Early Churches in Syria
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\ PRINCETON
MONOGRAPHS
IN
ART
AND
ARCHAEOLOGY
CHURCHES
EARLY
SYRIA
IN FOURTH
, TO SEVENTH
CENTURIES
BY
I-lOW ARD
CROSBY
BUTLER
Edited and Completed BY
E.
BALDWIN
SMITH
PART ONE
History
~
{
I PUBLISHED FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PRINCETON
OF ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY UNIVERSITY
\
\
• •
\
{
PREF ACE HE material
T
"Publications
by tlte Century
used tn tlte prepa1'ation of of the American
tltis volume
Archaeological
printed by tlte Late E. indirect inspiration
University
J.
Brill
Expeditions
taee», tn. large part, from tlte
Expedition to Syria in 1899-
Company of New York and tlte Princeton
ations of the Princeton
1S
University
I
900," 1 puNislted
Press, and f1'01}' tlte "Public-
to Syria in 19°4, 19°5, and 1909," 2 wkz"clttoere
at Leiden. Tlte 01'iginal inspiration' of the above volumes, and tlte
of tlus book, wen drawn from
La Syrie Centrale,
the morutmerua]
tlte late 1Iifarqnis de Vogiii, tlte discoverer of tl'e long lost arc/zitecture of Syria, of plates, pnblislted in 1867, Ita,'e cont1'ibuted tlte basis of information and illust1'ations, and even for that lias been publislted for was director
wltose volumes
for imp01'ta1zt references
wlwle elzapters, in eve1'y historical study of Clwistian arcltiteeture
more tluu: a gmeration.
The field notes of tlze present zorite1', who
of the Americas: and Princeton Expeditions, furnisk
whielz /ias neuer before found
work of
its way to publication.
a certain amount of material
Not one of tlte great n",nbe1' of explol'ers
who Itave visited Soutltern S:yria, or O1Ze of tlze small number wlto Itave explo"ed No"tlzern Syria, before 01' since the day of 111. de Vogiii, has publislted a1Zything of real importance to the study of tlte elwrelles witlt tlte exception of a few
pltotogr-aphs. Only tlte observations of Professor
St1'zygowski upon the elturc/t at .((a~,' Ibn T/Vardan, aud those based upon plwtograplts
takezz by
Baron von Oppenlteim, lzave made notewortlty additions to our knowledge of tlte churc/t arclutecture of this great
country, No attempt lias beezz made to include tlte elturcltes of the Holy Land in
tltis uoiume , tltey lie outside tlte scope of tltis work, and have li&tle in C011l17l0n witlz t1'ans-Jordan a1'chitect,we. No apolog)1 whatever is required for tlte work of M. de Vogiii. In the great mass of mate1'ial published
in ltis plates and text, only eigltteen c/zurcltes are described, six from
and twelve from
N01'tlte1'n S)wia,
Southern SY"ia,
and these were examples taken f1'om two somewhat 1'estricted
localities,. but tlte deductions drawn by later writers from
ltis presentations
of tlzis small ml1l,ber
of examples have been ojten mistaken and 1JZisle.zding,.It has been stated repeatedly, f01' instance, tltat tlte ckurches of Syria present
little varieI:J' in their g"02t1td plazzs i aud certain forms of
cI"'rcltes appelwing iu 1/11. de Vogiid's plates Itave been described as typical of Syrian while, as a matter of fact, 1'esulti1Zgfrom monuments,
tliey are almost unzque. TI,ese misleading
statements
architecture, are accidents
the observatio1Z of too small a body oj documents drawn from a selected g,'OttP of
As. tlte discove",'es of 1
j)IJ.
Princetoll
de Vogiii are 1mtltzplied by 1/I0re exteiided exploration, tlte U1liVe1'sity P1'esS.
Leitlell, Brill.
Preface
VI
. anion« tlte most szg'nificant in all Syria. Now tltat two la1'ge buildings witick Ite publislted remazti b tracts il! emtral S)wia Itave been q1tite tlzorougl,ly examined, and a tltird Itas been added to our ',f,
knowledge, tl/ouglt less completely explore,d we are zn fossess
ion 01'plans and measurements and 'j
photograplts 01 a large body of monunsents, over two Imndred elturches in all, from whiel, generalizations salely may be made. The A mertcati
Expedition
set out to explore as great an area as
possible i tluir publicatiol!s were a general report on the 1JZ01t1t7Jtmts 01 the whole region and an attempt to classify tlte nzonumentsgeograpltically and elzronologically. Eve1t with the azd 01 a large body olmo1l1,ments, tlte dassifications depending npol! dated monuruents,
01 tltis pltblication, especially those based
01'
elzronology, and
have oeen shou»: to be imperlect by rnor:« exlta1tstive explorations
and by tlte discoveryor more dated monuments. The» too, certazss deductions drawn frou: the material in Itand, e.g. dednctions as to tlte employment 01 different differmt
schemes 01 p1'oportion in buildings
centuries, wltitlt seemed well lonnded, and were set forti:
01
in the publications, Itave been
lonnd to be less trnstwortky in tlte ligltt 01 more extensive knowledge. The aim 01 the Princeton expeditions was to take up important sites, and groups 01 less important sites, and to study them more m detail, in order to present a great body 01 monuments
in measured plans and. sections,
in scale d,'awings 01 details, and, wltenever possible, in restorations. In this work many entirely unknown buildings are pubtislted. A larg'e number 01 the illmtrations
in the pnsent
)
volume are
reproduced from tlte Princeton publications. It is tlte pnrpose 01 tlte pnsent the areltitecl1wal parts
book to extract Irom
tlte gnat
mass 01 material offered in
01 the several publications named above, tlte informatio»: relating to the
subject 01 ecciesiasticai anltiteclzwe, and to arrange it, in condensed forne, lor and tlte pnblic. For convenience, tlte volume is divided into two Parts,
the use of students
one Ilistorical, tlte otlter
analytical. ht tlte 10rm81', tlte origin, growtlt, and development 01 elmrclt a1'eltitecture in Syria are traced, witlt prelimina,y
observations upon geography,
Itz'story, and the ancient inhabitants.
