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Culture Documents
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Mosaic
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Great Palo
the
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oj the
Multiplication. Tabgah.
Charioteer
BOSTON
PUBLIC
LIBRARY
The healing of the
paralysed man,
Cupids fbhint
see.
mosait from
Aauileia.
a mosaic from
S. Apollinare Nuovo.
Ox cart
mosaic
the
Church
oj the
Multiplication.
Tahcnh
(s
//'
Mosaic from
S.
Apollinare
Emperor Justinian :
from S. Vitale, Ravenna.
heep-shearing .from an
Ith. C.
miniature
Homilies of
Nazianzus.
te
S.
in
Symeon
Gregory
of Bulgaria attacking
Left
Digging
in the
illuminated Gospel.
psalter.
C0NS1
i\
TINOPl
rat ing
THE
THE
THE
THE
THE
THE
BUILDINGS
BUILDINGS
BUILDINGS
BUILDINGS
BUILDINGS
BUILDINGS
Copyright
OF
OF
OF
OF
OF
OF
ANCIENT EGYPT
ANCIENT GREECE
ANCIENT ROME
ANCIENT MAN
ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA
EARLY ISLAM
UK
ISBN
USA
340 16426 3
USA ISBN
201 09266 2
in Publication
Data
Leacroft. Helen
Includes index.
of Byzantium,
and
now known
[1.
Antiquities]
I.
2.
Istanbul
Title.
NA370.L4 1977
720. 9496'
ISBN 0-201-09266-2
76-54979
II.
karioi
the Hippodt
THE BUILDINGS OF
BYZANTIUM
Helen and Richard Leacroft
HODDER & STOUGHTON
LONDON LEICESTER SYDNEY AUCKLAND
and
/>'
our tyard
upper
fiooi
Stairs to
Baptistery
Font
"Sunday School"
MAK
Entrance doorway
Church".
19#
YZANTIU M,
century A.D..
it
had developed
into a typical
Roman
city. It
constantly attacking the frontiers ; another was that there were no rules laid
died, so
any powerful
ruler. It
was Emperor
Diocletian, A.D. 284-305, who, in an effort to strengthen the rule of law, decided
Empire was too large for one man to control, so he divided it into two
parts, the West and the East. When he died, however, fighting broke out again,
and it was Constantine who restored order in the East. Declaring that he ruled by
the will of God. and allying himself with the Christian Church, he dedicated his
Empire on J I May, A.D. 330, in the city of Byzantium, later to be called
Constantinople, and now known as Istanbul.
that the
many
still
richly decorated with mosaics. But the Byzantines also built pale
basilicas, hospitals
small.
They did
not build special churches, but gathered to worship in private houses, which
were adapted for use by the communities. Another reason for using this type
of building may have been that, before Constantine's Edict of Milan in a.d.
313 which allowed people to worship as they wished, Christians suffered
periods of persecution from the Roman emperors, and it was not advisable
for them to advertise their presence. The remains of such a private 'church'
house - domus ecclesiae - have been excavated at Dura-Europos, a Roman
legionary fortress in Iraq. As well as a room converted into a church, two
other essential features were found - a baptistery and a font.
When
Christianity
churches had to be
became the
built. In the
of Constantine's empire,
official religion
before the buildings. Christians, however, needed a place in which they could
meet together for their worship, discussions and teaching, and they used the
form of building developed by the Romans for their public gatherings - the
basilica. An example of a basilican-type of church may be seen in S. Clemente.
The semi-circular apse contained the bishop's throne - cathedra - and seating
for the elders.
around the
sides.
TRIUMPHAL ARCH
A : SANCTUARY,
B:
APSF
PROTHESIS,
D:
E: Epistle AM BO or
AM BO. G: CANCELLI
CHANCEL or Choir.
Pulpit.
F: Gospel
AISLE
S.
CLEMENTE,
A.D.
Rome,
Italy,
ATRI U M-
11
12th
IgggJ
P.
