237 Items
Resafa Pilgrimage 1998
On 7th October 1998 thousands of Syrian and Lebanese Christians converged on Resafa to celebrate the 1700th anniversary of the martyrdom of SS. Sergius and Bacchus (they were fully aware that they were one year late - this was blamed on typical Syrian lack of organisation by those asked to provide an explanation for the belated date). An ecumenical ceremony took place in the basilica and these pictures document this event.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Architecture, Church, Early Islamic, Late Antique, Martyrium, Pilgrimage, Resafa, St. Bacchus, St. Sergius, Syria
Shuayb
Shuayb is the name given to a ruined late antique town east of Harran. The name comes from the local association of the site with the Prophet Jethro, who is venerated in a small cave shrine (a Roman/late antique funerary chamber) in the ruins. The architectural style is close to that of the Syrian Limestone Massif to the south, but is very simple and lacks the decorative relief carvings often found further south. It is un-excavated so little is known about the site, but the remains still above ground do not include any buildings that are clearly linked to religious practice and there are no unusual monuments or distinguishing features that enable scholars to identify the ancient name of this settlement.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Architecture, Caves, Jethro, Late Antique, Roman, Shrine, Shuayb, Turkey
Harran
Harran is a ruined city in south-eastern Turkey not far from the Syrian border. It dates back many millennia and is believed to be by many people to be the Harran mentioned in Genesis where Abraham and Sarah (then still named Abram and Sarai) settled when they left Ur of the Chaldees. The city remained resolutely pagan throughout the late antique period and was dedicated to the moon god, Sin. Perhaps this was to mark its difference from the nearby Christian city of Edessa, but Harran was later swift to embrace Islam. Today its most significant monument is the extensive ruin of Harran's vast C8th congregational mosque, the minaret of which is still extant.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Abraham, Architecture, C8th, Chaldees, Defensive Network, Harran, Minaret, Mosque, Sin, Turkey, Ur
Samtavisi
Samtavisi is a large C13th church with the remains of a substantial C5th basilica lying directly to the south. This means that they were built side-by-side and raises the question of when the C5th basilica fell out of use and whether the later building was its replacement.
Type: Architecture
Tags: (As)Syrian Fathers, Architecture, C13th, C5th, Church, Georgia, Samtavisi, Shida Kartli, Thirteen (As)Syrian Fathers
Shiomghvime
Shiomghvime means 'the caves of Shio'. Shio was one of the Thirteen (As)Syrian Fathers and he is reputed to have settled in caves to the west of Mtskheta and it is here that the monastery complex need for him is located. The buildings are of many different periods, meaning that claims that one of the churches dates back to the C6th is difficult to verify.
Type: Architecture
Tags: (As)Syrian Fathers, Architecture, C6th, Caves, Church, Georgia, Mtskheta, Shida Kartli, Shiomghvime, Thirteen (As)Syrian Fathers
Idleti
The small, centrally-planned church of St. John the Baptist in Idleti dates from C5th-C6th and is an unusual building suggesting the architects were experimenting with different forms as the dome, which is hemispherical on the interior, is in a square drum that rests on the crossing of the central space. This centrality has now been lost by the addition of a disproportionately large single storied narthex to the west.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Architecture, C5th-C6th, Centrally-Planned, Church, Georgia, Idleti, Shida Kartli, St. John the Baptist
Urbnisi
The church at Urbnisi is an extremely large C6th basilica. Urbnisi had one of the earliest Christian communities in Georgia which could have been linked to the fact that the town also had a significant Jewish population in antiquity.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Architecture, C6th, Church, Georgia, Jew, St. Nino, Urbnisi
Ateni Sioni
Ateni Sioni is regarded as the most beautiful church of the "Jvari' type. It is C7th and located in a place of outstanding natural beauty on a rock outcrop above a river in a narrow valley. Its beauty is enhanced by the many reliefs carved into the exterior of the church walls.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Architecture, Ateni Sioni, Church, Figure, Georgia, Sculpture, Shida Kartli, Zion
Samtsevrisi
Samtsevrisi is a C7th church of the 'Jvari' type. It is a small, centrally-planned chapel that now stands isolated in a small graveyard.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Architecture, C7th, Centrally-Planned, Church, Georgia, Jvari, Samtsevrisi, Shida Kartli
Tsromi
The church at Tsromi has an inscription dating its construction to 626-634 and it is a domed basilica of a type similar to that found in Armenia at Mren and in several other locations.
Type: Architecture
Tags: Architecture, Armenia, C7th, Church, Domed Basilica, Georgia, Mren, Shida Kartli, Tsromi