In tlte latter, tlte areltitecture 01 the clmrc!tes is discussed as a wkole, without particular relerence to cltronology, and Sltelt subjects as construction, plans, superstructures, accessories and ornamental details a,'e taken up separately. In spile 01 the imparlance 01 its ancienI 17tOnuments,tittle Itas been known, and consequently little ltas been wniten,
aboul lite dese1't and semi-desert parts 01 Syria in wltich a large majority
01 tltese molt1tmenlsare to be 100md. It has bem difficult lor studmls and otlter 1'ead81'sto place geograjJltically many 01 lite localities zn wltielt are situated buildings that have bem pubtislted and wlticlt are reler1'ed to, Irom time to time, in books on arcltiteclzwal subjects. For that reason, tltere lollows a b,'iel description 01 tlte country as it is today. Alter Itistorical notes tltat may' be uselul in accounting lor
tl,is will be lound some
the origin and the trend 01 the development
01 a1'eltitecturc,and, finally, a lew observations are added in wltielt an attempt Itas been made to
\
Preface
VII
gzve a picture of lite people, 01'peoples, who i1tltabited these regzons and toere tlte originators 0/ these important native styles of bndding. In
the following c!tapte1's, tIle pnblislted references to all the buildings mentioned are given
in foot notes for tlte use 0/ readers wlto desire f1wtlter information about any particular ing. In
these notes S.C. is nsed to denote La Syrie Centrale
Publications
of 1/1. de Vogiii. A. signifies the
of Ihe American .expedition, and P. thoss of tlte Princeton Expeditions. An effort
Itas been made to present all gronnd plans I
budd-
1
according to a single scale, the scale of .25 em. =
»s, or 4 metres to tlte centimeter. Tltis has bem applied to all tIle plalls, except those of the
la1'get' monasteries, in wltich cases tlte scale is noted in the drawings, as eithe«
I
01' 2 mdlimetres
to tlte metre. HOWARD
j
BUTLER
j
I
\
CROSBY
FOREWORD N presenting
I
tlus book to tlte public some explauation must be given for. tlte lengtlt of time
which has elapsed between the deatlt of Howard
Crosby Butler and its publzcatzon, and for Ius
associate's pa1't in the work. Howard
ButlC1',from
the time wlten he l'etztrlted from Itis first
to publish. a Itistory of church architecture in Syria. wrote the fint
expedition, always intended
"'Vitlt tltis in mind, as early as
191 I,
Ite
dl'aft of tlte analyses of this areltitecture, using the Iltamtscript fOI' ten yean as
tlte basis of Itis lectures in a graduate course
011
Syrian arcltitedzwe. Every g'raduate student in
the Department of Art and Areltaeology at Princeton dnring those )Iears will,'e,ltember aud the violet-inked manuscript
the lectures
to wlticlt Ite referred from time to time in his development of an
Early Christia» style of architecltwe in Syria. As the years passed and he completed his official publication of the Princeton expeditions to Syria, Ite spoke f,'equently to the p,'esent writer study for
publzcation, but by that time he was deeply immersed in' Classical problems an'sing
out of his excavations at Sardis . .hz
I J
of tlte necessity of rewriting and completing tltis
]92 I,
h.owever, the year before his final a"d fatal trip to
Sardis, he 2t1Zdertookthe rezewiting. For this purpose he restudied the different elmrcltes, worked up more cal'efully the always ba.flling question of elzronology,and wrote a detailed description and discussio« of eacl: clt1Irclt. Under the pressure of tltat last year Ite was 1I0t able to finish and so, combining Itis old analysis of
19 I 1
the work,
witlt Itis still 2t1Zfinislteddescription of the mOlt11lltmts,
he sent tlte manuscript to Itis Hoiland printer to get a preliminary
estimate of the cost of public-
atzim before completing the work Oil /tis return from Sardis. A t the time of his suddm
death in Paris
he was on Itis way to Holland
book with tlte printC1' and get the manuscript. It was at that moment, so unfortunate
to discuss the not only for
the writing
of tltis book, but also for all the other work whielt he had in Itand, that delay began.
Two years
elapsed before Izis affairs in Princeton
were rougltly straiglttemd
out and tlte lost
manltScript traced to Holland. On tlte final retur»: of tlze manuscript it seemed to be tlte duty and pleasure of tlte presmt writer to Ca1'ry out his friend's
desires and see that Itis book was published. He Itad studied
witlt Professor Butler, Itelped Itim witlz Itis otlter books, and seemed tlte one best fitted to rework tlte old ana!;'sis as Howard Butler intended to do, filling up tlte gaps tltat Itad been left iu tlte manuscript. In tlte meantime, Iwwever, European
scholars and explorers Itad been working Ztl
the Syrian field, and the new material Ilad to be incorpol'ated into tlte Imfinislted book. Here tlte delicacy of tlte responsibility of tlte pl'esent wI'iter began. He wislted to present
Z1Z
Foreword
x
evel')' respect the opinion and spirit
LT 0/,I' 17. oward
Bt'u ser; and at the same time make the book as
up-to·date as possible. Feelz;'g that EIoward Butler's ideas, even if they did not always ag'l'ee wdh the most recent Elwopean theories, were valuable because of his experience and rare judgement, the present writer
has l1'ied to d,'aw a very fine
ejistz"nctionin I,is rewriting and completioli
between the theories and ideas wltich Howard Butler
would support, zuere Ite ahve today, and
those that he lvoTtld question. Wlwle eltapters, therefore, I,ave bem boldly rewritten, amplified wt
down, and pe7'!taps changed in detaz"!or form,
but only whm it was felt
or
that every chang'e
and addition would receive his approval. In those cases where the,'e seemed to be any doubt, any possible claslt between the experienced Butter defending
Itis statements agaiust a difference
of
opiniolt, the changes ltave been brought down to the foot notes and tlte dijfermces of opinion made evident.