>^-m j>frS_
A TYPICAL BASILICAN
was divided
CHURCH
covered by a semi-dome
at the eastern
end
this
timber and
tiled roof.
lit
The
it
when
the bread
chancels
and
in
some
churches the whole nave was used for processions which formed an important part of the
services.
The
pulpit -
ambo
above as shown
Clemente (page
3)
and
in the illustration.
Bible stories.
and the
up
to a view of Paradise
dome of the
half-round apse.
\/
Rome,
130
B IPTISTER] 01 I HI
Ramrna,
ORTHODOX,
Italy,
When
Roman emperor
believed that he
./).
4(io
500
memory where
church of
S.
Constanza
in
Rome
(see
abo\c>
eum
shows all
was the
flooded from
it
sarcophagus on to which
windows
light
drum
SS.SERGIUSAND
BACCHUS.
Constantinople
Turkey,
c.
A.D. 527.
BASILICA
at Philippi,
Macedonia, Greece.
6th. C.a.d.
As
had
to
An
oleum
who
maus-
considered
in
yard,
drum covered by
dome.
//
Italy,
1/
i
/..
Ravenna,
D 526 547
<
WOMEN'S
GALLERY
HOIK
_
\
AMBULATORY
Opposite
THE CHURCH OF
S.
Emperor Justinian,
who reigned from a.d. 527-565. The main plan
was similar to that of a circular mausoleum, for
the services now included singing and the dome
served to give resonance to the music. The
by a rich banker for the
in an apse and
was separated from the nave, at first, perhaps
by curtains in the manner shown in the illustration on the right, and later by a screen iconostasis - which was covered with sacred
pictures - icons.
circular
disc
ITALE. Ravenna.
whom
the church
is
dedicated.
He
On
the right, a
scenes;
mosaics.
a
8
Above
still
the triple
window.
his head,
Christ, with
is
seated on a
is
S. Vitalis to
is
similar
the
to
Apollinare
to
in Classe.
disappear
in later
in S.
fejE^-^2
Jiaiaspic plo
:
ji'
mm
jJv-fr
'
S.IRENl
Turkey
onstantinoph
D 552 56.
-***
Till.
(
11 11
DR
III
Greece.
4.1).
1/
\\l
TROPOLk
Uhens,
1250.
reason for
this
the Eastern
plentiful;
The most
ers
difficulty
brick
with
at Philippi
dome
10
is
(page
incorporated a high
similar arrangement
may
be seen at
the nave
based
nave with
aisles
and
a chancel with
an apse.
church
on a
is.
covered
third to be built,
each
The
over a square.
The
dome
The
Egypt.
started in
in square'.
dome
The
central area
is
covered b\ a
the square.
The arches
When
this cross
is
fitted into a
arms of
square
KA THOLIKON,
c.
ad. 1020.
THEOTOKOS,
C.
A.D. 1040.
S.
FRONT,
Perigueux,
type of building
is
for this
quincunx.
name
Little
Metropole. Athens,
case being
still
dearly
visible.
The monastery
dome
is
sup-
set in a
square, while in
II
U.I A SOPH!
\.
IS
WHUL.
rhe
dome
and was
suffering further
it
532 537.
in A.i). 55S.
In 1453
\.i>.
damage
in \.i>.
was transformed
JS^
and
346.
into a Turkish
Ml
dome
could be seen
all
over the
city.
Ten
supervise
its
progress.
The
basic plan
was a
12
domes on
the east
'infilled*
the
arches
twelfth course.
on massive
The
relics
central
buried
dome was
piers of squared,
at ever)
carried
smoothed, lime-
ported
it
feet (18.29
metres) in
official
of
it
seemed as
if
the mighty
lamps, hanging by chains, showed their gleaming lights, and through the spaces of the great
church came rays of light expelling clouds of
filling the mind with joy. The sailor on
dangerous course amidst rocks and creeks
was guided safely into harbour by the twinkling of the lights which showed him not only the
care and
his
way
way
to the living
God.
