Architectural decoration of Christian churches of the Eastern Black Sea region between 10<sup>th</sup>-11<sup>th</sup> centuries. The decorative system: an attempt of reconstruction

Abstract

Research of many years on the architectural decoration of Christian churches in Abkhazia and Southern Ossetia resulted in many important discoveries, which transpired crucial for the exact attribution of many artefacts. They also enabled the identification of some hitherto unsuspected research subjects. The findings helped to outline the 10th-11th cent. context for the architecture to be placed in both in the Byzantine Empire as well as neighbour countries. However, the lapidary collections that originate from Abkhazia and Southern Ossetia did not receive sufficient attention. Therefore, they invite a separate study on the functionality of their reliefs. This study would focus upon altar barriers fragments rather than the fragments, which constitute the facades of the Christian churches.Studying similar monuments, which originate from places (such as modern Georgia, Armenia, as well as historic Asia Minor and other parts of the then Byzantine Empire) is nowadays impossible without modern research methods and devices, in particular, those, which enable researchers to do the 3D reconstruction. Such reconstruction would help to visualize otherwise lost historically important monuments as well as forms of their decoration.Such researches would decisively contribute to the study of the artistic culture of these countries, especially in the late 9th-early 11th cent., when they began to consider themselves to be different from the Byzantine "metropole".Reconstruction of altar barriers and the facade decoration and identification of common typological features may clearly show the actual influence of these cultures on the development of Christian culture in Southern Caucasus. The Authors see the importance in showing the convergence between the cultures of the neighbouring areas in the Caucasus. The research necessity of this subject is already reflected in many works from Georgia, Russian Federation, France etc. Their results clearly show that small forms (10th-11th cent.) and façade decoration of the Christian churches in Abkhazia and Southern Ossetia have not yet received a systematic study, especially, because the research has been focused on the paleochristian period.Altogether, the lands of Western Georgia (passes between Karachay-Cherkessia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Abkhazia, Southern Ossetia and Racha) played a decisive role in the formation of the original type of medieval Christian self-conscience as reflected in art.