Byzantine Church Research Articles

New evidence for the Byzantine Church of the Holy Apostles from Fatih Camii, Istanbul

The Church of the Holy Apostles was one of the most important buildings in Byzantine Constantinople. The mausolea of Constantine the Great (the main imperial burial place until the eleventh century) and of Justinian I were in the complex surrounding this vast cruciform church. Nothing of this complex appeared to have survived its demolition to clear the site of the Ottoman mosque complex of Fatih Camii after 1461. Fieldwork in 2001 recorded walls pre–dating the fifteenth–century phase of the mosque complex, still standing above ground level and apparently including a large rectilinear structure. This is identified as the Church of the Holy Apostles and an adjacent enclosure may be that containing the mausoleum of Constantine the Great. The reconstructed church plan resembles those of St John of Ephesus and St Mark's (San Marco), Venice – churches known to have been modelled on the Church of the Holy Apostles, Constantinople.

Byzantine castrati

The employment of castrati in the Byzantine Church can be traced back to the choirmaster Brison in the fourth century. Brison was called upon by John Chrysostom to organize the antiphonal hymn-singing in the patriarchal church. Since eunuchs were generally considered to be remnants of a pagan past, castrati are seldom mentioned in early Byzantine sources, but beginning in the tenth century references to eunuchs or castrati became more and more frequent. By the twelfth century all the professional singers in the Hagia Sophia were castrati. The repertory of the castrati is discussed and the question is raised whether the introduction of castrati to the Sistine Chapel was influenced by the employment of castrati in Italo-Greek cloisters.

Luminescence quartz dating of lime mortars. A first research approach.

Lime mortars mixed with sand are well suited for connecting structural materials, like stones and bricks, due to the mechanical properties this material exhibits. Their extensive use in architectural and decorative works during the last 4000 years motivated the introduction of the 'Luminescence clock' for age determination of mortars. The same principles as for quartz optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of sediments were applied for age estimation of a mortar fragment removed from a Byzantine church monument dated by archaeological means to 1050-1100 years ago (the first half of the 10th century). The OSL from the quartz was monitored under blue light stimulation and UV detection, using a single-aliquot-regenerative-dose protocol. The quartz-OSL dating of the mortar resulted in 870 +/- 230 a. TL polymineral fine grain dating was also performed on a brick fragment which was connected to the mortar, resulting in a TL age of 1095 +/- 190 a.

Sheltering an archaeological structure in Petra A case-study of criteria, concepts, and implementation

In 1993 an architectural competition for the construction of a shelter over a Byzantine church excavated in Petra between 1991 and 1992 was held by the American Center of Oriental Research in Amman, Jordan. While a prize was awarded, none of the concepts presented were translated into a construction project. A contract was instead awarded to architect Robert Shutler, who worked in close cooperation with Jordanian and international archaeologists and heritage managers, and a reversible space-frame shelter was built. This paper examines the issue of defining criteria for shelter construction, and stresses the need for cooperation among stakeholders and specialists as part of the conservation process from the decision to shelter to the implementation of the project.

A tenth-century inscription from Syngrasis, Cyprus

AbstractA hitherto unpublished 10th-c. funerary (?) painted inscription from a rather remote middle Byzantine church in rural Cyprus provides unambiguous evidence of the impact of Bardas Skleros’ revolt in areas not directly affected by the rebel’s activities. It also yields information on the floruit of Epiphanius IV, a little known metropolitan of the island. Finally, and most importantly, it furnishes the earliest and most secure terminus ante quern for any medieval building on Cyprus and for the introduction of the cross-in-square church type and the elaboration of its local variant.

The Sanctuary of Sheikh el-Qatrawani

The site of el-Qatrawani is a common saint-tomb from the Mamluk and Ottoman periods. It is built on the ruins of a Byzantine church dating to the 5th century AD. The Byzantine remains consisting of a church, cisterns and a wine-press belong to a monastery which was occupied apparently for a short period. The monastery is spatially related to the Byzantine settlements of Atara, Tarfin and Birzeit. It is interesting to note that the Christian monastic tradition is kept alive later in another form of Islamic monasticism. The monastery and sanctuary of el-Qatrawani is a living example of the continuity of religious traditions.

