Facade Arrangement Techniques In Georgian Religious Architecture In Anatolia (The Case of Oshki Monastery Church)


In the region which is known as "Tao-Klarjeti" according to historical sources and generally covers Artvin, Erzurum, Ardahan and Kars provinces, it is observed that Iran (Persian-Sassanid), especially Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine), and then the Georgian Bagrationi Dynasty (8-14th century) established dominance and also made it visible in the field of architecture and art. After the spread of Christianity to the region, the cultural texture in the region became evident and the monumental buildings built in Tao-Klarjeti during the Bagrationi period have reached the present day as an important cultural heritage. Although the availability of many monasteries and churches dating back to the Bagrationi period are known through various studies and publications, it seen that there are limited studies on the techniques and application methods of stone decorations that stand out in these buildings and come to the forefront with their original style. In this article, stone decoration techniques and application methods of the period were examined in the case of Oshki Monastery Church which is one of the important structures that are located in Tao-Klarjeti and dated back to the Bagrationi period and have survived until today. Stone decoration samples that are on various facades of the church and differ in construction technique were examined, and it was attempted to classify the decorations in the building based on these samples. The stone decorations used in the ornamentation program of the Oshki Church consist of the most intense and rich examples of the Medieval Georgian architecture stone decoration tradition in the Tao-Klarjeti region in terms of form, technique and application areas. The monastery comes to the forefront in the Christianity art in Medieval Anatolia in terms of the church's dimensions, plan type, facade and pulley arrangement and architectural decorations.


Keywords


Tao-Klarjeti, Church, Floral Decoration, Christian Architecture, Oshki

Author : Tahsin KORKUT
Number of pages: 769-790
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.29228/TurkishStudies.22840
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Turkish Studies-Social Sciences
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