The work, tlun, has consisted of adding to the first pm-t a descnj>tion of new cltTwches
wltzeh have appeared in foreign P'lblications and .finislting a few wltielt /ze Itad left half written; in the secondpart
d has necessitated a very large rewriting
and ,'ewo,'king along tlte lines tltat
Howa,-d Butler Itimself inteuded. Credi: in tlte notes, I beheve, has been given
to tl,e writings of the dz/fel-ent European
scholars whose works Itave helped to complete the book. Howard Butler full
credit to the Mal-qTtis de Vogiii for
his initial
in his Ownpl'eface pa)IS
II.
work in the S)wian field. I myself do not III.
need to mention my indebtedness to tlte wn'tings of Dr. Josef SI1'zygowski, witl, wlwse theories I can not alwaysagree, but for whoseconl1'ib'ltion to tltefield of Clwistian art tltwe must always beadmiration and indebtedness.Ii". Gliick's Del' Breit,"nd-langha"sba"
in Syrien (1916)
completion of this book, as has H. W, Beyer's Del' Syrische Kirchen ball (1925),
a book based almost
elttil-d), u/Jon tlte publications of Howard Bulle,'. The g1-eatest assistance iu tlte preparation of the book came frollt
the Princeton associates
of .EIoward Butler, colleagnes who were witl, I,im on his expeditious to S)wia. Pl'ofesso,' H/. .Ii. Prentice Itelped to rew",'te the chapters 10hich deal witlt. the inscnj>t£ons and azded generousl)1 by reading pads
of the proof and making valuable s'lggestz"ous. Pl'ofessol' Eno Littmann,
now of
tlte Universities of Tiibingen and Berlin, gave Itts assistance in the matter of A,-aMc and Syriac names, alld wdlt Professor David Magie helped wlten possible translahons of the inscriptions required expert verification. Hence ill closing tltis d~I1iCltltexplanat£on tlte w,'iter of tltis fo,-eword asks the indulgence of all the fn'euds
and admirers of Howard Butler.
IV.
has p,'oved helpf'll in tlte
Tlte writer feels his l-esponsibihty, since
througit Itim must appear jor the last tz'me the mind and personality of his friend
E.
and teacher.
BALDWIN
SMITH
J
V ..
TABLE
OF CONTENTS PART
I
HISTORY
•.
J
SYRIA
AND ITS
PEOPLE
3
II.
THE
CHURCHES
OF
THE
FOURTH
III.
THE
CHURCHES
OF
THE
FIFTH
IV.
THE
MONASTERIES
V.
THE
CHURCHES
OF
THE
SIXTH
CENTURY
CENTURY
CENTURY
12
41
"3
LIST
OF ILLUSTRATIONS PART ONE
1.
General
View ilt tlte Djebel
./:Iaura1t, Ruins of
2.
General
View
Baris/tii,
3.
Gl!lleral
View in tile Djebel
4.
A.
5.
Bosra, Pagan
6.
A.
Is-Sanamiu, A.D.
7.
A.
llanau)(lt,
8.
Jranawat,
9.
Shale/pii, Basilica, Plan
10. I
r.
'til-
tile Djebel
Sim'an,
Ruins of
B.
Der SlIledj, Pagan Building
Temple Plan.
13
J{allawat,
B.
Stem, Temple Plan
14
TemjJle of Zeus, PIau
15
B.
16
Sarayii, Pta»
Umut idj-Dji1llat,
7
14
Sarayif, Plan
Basilica,
7
Simk/ur-r
Basilica, Piau, 192,
5
Ruins of Dauwar
Sitafr!iii, "Kaisariyeh" [after de VogiiJ).
Sitalf/fii,
Taf(tli
16
Seaio»
17
C/tlwclt of Ju#anos,
Plan and Sections
18
12.
"Ane, C/mrdt,
13.
De,. il-Kahf,
14.
U1Jt1Jt idj-Dji1Jl/U, C/l1wc/t of 11£asec!ws, Piau, and Sections
IS.
Dcwtit
16.
Umm idj-Djiutrtt,
17.
Tafflii, Clsurcl), Plan, [after de Vogilt)
18.
Taf{tii,
19.
Nimreli, Clnircti, Interim' iooking vVest
23
20.
Nt'mrelt,
24
21.
Biilllplisii, Nortlt
Plan
20
Clmrell ill Fortress, Plan
and Section
il-'Al:yii, Clmrcll, Plan East Clmrc!t,
C!tlwcll, Interior
22. Sen/jilla,
20
21
PIau and Section
looking
20
21
22
Nortlnuest
23
CIlll1'elt, Plan and Sections ClllWelt, Piau
26
Clmrelt, Piau
26
23. jJ1idjleyyii, ClUWell,P ian
27
24. Ruwe!tii, South Chnrch, West Facade
28
25.
Ruwe!.ta, Soutlt CIt/welt, Interior looking Southeast
28
26.
Rnwe~tii, Sontli Cll1welz, Plan
29
27. Silllkltar, Church and Cltapel, Piau
29
28. Silllkl,a,-, Cluwch at left aud Chapel at right
30
29.
Burdj
30
30.
Kharab
Slums,
Clmrelt, E~1:terio1' from
31.
Kltarab
Slums,
Clmrc/t, Plan
.fledar,
West Clturclt,
Exterior
front
the Southwest
tlte Northwest
and Sections
31 32
32. Fiiji,'ttll, Clmrell, Plan aud SectiOll, Date: A.D. 372
33
33.
B,-ad, Cathedral, Plall
35
34.
Brad,"
36
Catltedral", West Fa,ade
---
Early Churches in Syria
XIV 35.
Kllirbit
Ijfiss,
CIl1wclt, Interior looking
toward
Apse
36.
Khirbit
!fass,
Cll1wclt, Plait
37.
