Transenne marmoree bizantine del tipo ‘a colonne’: uso, attestazioni, varianti stilistiche e diffusione

Abstract

The essay investigates a particular typology of Byzantine marble transennae from the Late Antiquity and Justinian age. Thanks to some significant archaeological finds - mostly referable to Asia Minor, the Balkans and the Holy Land - it was possible to group and reconsider the pieces in light of their original function, of the stylistic variants (also taking into account the quality of the materials) in order to fix the general chronology and possible chronological variations. The study of this particular typology allows to reflect both on the material data, with the multiple variations suggested by the different types of marble or stone used, but also on the production shops and export routes. The choice of medium, in fact, allows a different elaboration of the ornamental details: such as the definition of small capitals and bases or the decoration of the shafts. The overall study of the occurrences known so far allows us to fix the chronology of the type - datable to the V-VI century - and to reconsider that relating to some fragments examined here.