Распространение христианства в Абхазии в позднеантичный и средневековый периоды по данным пространственного анализа памятников в ГИС

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of the spatial location of temples in Abkhazia and reconstruction based on the results of the ways of penetration and spread of Christianity in different chronological stages: the period of late antiquity and the first penetration of Christianity into the territory of Colchis (IV–V centuries); the period of maximum Byzantine influence in the era of Justinian the Great and the period that following it (VI–VII centuries)—the period traditionally considered the stages of the official adoption of Christianity in Abkhazia; and the period of the maximum flourishing of the Abkhazian kingdom. The analysis is carried out on the basis of a GIS created by the authors, according to field surveys, including 149 temples. The conducted spatial analysis allowed us to answer the questions of how quickly Christianity began to spread across the territory of Abkhazia, which areas turned out to be the most susceptible to the new religion. It was traditionally believed that Christianity entered Abkhazia with the Roman military, through the fortresses of the Pontic Limes, built along the coast. However, the analysis showed that the trade caravan routes were also an important way of spreading Christianity. For the same reason, we see several hotbeds both in the west of the republic and in the east. But in the center, where the Bzyb ridge blocks access to the main passageways, traditional religion has been preserved for longer, almost two centuries. This factor influenced the spread of Christianity in the subsequent period. In general, the Justinian period was characterized by a significant increase in the number of churches, on the one hand, the standardization of its external form, on the other, and on the third, the complication of the liturgical service, which was reflected in the more complex organization of the internal space of churches. In the subsequent period, these trends are intensifying. Separate architectural schools are emerging. Thus, the spatial analysis of both the location of temples and the distribution of certain architectural features in space reflect the processes of Christianization and development of the Church, which was not reflected in written sources.