Kltirbil
!fass,
CIl1l1'clt, fallm
38.
Zebed, Basilica,
39.
I'djaz,
40.
Lubben,
4r,
Unuu £dj".Djimlrl, Southeast
42.
Unuu £dj-Djimfil,
43.
il-Ullllii'lyelt,
44.
U1Il1JtidiDjilllat,
45.
Um»: is-Surao,
46.
Biibis/fii, East
47·
J(scdjbdl,
48.
Da,' IfJla, Cll1wclt of St. Paul and Moses,
Date: 418 A.D.
51
49·
Dar ~ltiiJ C/l1Wc/l of St. Paul and ll([oses, Date: 418 A.D.
52
Capitals
Pla1l
"CIl1wclt of lite Holy Apostles", C/l1lrc/l,
Plan and Details
PlaIL and Sections
Sontlnuest
Cltllrclt NO.5,
and Sections
43
Plan and Sections
44
CIl1l1'c!t, Piau Ctiurc»,
45
Plan
Klaudianos
46
Plait and Sections
Clturcll,
Cltllrch of 55. Sergios
and Bacchos, Plan
and Section, Date:
5°· Da,' JKiti'i, Clwrclt of St. Pant and Moses, Doorway Kasr
C/wrclt of Couuent, Lintel
53.
¥a.p' Ib/isft,
54·
SMidt Slemau, CIl1wclt of St. Mary,
55·
SMidt SleJllau,
Clmrclt
of St. Mar»,
56.
SMkIt Slcmcm,
CIUl1'C!t
of St.
57.
Serdjiblelt,
58.
Bnrdj
East
Clwrtlt,
Interior
looking
59.
DC" S£IJ/fm, Norits
Cluwtlt,
Exterior
from
60.
j1fshabbak, Clmrc/t,
Plait
61.
lVlsltabbak, Clm.rclt, Interior
62.
/(Itirbit
63.
Delila (North],
64.
Btirsit,
65.
Del' SambI!, Clmrch,
66.
DcI' Sambil, fallen
67.
Djer/utelt,
68.
Kalatii,
East C/mrc/l,
69·
I(alotii,
East
CItll1~c1t, 1l1teri01' looking
70.
}(alota,
East
Clmrclt,
71.
Ba·flyan,
72.
Fidrelt,
73·
J[atb Lauze/t,
74·
l{.alb Law;elt, CIl1l1'c!t, Exterior
interior
looldllg East
57
West Facade
58
Plan
59 60
Plan and Sections East
61
62
Southeast
62 looking East
Church, 473/4 A.D.,
Clmrc/t,
ell/welt,
56
Plan and Section
jJ{a17,
53
55
52.
il-Ktiatto,
Wall
on side. Portal
C/l1Wc/l of Convent, Iiuerior
Hidar,
Sout/:
54
Kasr it·Bellat,
Cluwclt,
zn
looking East
5 r.
l,Vest Clmrclt,
47
5°
Cll7Irc/l, Date: A.D. 414
it·Bella!,
489
49
CImrclt, Plait
East
A.D.
63 Baptistery,
532/3 A.D.
Section
64 65
Plan
Clwrclt,
Plan Capitals
Plan
ill Ruins
66
and Rest01'ation
66
Plan, Date: 492 A.D.
Extf1'ior from
CI"II"c/t of St. PllO&aS,PIau
68
tlte Soutlt
68
and Delail, Date:
CIt?wc!t and Baptiste?')' Clmrc!t,
67
Soutlteast
491/2 A.D.
69
7°
11lterio1' looking
Soutlttast
f?'O"lllEast
71 73
List of Illustrations
xv
75·
I[alb Lausels, Clt1trcll,Exterior from tlte Soiatnues»
73
76.
Serdjible/I, Cliapel
75
77· Bliualt.j"", Cllapc/, Plait and restored Section
76
78.
Srir,
76
79·
Nuriyelt,
80.
Kpr,
SI.
Rb/!'alt, Cltapel, Pta»
82.
Zebed,
83·
Zebed, East Clwrcll, Exterior from ttte Sontll
79
84·
Zebed, East Clmn/l, Plait
78
85·
lI([a'ratii,
86.
it-Anderin,
87·
il-Anderin, "Chnrcl; of the Hot:)! Trinity", PIau
8r
88.
il-Anderiu, Churcl: NO.7
88
89·
UlIl1Jl, il-Jr.u!{ell,
Front
86
90.
Uus»: is-Surao, illonastoJ' and Clwrclt of 55. Ser gios and Bacchos, Section, Date: 489 A.D.
87
9I.
id-Di», lIfollastery
88
92.
Same/t, lIlonastery of St. George, Date: 624/5 A.D.
89
93·
il-Uber,
Piau, Section,
90
94·
Del' in-Nasrsn),
Cltapel, Plan
76
Cltapel, Piau
77
Cltapel, Plan
East
77
CIl1t1'c!t,Interior
79
looking East
80
Clt1l1'cJt, Platt
Mouastery, Piau and
Alouas/e)')"
95· il-Klin:s,
8r
SOlitil, Churclt. Exterior froui ttie Soutlt
fiVes!
Lintel
Plan
91
Convent, Plan
9'
96.
Jra{r it-Benat,
Convent, Plan
97·
Kasr il-Bellat,
Couuent, .lV01'tlt Building,
98.
Del'
Ternuinin, Monastery, Plan of Pandocheion and Church, (after
99·
Del'
r-«
92 Exterior from
tlte Sontti
94 de Vogiie)
96
'Adelt, Convent, Plall
100.
I[al'at Si1lt'att, Couuent, and Clt7t7'cllof St. Simeon Stylites, Plan (after de Vogiie)
ror.
l{ai'at
Sill/att, Clt7wcll0./ St. Simeon Stylites, Narthex of Sontti Basilica
102.
¥al'at
Sz"m'lm, C/mrclt of St. Simeon Stylites,
103·
1[.al'at
Sz"m'all, C/mrclt
Base
95
of
St.