Western chapels in Middle Byzantine churches: Meaning and significance

This paper examines functional and compositional relationship between the narthex and the western chapels adjacent to it in middle Byzantine churches The author examines the architectural features, archaeological evidence decorative programs and literary sources related to the western end of middle Byzantine churches and establishes that that the process of integration of the western chapels with the narthex proper, seen in a number of Palaeologan monuments, actually began in middle Byzantine times.

Hans Buchwald, Form, Style and Meaning in Byzantine Church Archtecture. (Variorum Collected Studies Series, 644.) Aldershot, Eng., and Brookfield, Vt.: Ashgate, 1999. Pp. x, 340, numbered nonconsecutively; black-and-white figures and tables. $138.95.

Hans Buchwald, Form, Style and Meaning in Byzantine Church Archtecture. (Variorum Collected Studies Series, 644.) Aldershot, Eng., and Brookfield, Vt.: Ashgate, 1999. Pp. x, 340, numbered nonconsecutively; black-and-white figures and tables. $138.95.

An Interim Report on the Pottery from Gharandal (Arindela), Jordan

Two seasons of excavations at Gharandal (Roman-Byzantine Arindela) in the south of Jordan have produced a major ceramic sequence spanning the Nabataean to Islamic periods. The excavations focussed on a Byzantine church and an adjoining earlier, monumental stone complex, probably a late Nabataean or early Roman caravansarai. Particularly representative and reliable pottery sequences were recovered for two poorly understood periods in the material culture of south Jordan: the later-eighth to early-ninth centuries, and the late-tenth and eleventh centuries. The pottery of the latter period displays important characteristics with the general appearance of regionally distinctive Islamic handmade wares.

Numerical Simulation of Indoor Air Pollution Levels in a Church and in a Museum in Greece

Using the Nazaroff and Cass model, indoor air pollutant concentrations were predicted inside two buildings which house valuable cultural properties. Both are located in the centre of Thessaloniki, Greece. One building is an eighth-century Byzantine church, Agia Sofia, which is naturally ventilated; the other is an exhibition hall at the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki, with a conventional air-conditioning system. Model predictions were based on outdoor air pollutant concentration measurements, on meteorological data and on the design, use and operation of each building. The results, which cover a typical wintertime two-day period for each building, show that in these buildings, despite their differences, the indoor concentrations of air pollutants such as 03, NO, N02, HCHO, PAN and HN03 were generally higher than those recommended by most air quality standards. Changes in the ventilation of the buildings, to mitigate air pollution, are also discussed.

La «kéryxie catholique» de la liturgie de Jérusalem et le Shemoneh 'Esreh

Dealing with the Catholic Synapte (or Keryxis) and with the Jewish Shemoneh 'Esreh (2-3), which Bouyer already saw as a possible source for the Mementos -and thus also for the Synapte herself (1) -, this article set forth two kinds of main comparison: six lexical parallels (4) and four structural parallels (5). There are also five minor thematic parallels (6). Such a comparison leads to the conclusion that the most important diaconal prayer, still in usage in the Byzantine Church, arose from a Jewish or more probably a Jewish-Christian sequence of prayers, introduced in the cathedral liturgy of Jerusalem by the IVth century. Antiochal Proclamations and Latin Deprecatio Gelasii are also, partly, studied.

Iconic Space and the Rule of Lands

In the following extract, Mondzain examines the way in which the spiritual hegemony of the Early Christian and Byzantine church was transformed into political power. The primary tool used in this endeavor was the icon. The representation of the holy figures of Christianity as space-occupying physical beings puts into play a series of spatial operations which aided in the exercise of temporal, imperial authority.

