slab 復習
国宝に指定されている、高松塚古墳の壁画の最新画像が公開されました。
‘Asuka beauties’ back to elegant best after decade of restoration
Elegant women shine again in a spruced-up mural from the ancient Takamatsuzuka tomb’s stone chamber, which will be showcased here from May 13 through May 19.
The brightly colored picture, featuring a group of ladies known as the “Asuka Bijin” (Asuka beauties), is at the final stage of its restoration. It was among a collection of national treasure murals found in 1972 deep within a 1,300-year-old burial mound, which are currently being restored.
Approximately 10 years have been spent removing blackish parts, caused by mold or other factors.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs released the latest image of the mural.
Slabs from the west wall of the stone chamber were removed from the tumulus and stone chamber, which was demolished in 2007 because mold had appeared on the murals.
以下省略
http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201705120043.html
slab /slˈæb/ を取り上げます。石でできた何かを表しているようです。『ライトハウス英和辞典』（第5版 研究社）で調べると「（木、石の）平板、（パン、肉などの）平たく厚い1切れ」とありました。記事の本文では、解体した石室の壁の一部のことを “Slabs from the west wall of the stone chamber” と表現しています。
LDOCEには “a thick flat piece of a hard material such as stone” と定義されており、 “slab of cake/chocolate/meat etc” の形で “a large flat piece of cake etc” を意味します。また、この記事の内容とは関係はありませんが、 “on the slab” で “lying dead in a hospital or mortuary” と、遺体が安置されている状態を表すことができるようです。（aqua）
