point where one can barely make out a shade of the Archangel.

The building plan is similar to others found throughout the area; the church being divided into a narthex, nave, and altar [22]. The narthex has a polygonal shape, covered with a straight ceiling, above which the bell tower is situated. The ceiling is painted with cherubs, and the walls are painted with images of the Myrrhbearers, and of wise and foolish virgins from the Gospel of Mathew. The narthex was where the women would attend mass (**Figure 3**).

According to the requirements of the Orthodox church construction, the nave is rectangular, with a large dome and separated from the rest of the area by a wall with a door [23]. This wooden door is painted on with two saints (**Figure 4**).

The lower half of the door is painted with the tree of life in a pot. The door frame is engraved with area-specific symbols and historical times rosette with six petals, honeycombs, and wolf teeth. The opening is provided with slightly turned columns

of different shapes that have been painted white [24]. Between the nave and the

Inside the church, the painting is tempera on canvas and wood and covers the whole interior. The painters applied the strips of hemp cloth glued with animal glue to the gaps between the beams and planks to create a continuous dyeing

The painting in the nave is badly damaged, many scenes being unrecognizable, only a few color spots left. Among the visible images are the stairs of Jacob, the Holy Trinity, Elijah riding to heaven in his chariot of fire, and the four evangelists. The paintings on the iconostasis, which were somewhat sheltered, can be fully identified. As an example, the 12 Apostles are depicted with Jesus as a high priest in their

altar is the iconostasis. The altar is in a polygonal apse with domes.

*A Survey of Physical Parameters and Natural Radioactivity in the Wooden Church…*

environment.

**207**

**Figure 4.**

*The door with two saints.*

**Figure 3.**

*Holy women with cups in their hands.*

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92063*

**Figure 2.** *The church "Archangels Mihail and Gavril," Draghia.*

*A Survey of Physical Parameters and Natural Radioactivity in the Wooden Church… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92063*

**Figure 3.** *Holy women with cups in their hands.*

[19]. Its name is mentioned in the document attesting that members of the Bánffy family of Losonc split between them certain holdings, among which Dragusfalva,

of oak wood, a very common building material in this geographical area.

narthex was where the women would attend mass (**Figure 3**).

a door [23]. This wooden door is painted on with two saints (**Figure 4**).

In this village, one of the many wooden churches of the Lapuș Country built in 1706 is located, according to the Latin inscription above the entrance: Anno 1706 D. 14 obrys. According to the Orthodox tradition, the church was under the patronage of Saints Archangels Mihail and Gavril, and today, it is part of the Lăpuș Deanery, belonging to the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Maramureș and Sătmar. It is made

The church is 12.40 m long, 4.45 m wide, 7.50 m high at the ridge, and 15.50 m high at the tower's spire. The base and the walls are all made of oak beams placed on

The entrance to the church is 161 cm high and 85 cm wide, forcing most people to bow in reverence while entering. The door was painted on the outside with the Archangel Mihail, but unfortunately it has faded to the point where one can barely

The building plan is similar to others found throughout the area; the church being divided into a narthex, nave, and altar [22]. The narthex has a polygonal shape, covered with a straight ceiling, above which the bell tower is situated. The ceiling is painted with cherubs, and the walls are painted with images of the Myrrhbearers, and of wise and foolish virgins from the Gospel of Mathew. The

According to the requirements of the Orthodox church construction, the nave is rectangular, with a large dome and separated from the rest of the area by a wall with

The lower half of the door is painted with the tree of life in a pot. The door frame is engraved with area-specific symbols and historical times rosette with six petals, honeycombs, and wolf teeth. The opening is provided with slightly turned columns

on the 13th of October 1392, in Gilău [20].

*Heritage*

a dry laid stone foundation [21] (**Figure 2**).

make out a shade of the Archangel.

**Figure 2.**

**206**

*The church "Archangels Mihail and Gavril," Draghia.*

**Figure 4.** *The door with two saints.*

of different shapes that have been painted white [24]. Between the nave and the altar is the iconostasis. The altar is in a polygonal apse with domes.

Inside the church, the painting is tempera on canvas and wood and covers the whole interior. The painters applied the strips of hemp cloth glued with animal glue to the gaps between the beams and planks to create a continuous dyeing environment.

The painting in the nave is badly damaged, many scenes being unrecognizable, only a few color spots left. Among the visible images are the stairs of Jacob, the Holy Trinity, Elijah riding to heaven in his chariot of fire, and the four evangelists. The paintings on the iconostasis, which were somewhat sheltered, can be fully identified. As an example, the 12 Apostles are depicted with Jesus as a high priest in their

midst, and at the top of the iconostasis is a wooden cross painted with crucified Jesus. Portraits of the six Old Testament prophets are painted on the frame of a semicircular opening above the iconostasis, and on both sides of the cross are painted the sun and the moon.