Iconic Space and the Rule of Lands

In the following extract, Mondzain examines the way in which the spiritual hegemony of the Early Christian and Byzantine church was transformed into political power. The primary tool used in this endeavor was the icon. The representation of the holy figures of Christianity as space-occupying physical beings puts into play a series of spatial operations which aided in the exercise of temporal, imperial authority.

The Middle Ages Through Modern Eyes. A Historical Problem The Prothero Lecture

The title of this essay can be interpreted in two ways. One possibility might be to show how our times in their thinking, patterns of behaviour, and institutional structures still continue to be shaped by that distant era of the Middle Ages. In other words, one could show the lingering impact of the Middle Ages until the present day. This sort of approach brings many things to mind: the division of Europe into East and West, through the Roman and the Byzantine church; medieval philosophy and the influential reception of Roman law and its effects which can still be discerned today; knighthood and courtly culture; the development of the ‘modern’ state; the continuing influence of social groups and their systems of values and institutions such as vassalage, the university, and the city state; and last but not least, the division into competing states and nations that is so distinctive for Europe.

SEISMIC STRENGTHENING AND REPAIR OF BYZANTINE CHURCHES

Experimental and analytical investigations were performed to verify an original methodology that was developed for the repair and seismic strengthening of Byzantine churches. This work was part of the long-term research project entitled Study for Seismic Strengthening, Conservation and Restoration of Churches Dating from the Byzantine Period (9th-14th century) in the Republic of Macedonia. The project was realised jointly by the Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Engineering Seismology (IZIIS)—Skopje, the Republic Institute for Protection of Cultural Monuments (RZZSK)—Skopje, and the Getty Conservation Institute (GCI)—Los Angeles, California. A model of St. Nikita church was constructed to a scale of 1:2.75 and tested on a seismic shaking table simulating the existing and the strengthened state to investigate the linear behaviour, non-linear behaviour, and behaviour in the heavily damaged state (close to failure). To investigate the non-linear dynamic response of the structure, an original trilinear model of stiffness degradation and pinching of the hysteretic loop was developed on the basis of the experimental results obtained for the original and the strengthened model as well as from the results of the quasi-static testing of wall elements. This model allows successful modelling and description of the behaviour of the church structures in all phases of behaviour: elastic range, non-linear range (occurrence of cracks), sliding range, and the heavily damaged range that resulted in failure.

Taxation with Representation. Visual narrative and the political field of the Kariye Camii

A visually prominent lunette mosaic at the fourteenth‐century Byzantine church of the Chora, also known as the Kariye Camii, is studied in relation to the large narrative programme of the church and to the economic and political contexts of its creation. The mural depicts Mary and Joseph registering to pay their taxes before the local governor in Bethlehem. Among the questions posed are the following: what and how did the scene represent; what did it mean to devote great resources to the church in a period of political decline and economic deprivation; in what contexts did viewers encounter the image, and what were the consequences of identifying with its messages? In sum, how did the creation and reception of this mural constitute a socially and politically symbolic act?

The Early Byzantine Churches of Cilicia and Isauria.Stephen Hill

<i>The Early Byzantine Churches of Cilicia and Isauria.</i>Stephen Hill

Une église byzantine découverte à Anâne (Liban Sud)

In 1995, the remaining mosaic pavements of a Byzantine church were discovered in Anane (occupied southern Lebanon), now fortunately preserved in Saida's Greek- Catholic cathedral. We can guess through their study, along with some photographs taken on the site itself, that this church was a quite typical basilica, with a narthex leading to the three naves building. A dedicatory inscription gives the names of John, a priest and Damianos, a deacon — while their bishop's is missing; the year is 651 [AD 541]. By the main threshold, a monogram-cross reads Light, Life. The mosaics show mostly geometrical patterns and motives, but in the central nave birds, fruits, ducks and jars alternate on the carpet. Parallels are to be found in the area, especially along the Phoenician coast (Zahrani, Khalde-Shuefat, Khan Khalde).

