Supervisors info:
Γιώργος Πάλλης, Επίκουρος Καθηγητής Βυζαντινής και Μεταβυζαντινής Αρχαιολογίας και Τέχνης, Τμήμα Ιστορίας και Αρχαιολογίας, ΕΚΠΑ
Δρανδάκη Αναστασία, Επίκουρη Καθηγήτρια Βυζαντινής Αρχαιολογίας και Τέχνης, Τμήμα Ιστορίας και Αρχαιολογίας, ΕΚΠΑ
Πλάτων Πετρίδης, Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής Βυζαντινής Αρχαιολογίας, Τμήμα Ιστορίας και Αρχαιολογίας, ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
The establishment of Constantinople and the gradual shifting of the economic and political weight of the empire in the eastern Aegean region created more favorable conditions for the economic development of the Dodecanese islands. The proliferation of Christianity as an official state religion, the strategic position of the islands, the flourishing of trade, and the fact that these regions were largely out of war, resulted in the construction of a significant number of basilicas, during the 5th and 6th post-Christian centuries. As far as the 650-750 period is concerned, the remnant of basilicas indicates a reduction in production, royal transformation, abandonment and destruction.
The multitude of the Dodecanese basilicas, which have been identified until today, is impressive. Karpathos numerates 35-40 monuments, 15 of which have been excavated. This study focuses on examining 2 basilicas of the island. It is the basilica of Afoti, and the basilica located in Vronti. The former is fully excavated, while the latter, partly. In particular, the research focuses on two points: their architectural style and their integration into the wider context of Karpathos, the Dodecanese complex and the SE Asia Minor coastline, and the handling of their sculptural decoration and its comparison with similar material in the Dodecanese and the Southeast Asian coastline.
The type of three-aisled wood-roofing basilica is the most widespread in the Dodecanese Islands. After the study of these monuments in the particular geographical area, the three-aisled basilicas were categorized according to the number of apses facing east. The two basilicas of Karpathos were classified in those bearing two apses. The annexes that exist north and south of the basilicas are also a point of study to interpret their use. The northern arched annex of the basilica of Afoti, however, has not yet been identified, though efforts are being made with the help of comparative material.
The architectural sculptures of the Dodecanese basilicas are numerous, however, most of them have not been published. The same applies to the sculptural decoration of the two basilicas of Karpathos, which have been registered in catalogues. In this way the analysis of the typology and morphology of the sculptures, as well as their dating, was achieved by examining their form and decoration, but also by comparing them with equivalent examples.
The Early Christian basilicas of the Dodecanese islands in general and Karpathos in particular are a fertile field of study of the political and social changes brought about by the spread of Christianity, while their sculptural decoration reveals the commercial contact of these regions with Constantinople and the Asia Minor coastline.
Keywords:
Basilicas, Dodecanese islands, Karpathos, sculptural decoration, architectural type