Simeon
E~,;terz"or from
Stylz'tes,
99 101
tlte Sout/teast
s/w'UJing Nortlt
side
of
101
Octagon and
,~oc/e~/tewn
of St. Simeon's Pilla?'
103
104.
l{al'at Sim'a1l, Clmrc!1of St. Sime01l Stylites, Exterior f"om tlte East
103
r05·
Del' Si11l..call, West lVlouastery
104
106.
Dey Sim'ctIl, I¥est ilIlollaste1)/, Elltrance to Campo Santo
106
107.
Db~Sim'cm,
lOS.
Del' Sim'alt, SOl/tlz 1J1ouaster)'
109.
Dh- Sill/au, Soutlt 1J1"ouaste1'y, View from
110.
Del' Silll'cm, G1'eat Palldoc!teiOu,
I I I.
Bl'ad, Cottvettt S. W. of Town, Plan
109
IlZ.
De,-
Nawa, C01l'i.lent, PLau, Date:
110
West ill/ouaster)', Exterior
of Cilurcll from
tile Soutlt
106 107
tile West
108
Virdl f1'om Southeast
108
599 A.D.
"3' i,.-RIII,taiyelt, Grollp of Cltnrcltes, Dated: 5,29130, 556/7, 464/5 A.D.
][1
I J
Early Churches
XVI
Syria
In
lI6 114-A.
Umm id.Dj£mal,
114-B.
Um711idj-Dji1llal,
West CI",rc!" Facade from
114'C,
Uuun ;"dj.Djimal,
111est C/mrcll,
5.
II
lI6.
J.. Vest
C/lltrclt, Plan
117 tlte West I
View from
17
tlte Soutt: lIS
Uwm idj-Djimal, C/mrcll of Nuweriallos,
Plan and Sections lI9
Bosrii, Clt1Ird, NO.4,
Plan lI9
J7.
Bosrii,
Clmrclt
1 18.
Siuui],
ClIlt1'd', P ian
119.
tl-cll.rim, Church,
IZO.
ii- UbPr, Cltapet,
12 I.
Db- idj.Djuwcniz, Clmrc!t, Plan
12Z.
Zor'nl«, Clmrcl'
I
and Sections
No,
Plan
I,
[[9 120
Plan IZO Plait and Section 1Z1
of St. George, Plait,
Date:
123-A.
Zor'nl«, C/l1trcll
IZ3-B.
Zor'alt, Clsurcl: of St. George, Exterior
of St. George. Interior
1Z4.
Bosrii, Catltedral,
Date: 5'z A.D.,
5.
Bo~ra, Cathedral,
Sections, Restoration
[2
]22
5' 5 A.D.
3
12
looking Northeast from
123
the East
IZ4
PIa"
126
[z8
126.
DeY Simcall,
127.
Dlr Setii, Cilurcll,
Piau
128.
Dey Seta, Cilurc/t,
Exterior
129.
Del"
130.
B"rda/fl'i, South. CI"'re/', Plan
13°
Baulptsa.
'3°
I
3 I.
sus,
C/lurc/l
Churclt
Soutt:
of JIVest Monastery,
Facade from
slwwillg
Portal
s/toUJing Capitals
133.
"Arshiu, Cliurch,
[34-
ljass,
135.
!flrss, Soutlt CIt1l1'c!t, Interior
136.
8ass,
137.
Bii/fir!lii,
r 38.
Ktiirbis Hasan,
CIt1/.1'clt,Plan
139.
J(ltirbit
/:lasan,
Clturclt, E:i:terior from
140.
Dettes,
rlVest Cltttrclt,
141.
De{tes, East
14Z.
Dar If,£tii, CIt1we/' of St. Sergios,
143.
Da1' !{ita, IIC/turclt of tlte Trinity",
144.
KsMjbell,
145.
Bii/fir!'ii, East
Clutre/', 546 A.D.,
146.
Bii/fir!lii. East
Clutrclt, Fa,ade from
147.
Kili"bit
Clmrcl"
148.
Be{tJ'0' Clnwc!t, Exterior
149.
Be!,)'ij, Clt1wc!" Plan (after
SO.
and
Windoui
in Soutlt
Walt
Cltlt1'e/', Capital (after
13°
de Vogi")
131
of Apse
13 [
CIt1wc!" PIa"
Sonth: CIt7lrc!t, Exterior
looking
Southeast
132
from.
tlte Soutli
132
West CI"'rclt, 5°1 A.D.,
Cluwc!t,
Plan
133
and Elevation
[34 the Soutlt
135
Plan Portal
134 in Sout/t
I .., .-
r;Valt
J)
537 altd 567 A.D.,
Plan
Plan
Betti'!", Clmrclt,
Plau
137
136 Plan,
SectiOl's a"d Details
tlte West
Plan and Elevation, from
and Sections
136
West Cllurclt, Plan
Tedn.
1Z9 IZ9
C/mrc!t, Plan
Biin!p1sii, Sontl:
t
fiVes!
in Ruins
13z.
So"tl,
tlte
128
Exterior
/
tile East
de Vogilt)
585 A.D.
138 14° 139 14° 141 141
•
List of Illustrations
XVlI
'S r ,
s-s«,
1\2.
Djuwiilliyelt,
I53·
Slteklt
Slem!""
Cll1l1'clt, 602 A.D., Plan and Sections
144
'54·
Sitekit
Slem!m,
Cliurcli, Interior
143
155·
Ru'WNti"i, "Bizzos elml'c/t",
I56.
Ruwe{la, "Biseos
C/wn;/t', , Restorations
'46
157·
Burdj
C/tapel, Plall alld Elevations
147
158 .
Easr
'59·
Blt1,dj
I60.
Surlpmtyii,
16 r.
KefI'
162.
illfidjleyyii,
163.
De{"s,
164.