Book Review: The Liturgical Planning of Byzantine Churches in Cappadocia

Reviewed by: The Liturgical Planning of Byzantine Churches in Cappadocia Debra M. Israel Natalia B. Teteriatnikov. The Liturgical Planning of Byzantine Churches in Cappadocia. Orientalia Christiana Analecta, 252 Rome: Pontificio Istituto Orientale, 1996. Pp. 240. Natalia Teteriatnikov’s volume satisfies on various levels. In its scope, its departure point (typological groups of liturgical furnishings in the rock-cut churches of Cappadocia), and its disciplined methodological approach (functional, historical and socio-economic), The Liturgical Planning of Byzantine Churches in Cappadocia succeeds both as a work for the specialist and as an instructional text. This book provides an analysis of types of liturgical furnishings in churches and, also, a treatment of the arrangement and function of the furnishings in specific parts of buildings that have liturgical import, the arrangements testifying to the liturgical function of the architectural parts. It is also a study of the social structure of the local communities which these church buildings were designed to serve not simply as religious, but as public and social places, as well. An examination of the liturgical planning in the Byzantine province of Cappadocia, Teteriatnikov aims to identify the manner in which these rock-cut churches were used (25–28), to search for their architectural roots, and to trace their development from the early Christian period through the 13th century, the final period of activity in Cappadocian ecclesiastical foundations. Unfolding against the background of various historical events (e.g., the political consolidation of the region from Christianization through the Byzantine empire, the Arab invasion, iconoclasm, and the Turkish occupation), Teteriatnikov attempts to provide a basis for a historical understanding of church planning within a particular province with a particular geographical, administrative, and social [End Page 329] setting (28–31). Taking a synthetic approach, her comparative study of the rock-cut churches of Cappadocia combines aspects of liturgical planning with burial customs, as well as social and topographic aspects, to reveal the changes and modifications in planning and furnishings over time. She argues that the formation of Cappadocian church liturgical planning developed side by side with the growth of art, ritual, and society (25–31). Teteriatnikov traces over four chapters, the design and function of furnishings in sanctuaries (33–78), the naos (79–127), entrance compartments (129–64), and burial places (165–82). A fifth chapter treats the social and economic implications of the ecclesiastical foundations and liturgical arrangements (183–216), and terminates with a succinct summary of conclusions (225–32). Proceeding systematically, Teteriatnikov deals not only with design types but their variants (e.g., single apse and multiple sanctuary arrangements in single-nave, cruciform, or basilica schemes), concluding each chapter with comparative considerations of types and function elsewhere. Teteriatnikov reconstructs liturgical practice in the excavated churches of Cappadocia based on the physical and decorative evidence and the testimony of inscriptions. She maintains that the shape of the liturgy and, therefore, the placement of liturgical furnishings in churches, is a reflection of the relationship between the laity and the monks and clergy, and that the nature of this relationship was based on geographic, religious, economic, and social factors. She further holds that economic conditions and financial support of Cappadocian ecclesiastical foundations constitute a key factor in understanding the tremendous number of churches and monasteries in various districts of this Byzantine province (187). These factors are held to illustrate the actual involvement of donors—religious or laity—in church planning and decoration. Thus, Teteriatnikov focuses our attention on patronage in Cappadocia (197–216, not yet treated exhaustively) and particularly two aspects of it: the approximate extent and motivations of lay patronage and, second, the nature of the monastic-lay relationship. Teteriatnikov’s study of the liturgical planning of Byzantine Cappadocia is quietly exemplary. The presentation of the evidence, as well as the comparative and interpretative materials, like the methodology, is clear and direct, the prose; like the discussion, simple and unadorned. Discussion is laid out so explicitly that the student, like the seasoned scholar, can follow it meaningfully, taking away a lucid apprehension of the history of Byzantine churches from the early Christian through the Middle Byzantine periods. If there is a weakness, it is in the illustrative material. Whereas discussion of the Cappadocian foundations...

Et rodfæstet menneske og en hellig digter

Et rodfæstet menneske og en hellig digter