13
Squinches and
pendentives
In earl) times
man had
in circles,
his
one below
was
'corbelling
continued until a 'dome'
slightl)
front
in
o\
the
process o\
II
S.
YOANh is,
FOSCA,
Ligourio, Greece,
Torcello, Italy,
c.
c.
D 1080.
1008.
Fosca
in
S.
amounts to a vault
ma\
be seen at Daphni
in the form of a half dome, as
This
and in the Theotokos at Hosios Loukas page
across each corner containing what
S.
JOH.X
Palermo.
OE THE HERMITS.
Sicily. A.D. 1
132 48.
-'.'
14
<
).
When
BAPTISTERY,
S.
MARKS,
dome had
and
dome set on
downward
push the
have
collapsed. The solution to the problem was the
pendentive, which was a refinement of the
arches outwards
so
that
they would
upon
same way
To light
dome could
the
be
drum
set
upon
it
the ring
made
to western architecture.
S.
SA VIOUR IN CHORA,
Turkey,
c.
Constantinople,
14th. C. a.d.
15
courses of thin
When
stone was
it
16
flat
setting out a
dome was
vertically in the
ribs
set
up
le\el
it
moved around
the top pole
Two
poles were
was equal
The length of
dome
next course.
architects -
mech-
anikos
moved
the thickness
and
rise
of the dome.
further
around
triangle.
whole forming a
who were
responsible for seeing that the workwere trained and that the work was of a
high quality and standard.
ers
17
Construction
and decoration
Byzantine vaulting, making use of stone, concrete and brick, was similar to thai used b> UKRomans, but later more use was made of thin shells ol
Earl}
he roofol
BRONTOCHEION,
Mistra, Greece.
lie
in
meat underground
cistern
shown on
the
>
Domes were
previous
pages,
but
built
to
of brick, as
lighten
the
construction main domes, such as that of the Orthodox Baptistery in Ravenna, were built from hollow
terracotta tubes which, as the) were open at one end.
could be interlocked to form a ring, each of which
opening was
filled
Ravenna.
18
Italy,
c.
A.D. 450.
CAPITAL:
S.
LEONID AS,
Corinth, Greece,
c.
Macedonia, Greece,
A.D. 450.
c.
A.D. 540.
which would have served as the centering for the first arch. As
domes and vaults were very light, they could be supported on thin
columns, with or without an impost. An impost was a stone
cushion, or half an inverted cone, which was placed between the
capital and the arch or vault that it supported; an example is
shown above from Philippi. By the sixth century the impost and
capital were often combined to form one unit, as at Hagia Sophia.
The skill of the Byzantine sculptors may be seen in the carving of
the acanthus leaves which formed the pattern on the capital. By
deep undercutting the design of white marble stood out from the
darker undersurface. Sometimes they pierced the leaves with
small holes to give light and shade. Often a cross or monogram
was carved in the middle of the leaves.
Inside the buildings, marble sheets were attached to the walls
by bronze clamps, while the outer walls were decorated by laying
the bricks in bands and patterns. Where masonry was used, bricks
were sometimes placed around each block of stone, either in
single or double courses this type of work was called cloisonne, as
may be seen at S. Paraskevi (left).
,-)
WALL FINISHES.
Left
Internal,
H.
SOPHIA.
Constantinople,
Wa TERWORKS.
suppl) for Constantinople
came from
he
water
the rivers
and
down
b)
summer
was
their water.
make
During the
sufficient
industry
oration
in
hot weather.
baptisteries.
The
cost of providing
water came from the dues which the merchants paid for
using the city wharves. All the services were under the
ORTHODO
Ravenna,
medieval font.
5th. C. pulpit,
control of the Praefectus Praetoria. the chief magistrate, who was also responsible for seeing that the
canals carrying water to the fields were kept in order.
20
WDERGROUND CISTERN
DIREK,
B1S-BIR-
AD
BA SILICA OF MA XENTIUS
& CONSTANTINE, Rome, Italy,
c.
A.D. 300.