Dih' Seta, Bnptistery
165·
BiiI"I'-l.ta, Baptlster), of West Clturclt, Exterior
I66.
Dar
167.
Dsr Seta, BapdrterJI, Plan
168.
I{alCat Sim?w,
169.
Kerf'ii/zn,
170.
it-Anderin,
171.
Naiuii,
/
•
Nortlt
56! A.D.
Clmrclt, PIau.
Clmrc/t, Facade from
Id-Deriml,
tlte West, 554 A.D.
looklllg East, 602 A.D.
PLan
145
Iblz'su, eltapel, PLan and Sec/ions
[48
lj'edm', ellajJe/, Exterior frotu tlu So1ttkwest
150
Cftapet, Plan and Section
Fillslttlt,
150
Cltapel, PIau
15 I
Cltapel, E.1:terI01-from
Baptist,,),
of East
tlte Sontt:
I52
Clmrc/t, Exterior frons
Exterior
from
tlte West
the East
154 from
ttie Norttnuest
Baptister)',
"Catltedra!", HCatludraL",
Section [after
Piau
159
A.D.
160
TVest C/mrc/t, Plall
160
Clmrc/t, Plall
I61
Rqafalt,
175·
i!-T£,bii, Ol1t1'clt, Plall aud Sectioli, 583 A.D.
176.
FacN'tl, C/wnlt
'77·
Rq/ifalt,
178.
I[a.$1~ Ibn
llVardlm, C/wrclt,
179·
Jra.$1~Ibn
TtVardall, C/uwc/t, E.1:terior from
I80.
il-A1lder£ll,
18 r.
Re,afalt,
Central Cluwe/t, Plait
182.
Rqafalt,
Cmt,-al 0"'1'011, lltterlor
183.
Aleppo,
Clawclt of St. S,,-gios,
Plall (after Herzfeld)
of the A,'cltallge!s,
View from
162 164
Southeast,
Shozvhtg Ruins
Tile Alfartyrlon, Plait (afler Herzfeld) longitudinal
domed Chapel, Piau
Section tlte East
168 169 169
restored (after
"La Madrasa al-ijalawiYJ,alt",
Herzfeld)
Capitals
Clan-cit, Piau, Sections and Eltr"ations
Benfibil, House, Plan and Elevat£o1l
165
167
and Section
Lilttels
of Apse
'166
PART TWO
186.
157
and Section
174·
Arcuated
156
Piau, Nartlte% and Capitals
Cll1l1'c/t,Plan, 598/9
MS!labba!~,
155
de VogUe)
il-FlrdjeJt,
8 5.
154
155
173·
1
153
JPta, Baptistery of Clmrc/t of St. Paul and Moses, 515 (?) A.D.
172· All/'alla!."
184.
143
170 171
-'-Early Churches
xvnr Unun idj-Djimal,
187.
Masonry:
Churclt of il/[asecl,os, Plan and Elevation
Reflideh,
A.
Syria
In
House of polygonal Maso1lry.
B.
Umm idj-Djimftl,
Clltwclt of Julianos, 180
188.
Apse from tlce Soutlteast
18 I
Corbellillg Surlrallyii, Chapel, Exterior from tlte SOlltlt.
B.
Plans:
B.
A.
D.
Kasr
A.
iI_Mlldak/lk/lin,
$ab(tah, Ctiurct«;
Cllapel;
E.
CI'apel;
Der-idj-Djiiwlin"
Nortser» Dana, CltU1'c/t;
H.
Plans : J. Bii/fir/,ii, East Clmrcl'; Plans, L. j(okallayli, Clwyc/t;
I\L
"Ans,
Chapel; 1.
K.
Biilpir(,Ii, East Church, jJl/onldings along'East Wall
F.
Chll1'CIt;
c.
Khar/ib
Slums,
Brtid, SOllthwest Clmrcl,;
G.
CI,apel;
it-Andert».
'Uyli,I'l, Clturclus
Djuwau,ye/" CllIlrcl, l{.alb Lauseli, C/lllrclt;
N.
il-Auderin,
Clwrclus
of
193· 194.
55. Micltael and Gabriel Plans: o. Iral'at Sim'till, Baptistery
(after
de Vogit«),
P. ii-Anderi»,
Clwpel;
Q.
Kasr Ibn 1
Wal'dtill; 195.
Plaus :
Zor'nh,
R.
Mir'liyelt,
T.
CIl1l1'cI,of St. George
19
u. 1IIlidjleyyli, Cltapel;
Clmrcl,;
v . Fa'lttl, "CllIlrcl' of tlu Arckongets'",
w. Aleppo, Cathedl-al Kfir,
Clmrcl':
A.
Interior of Apse;
TJlpes of lo1tgitudiua!
Systems:
B.
Exterior
Simklzar, Plan
A.
194
of Apse and
Section;
B.
Brad,
Nortli
CIW1'c/t, Plan
and Section
Types of Arctte s Bli~(.irllii, East
Clmrc/t, Facade
200.
Slti'kIt Sli!mlin, Clmrclt of St. Mary,
201.
Truss, Brad,
202.
Sm'copllagus
203·
em'nice, 1f.alb Laueelt
204·
Blitlt/ii, Cltapel, Porch
205·
il~Allder£1L, Smtih
C/lllrc/t, Section
206.
Um1Jl idj-Djimal,
N01'til Ciltl1'c1t, Plan
Convent, Pediment
Facade
of Porch 200
Cove?' at DjUWlill£,elt 200
207.
Oil
201
South Side
Umm idj-Dji11lAI, Double Clmrclt,
202
and Section
Plan
and Section
208.
R1t'ltJe~tii, "Bizzos
CilurcJt", with
209.
it-A1lderiu,
Clturelt, witlt
210.
Kltirbit il-Klwlfb,
211.
Burdj f:lEdar, West Clmrclt alld Chapel
2 r 2.
Cibo1'iUlIl, Zerzita
2r
3.
214. 2
[5.
