Byzantine Influence on the Village Otkhta Monastic Church in Tao-Klarjeti

Abstract

Klarjeti is one of the historical Georgian regions covering the Artvin province today. In the historical process, it was mentioned together with the Tao region, which includes the Erzurum environs. When evaluated as a whole, the Tao-Klarjeti region covers the north of Erzurum and the provinces of Artvin, Ardahan and Kars. In the Middle Ages, under the leadership of the Georgian Bagratid Dynasty, the Klarceti-centered Tao-Klarjeti Kingdom was established. The Kingdom had close relations with both the political formations in the region and the local governments. The works of art, embodied in this cultural atmosphere, carried traces of both local styles and the dominant culture of the region. The dominant culture in the region has been Byzantium for many years. Even in the beginning, Georgians accepted Christianity by a Byzantine nun and in a short time came under Byzantine influence in terms of religion, politics and culture. Therefore, it is undoubtedly inevitable to see Byzantine influences in works of art in such an intense cultural environment. Othta Monastery Church, which is one of these works, reflects the Byzantine influences to a great extent, as well as carrying local influences. Many researchers think that the monastery was built in the late 9th and early 10th centuries. It is possible to see the Byzantine influence in the monastery church, especially in the plan, facade layout and materials used.In the study, the building was evaluated in terms of plan, architecture, ornament, material and technique and compared with Byzantine works. The Byzantine influences determined in the comparisons will be evaluated together with the historical data. As a result, the subject discussed is very important in terms of the fact that the Byzantine-Georgian relations of the region are examined for the first time in terms of art.