Law and
politics
In Rome basilicas were large halls where public business was transacted,
agreements and contracts were signed, and where magistrates administered
the justice to which all freemen were entitled. Such halls were also an
made
if
man
During
felt
official
that he
his reign,
Maxentius, emperor of
in a
Rome
307-312, had
started to build a vast basilica in that city (see The Buildings of Ancient
Rome,
20),
21
10FC0NSTANTINI
B is///(
frier, France,
<
i./>.
310.
rows of columns,
and cover them instead with several large
the
palace
basilica,
placed
in
the
aisles
the
emperor's
apse with
In
throne
in
the
was
rectangles,
cross-walls
windows
basilicas
in the arches
praetor statue,
was the
the
now
at
lit
the
picture,
of the
in the
in
mosaic or
semi-circular apse.
rulers.
power of their
emperor's representative.
or in later times a
single
below the
steps.
the
While the
raised in blessing.
is,
as
one hand
Towns
The geographical
that
it
great gates were closed at night to ensure the safety of the inhabitants.
Such a town was Nicaea. shown below, but even the strength of these
by the Crusaders in 1097.
Many of the town-dwellers were highly skilled craftsmen. Under the
direction of the state they were obliged to manufacture the gold and
silverware, the jewellery, vases and ornaments, and the rich brocades
and damasks that were required by the Church, the Court and the
wealthy owners of great estates. Such goods were also in demand by
foreign countries, and so the wealth of the Byzantines depended upon a
highly developed trade and commerce. Officials were needed to direct
the production of goods and make sure that taxes were paid, and the
quality approved. For example, any silk merchants who did not show
to the magistrate goods which were to be exported to foreign countries,
so that they could receive his official seal, were liable to be punished
severely. There were many such regulations which had to be obeyed,
and offices were needed where the officials could work. The state also
built warehouses where the finished merchandise could be stored. Each
particular craft was to be found in its own area in the town, working
under the direction of a guild. Special quarters were set aside in
fortifications did not prevent its capture
FORTIFIED TOWN:
from
6th. C.
manuscript
ted
3F
may
be seen in the
illus-
ALEXANDRIA: from
a mosaic of A.D. 500.
Church of S. John,
Jcrash Transjordan
,
NICAEA.
Iznik
23
r-
!&*
'
1-0
j
LV
m6
I^^V
*\r^k m\
~^%^
JH
m
13
;m^
r'.-i'
.-'-i,
12
H> W/s
11.
Church
21.
Quarter oj Amalfi.
2.
Walls of Constantine.
12.
22.
Quarter of Pisa.
3.
Church of Theodora.
Monastery of Constantine
13.
23.
Quarter of Genoa.
24.
25.
Great Colonnades oj
26.
Baths oj Dagistheus.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
24
o/ Theodosius.
Lips.
of Christ Akataleptos.
17.
Harbour oj Eleutherius.
Monastery oj Myrelaion.
Harbour of Heptaskalon.
Monastery of S. Zachary.
27.
18.
Forum of Theodosius.
28.
Forum
19.
29.
20.
30.
Harbour
Harbour
14.
15.
16.
of
Anostask
Domnim
oj Constantine.
oj Kontoskalion.
of Julian.
BOSPHORUS
clearly
31
in
34.
Palace of Antioch.
Church ofSS. Sergius and Bacchus.
35.
36.
Hippodrome.
which all
honour
set up in their own
which the early emperors had
Romans. The barrel vaults of the
following the custom of the
37.
Great Palace.
great warehouses
33.
39.
40.
38.
1.
may
be seen
if
in the quarters
necessary.
25
in
iMMMiiinriTiKiniiniMTrrmiiwiii
it
on
its
HOI
S
Medjdel
SI
Syria,
/>
4M.
By
were used.
Leo the
S Re hutch,
via.
26
A.D. 561-4.
a.D. 516.