Soutlt
Baptistery,
Peribolos Peribolos
532/3
A.D.
2°4 204 208 209 210 210 212 212
Ciborilt1Jl, it· Tlibli Chapel witlt Bema, B'l1'dj f:lMar
213
Kerrlit£ll,
21
Soutlt
Clmrc/l, Plau
5
215
216.
Exedra,
217.
Parapet of ClLOir, Zebed
216
COlJl11lbioll UlIl1Jl
217
2
[8.
219.
lVlirCAyelt
1
idj-DjimAI
il-UlIltii'iyelt, CllIl1'clt of St. Geot'ge and St. Jolm, Plall alld COlYlilbioll
217
List of Illustrations
XIX
220. Ksedjbelt, West Clmrclt, Plan, Sections and ColymbiolZ 221.
Cornice of Tomb, BiibltUii
222.
Trapezoidai
.217 .219
Doorcaps
219
223. Lintel, Bii'ftdelt, Cluirct«, 392 A.D.
220
224. Piercap, Burdj Htda», East C/mrclt
220
225.
East Dooruray in Sontl: Wall, KsMjbelt, East C/t1wclt
2Z1
226.
DOO1~way showing
221
CUJjJs,
Siifayii
227. Piercap, Kasr lblisfi, West C/mrclt
222
228. Exterior
222
Mouldillgs, Biisilfan, Clmrclt of St. Ptiocas, 49 I/2 A.D.
Ba¥irlta, West C/wrc/l Kltirbit Testn, 585 A.D.; z. Zerzitii,
229.
Incised lli/ouidings aud Pilasters,
230.
1I1f01lldiugs: B.
231. lI10d,lIiou Cornices:
A.
;rat'at Sim'cm;
and Baptistel~Y from
Northeast
500 A.D.
223
l{.alb Laneeli (after de Vogiil)
B.
222
223
232. Base Moulding, Dcw !{.itii, Clmrcll of ttte Trinity
223
233. String Course, Klth'bit Trsi», 585 A.D.
223
234.
Windours :
A.
234.
J;Viudows:
C. Basltaki'tll, House J'D.
234-
Windows:
E.
235.
Baslnnishli, House;
RuwNlii,
B.
if-Bar-all,
Sontl: Wall of Norti: Clmrc/t
224
Tomb
225
Dcw J!itli, Sontlt Wall of South. C/t1wcl,;
F.
l{.al'at Sim'i'm, Northeast Corner of
No,·tlurn Basilica of ClI1Wc/lof St. Simeon Stylites
.226
TIVi1ldoUJ,Bl'Ad, Sondnoes: C/turclt
227
Brad, Sounuest
227
236.
Doorway,
237.
Lintels:
A.
CllU1'clt
KIli"bit Tedlt, 585 A.D.;
B.
Easr il-Bmlll;
c. Dlir ;ritii, 462 A.D.
227
Pnluinated lJlloulding,Biibi,/;ii, 480 A.D.
228
239·
Apse Arch, Bii/'ir/tii, East Clmrclt, 546 A.D.
228
240.
Doorway, Biibis/eii,Baptistery of tile East Clwrcll, (Pltotograpltfrom
241•
Mouldillg DecO/'atioll,Dar l{.ilc!, West Doorway of Clmrclt of St. Sergios
229
242•
Cusps,
23°
243·
T,-apezoidal Lintel, KI,il'bit {-fasan, 507 A.D.
231
244·
rtf/est Doorwa)',
231
245·
T),pes of Disks I.
Elltrance
a Cast)
228
to Villa at Ruwe[tii
Biibis{ea, C/turclt
Del' Sha.
2. De,- Seta.
of St. Sergios
232
Kfel' KiM.
22. Silja)'a.
8. Biilll!ll.sa.
IS·
9· Biill!fll.sii.
16. !(iJ!callaj!ii.
23- Kltirbit il-IOta{zb.
3· Db' Shii.
10.
Der Shii.
17· De/us.
24· J!alb Lauzelt.
4· Kjer.
II.
K/lirbit ijasall.
18. Dauwar.
25·
5· Db~Setii.
12. B anl!ttS ii.
19· Biillkl1.sli.
26. il·Bara/t.
6. Kokanllyii.
13· Db- Shii.
20.
Ballakf,l,'.
7· K!lirbit ./:fasall.
14· KiJkalIllyii.
2I.
CA1'sltin .
Kjer.
246.
Lintd, Palace of l{.a,r Ibn Wardan, 564 A.D.
233
247·
Illcised lIlfoltldiug,Nawii, 598/9 A.D.
233
248.
Lilt/el, Kerratin, HOllse,477/8
234
249·
Lintel,
!(e1'1'at£ll, House
A.D.
234
Early Churches m Syria
xx
234
Lintel zuitl: Grapeville, il-AlIderlll, Cfl1,,"cltNo. 9
250.
Lintel, it-Ubtr, 1I10I/asl"'y
235
Base of Colmlt1'
235
Coil",,,,, Brad, Calltedral Doric Capitals: A. Burd] Hbdar , Wesl Clnircl«,
253· 254·
234
2
B_ Bii',1delt, 39
236
A.D.
255·
Tuscan Capila!s
256.
Ionic Capila!s: A. Kefr Nabo; B. Bii'11dell, 392 A.D. CorinlMall Capilals: A. Dar J[ilii, Cfl1wcllof 51. Paul and Moses, 418 A.D.;
236 236 B. Kasr i!·BeIlal, Convent
237
257·
Corinlltian Capila!s
258.
Corinlltian Capilal: Biil,il'(tii, East Cll1lrclt, 546 A,D.
259· 260.
Composite Capilal, KalOiii, 492 A.D.
261.
Brackets, Jr.a!'al Sim'iin [after de VogiU)
262.
Piercap, Dar J{.£lii,Cfl1wcltof tlte Trinity
263.