PALACE OF DIOCLETIAN,
into the
to
It
was forbidden
common
cause
to
fire
keep
wall separating
might injure
it.
is,
and paper
fires.
in
unroofed,
A man could
opened on
in
the north
wall
the
Room;
steps of
porphyry
led
up
to the ivory
Wardan can
still
27
ad.
conquest and
basilica,
shown
at Trier
of the Throne
Split.
The
Room
central
in Diocletian's palace in
Room
probably similar
large triple
in
which was a
appearance to that
the Chyrosotrikinlos,
church of S. Vitale
in
28
it.
Room
Emperor, dressed
in silk
the courtyard.
The
was
laid
down
in
importance wished
request, he
had
dignitaries
every detail.
to
and
approach
If a
man
of
make a
ruler. The
to
is, lie
flat
men
idea by placing a
head
gathered
law
As may be
people from
in the palace.
suits,
all
seen in the
parts of the
Some came
to
Empire
pursue
Jus-
he
made
a special magistrate
this
(see endpapers).
illustration,
show
was
whose
busi-
homes.
29
H OSPITALS
Vs Christians, the Byzantines
AND MONASTERIES
wore concerned
set
up
for
Pantocrator
In
zenon
in
department, as well as
\
stall
women
o\
si\t\
to
deal
fiftj
doctors,
with
beds
in
Bve sections.
female
patients,
was
comfort
and
a little wine,
man would
HOSPITAL.
BARLAAM
MONASTERY.
Meteora, Greece. 16th. C.
MONASTERY,
Umm il-Kutten, S. Sx
30
REFECTORY,
Gt.
LA VRA,
KITCHEN, CHURCH OF
THE EVANGELIST,
Skiathos, Greece.
obial system
MONASTER Y OF SAG MA TA
Boetia, Greece.
pilgrims, travellers
would meet
rules
a reading desk to
down
the walls as
with
its
may
fire,
was a
M ARKETS.
selling
of goods of
all
own
of the
state.
quarters in Con-
builder
care to
God
like the
19).
domes or
Here, as
vaults, the
or uneven walls.
If a
required to replace
it
at his
ow n expense.
the
correct
wooden
premises.
This
made
the
33
:t
Dancer, from an
eft:
1 1 ill.
C. manuscript.
11
370.
similar to
that of Ancient
for
Hippodrome,
Rome, had seating
some
ing took place between the races. Fights between gladiators, such as might have been seen
in Rome, were not permitted. The ivory casket
(above) shows a theatrical arrangement which
may have
34
who thronged
many
people
man
Fortifications
To
FARMHOUSE,
Gasr Duib,
c.
Tripoli tania
A.D. 244-6.
followed
the
pattern
walls led to
used
many of which
earlier
by
the
35
From
Byzantium and
it is
many
little
light
and some four and a half miles (7.24 kilometres) in length. The wall had six gates
'>dL^-j4j(fam
of thin bricks
it.
It
set in thick
beds of mortar. In
The invention
'Greek
Fire', a
in the early
seventh century of
After the
fall
rest o\
to
flight
pan
the
in the
and
new
emperor
2M
the
however, the
was acclaimed in
1
Constantinople. The Empire managed to exist for another two hundred years,
but it was never again to become a great power Danger from the east was a
constant threat. During the thirteenth century the Turks had captured most
of Asia Minor and then turned towards Europe. Finally Constantinople was
encircled by conquered territories,
Turkish
Many
Army
of
Mehmet
city
fell
to the
II.
this
is
one reason
many have survived. Hagia Sophia itself became a mosque, but today
it has been turned into a museum where it is possible to see both Christian and
Islamic religious architecture side by side. Turkish home life was ver\
why
so
different
The
fall
Scholars
IVORY VIRGIN
from
fall
into ruins.
who
it
was
many
on Europe.
effect
Greeks and
Romans became known once more. The rebirth of these ideas, known as
New Learning, caused men to start thinking for themselves, and led to
10th. C.
Triptych.
when modern
scientific
the
the
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors wish
to
thank M. E. Martin, R.
J.
Hopper and
the
and the
the back-
Syria, sects.
A &
B, Leyden,
P.
S..
xii.
The
1942:
38
Ancient World. London. 1968; Kostof. S. K... Orthodox Baptistery of Ravenna. Yale. 1965; Krautheimar. R Early Christian
and Byzantine Architecture, London. 1975; Lassus. J.. The Early
.
Monuments Byzantine de
G..
K...
Antiquity, vol.
THE BYZANTINE
EMPIRE in the time
of Justinian.
1025.
(Torcello)
MEDITERRANEAN SEA
SYRIA
>
39
INDKX
Aisle 3
5,
Altar
10
13.22
Justinian
amp
Stone
13.30.33
Ligouno
14.
39
33
Athens 10 11,39
Atrium 3. 12.28
Baptistery 2 3.6
7. 15,
18,20
Bible
5. 8.
2.28
22
Bosphorus 2. 24. 39
Brick 12. 15-20,32 3.35.37
Byzantium 2. 10, 36
Throne
18.33.35
Town
7.
23
Trammel
16
4. 26.
33
17
Narthex3.
Nave
8. 10. 12
3-5. 10, 12,22
6-9.
15,
13.
Window
Nicaea 23. 39
18.
20.
28.
39.
endpapers
Dura-Europos 2-3
Refectory 3
Renaissance 38
Rhodes 13.39
Egypt 10, 39
Eusebius 7
Rome 2-3,
endpapers
and
cover
40
10. 16.
Warehouse 23. 25
Water 20, 27,37
Ravenna
25, 34
14-15,39
30
2-3. 26-7, 35, 38
2.
Jerusalem 7
endpapers
Wall
Daphni 14, 39
Diocletian 2, 27-8
Dome 4-8. 10-17. 19. 22, 27, 32
Inn 34
Islam 10, 32, 36, 38
10
Mosque 38
Mount Athos3 1.39
Porch 6, 10
Procopius 27
House
[brcdlo 14.39
6-8, 15
Merchant 20. 23. 33
Meteora 30, 39
endpapers
Courtyard 2, 26-8, 31,35
Crusade 23, 37-8
11.
19,26, 34,37
M)
Room
Timber
Mausoleum
Hospital
24.
Hippodrome 1,
HosiosLoukas
Temple 3,6,
Theodora 8,
Column
19.25. 38.
7,
Cathedral 10
Chancel 5. 10
Chapel 30
10. 12.
15
34
14
6. 10, 12.
Syria 10,26
Theodoric 2S
1.
I.
Magistrate 20 3.29
Mistra 18.39-40
Capital 19,28
Hagia Sophia.
II. 14
Stable 26, M)
Libya 39
10.
Squincb 10
Stair 26,35
Kitchen 30
Arab 37
Arcade 28
Arch 3 4.
12
8,
endpapers
THEPANTANASSA,
Mistra, Greece. 15th. C.
16-17.22-4.28.31
4. 6. 8.
14-15. 18.22.27
THEBUILDINGSOF
ANCIENTGREECE
THEBUILDINGSOF
ANCIENT EGYPT
KARNAK.
Temple
oj
Khons
well written
"An
illustrations
interpretations of Greek
EGYPT
MESOPOTAMIA
.
The
text
is
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BABYLON.
".
life,
clear
THEBUILDINGSOF
EARLYISLAM
BURSA. Mosque ul
Alaeddin Bey
THE BUILDINGSOF
ANCIENT ROME
The
N1MES. Maison
Carree
excellent text
makes
this a fascinating
source book
THE BUILDINGSOF
ANCIENT MAN
STONEHENCE
"The
text ...
is
"The
text
is
well written
many of which
are in
full
informative illustrations,
color
this
book
is
its
excellent
in the
and
is
secondary school.
41
H -JESS.
Mosaic decoration from
the
Ravenna.
Munvn Rnvenna.
Italy.
Sheep-shearing: from an
J
lth. C.
miniature
in
he Homilies of S. Gregoi
f Nazianzus.
.LA
2
^^
87 10*6 5
in
to the Library.
this
rax
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