Piercap and COlll1l1llof Apse, Biisufiin. Cfl1lrcl, of 51, Phocas
~64·
Arcade, Mid!eyyii, Cfl1wcI,
265·
Co!UUt1l, 01lt1ll
266.
Capilals, Nawii, CI"'.1'CIt,598/9 A,D.
267.
Capilal, 1I11l'alla("Soutli Cfwrclt
268.
Piercap, Fa''''',
Cf",rcl, of lite Archangels, 526/7 A.D.
269.
Piercap,
Clltt1'c/t
239 239
239 239
With! 239
Nawa,
239
Piercap, Kasr Zebed UJlt1Jl is-Snrab, Church
Orders, Piercap,
Sab(talt,
of
ss.
Sergios and Bacchos, 489 A.D.
Double C/l1lrc/l
273'
Panel of Cfwncel, SlIr~anyii, Chapel
274·
Cltancel, Der Sambi!, Tomb [after de VogUe)
275·
Parapet, Sltekll S!eman, Cll1lrclt of 51. 1I1ary
276.
Cltancel Posl, 'Odjel,
243
277·
Panel of Chancel, Zebed, Basilica
243
278.
Chance! Post,
279·
Grittes of Window Tympana [after de VogiU)
244
280.
A,'clted Lillie!, Jr.asr il·A1l1dakltkltin
244
28
Plate
Tracery,
Dey Termani1/, (aftel' de VogUe)
282.
Plate
T,'acery.
U1Jtlll il-~llUhl
283.
!V[adoJlJlaand
284.
Madonna and Child, Lintel, Zebed, Easl Cll1lrcll
246
285.
Chancel Post,
246
286.
LinteL, jCdjaz
246
287.
Cm'ved Slab, I'djaiyi.
.247
288.
iI/osaie,
I.
!(!t£,'bit
Um11l idj-Djimiil
C/tild, Lintel at Klta1la.{ir
~tt1lblts
f:lass,
C/Uf1'clt.
243
244 246
,247
EARLY
CHURCHES
IN SYRIA
.
r
PbS
z'"
EARLY CHURCHES IN SYRIA CHAPTER SYRIA: THE MONUMENTS THE
2.
COUNTRY:
3. HISTORICAL
I
Thas long
been known that
more
greater
preserves
ancient
buildings
number,
any other
perhaps,
part
Syria,
the birthplace
a great of the
than
number early
the
volcanic
east
of the
country
for
conceded.
constructed parts
at least turies
determine, work down
the
into
the
additions.
buildings
Egypt,
little
but in Syria
and Arabia
empire
most
centuries,
examples
not
thrived
of church
Christianity,
and,
is one of the
but
of Palestina,
that
early churches; and
populated.
Church
the
there
or
in Nort-
earliest
in the seventh condition
of a
to look for the first of
basilica
at
churches
of the age of
to Judea,
Bethlehem
or to any part
we must look for the best preserved
for Christian
influence
in these ancient Holy
But
in the deserted
of the
that are earlier
in the cradle-land
the
were
regions though
forms
-
Land
has
abodes ever
of Christiabeen
mountain
thickly
country
to
the city in which the followers
first called Christians, Apostolic
has never ceased
Age made
and where the one of its earliest
are may
of Christian
origin
Constantine.
But
century been
by
here
second and
The
to the
the
almost was
about
the
fifth century
architecture,
churches
of Syria
Christian
in the
combined
elaborated of
old ones,
a place
One
architects
of the degree
a remarkable from
the
Capital
of
individual
and vigorous
style grew and progressed until abruptly early 'years of the seventh century.
cut off in the
There western,
This
might
of the art of architecture
showing
empire.
that
of distinction
architecture.
influence
of any
these
enrichment
fifth and sixth centuries, Byzantine
of'the
in a great
of independence the
to have
and imposing
ushered
by these Syrian
about
of
fourth
middle
the sixth century
say that a renaissance
bronght
reign
the
it seems
itself in large
principles
of
the of
inconspicuously quarter
fresh
history
in these
in which new and rich elements.
appear;
new forms of church gave
antedate
beginning
appeared
the
introduced
original
monuments
that the
era of church building,
and
their
of inscriptions
and buildings
it had expanded
of decoration
a
is necessary
of the Church,
with
places of worship.
so perfect
than the Peace
well e~tablished,
century
to
evidence
ruins,
be both inscriptions
Cristianity
monuments,
in
there
fifth and
complete
of them
Christian
Jordan,
Gilead,
fourth,
in
many
direct
forms
well
but
restoration no
in
architecture
it is not
the east of Antioch, of Christ
the
unnatur~
indeed,
to be in operation nity,
in
most important
Constantine;
early
for a detailed
of the
them
and in
beyond
and
that no conjecture
there
ancient
the
destroyed,
of preservation
shows,
without change;
during
partly
of
that lies
desert,
wastes
of Ammon
some
cen-
there are large districts where
were deserted
seem
more
others state
Syrian
of churches
centuries,
the
to a greater
the
to alteration;
century, and have remained wilderness ever since. It would
of
are still hundreds sixth
of country
the
and barren
So far as
Minor, where
most ancient
hills
mountains
estate.
the early
PEOPLE
stretch and
to
was continued
has been preserved
communities
Christian
In Asia
been subjected
hern Africa, Christian
between
have been changed
In
have
original
great
Orontes
or
it is difficult
their
Middle Ages, the
building
extent.
succeeding
that
to distinguish
later
that were
times rebuilt,
during
what
of the Byzantine
of church less
and
will be
in Rome, and other
growth,
certainty,
were,
the power
buildings
worship
and repaired, Church's
with
and
years,
have been so many
altered
of the
actually
The ancient
for Christian
of Europe,
hundred
4. THE
in the the
a
to the fact that Syria has not been a Christian
generally
-,
between
in
this is due, in large
SURVEY:
SURVEY
Church,
measure,
thirteen
CONSIDERATIONS:
homes
of the
INTRODUCTORY
I.
has been' preserved
of the worlel. That
nearly
PEOPLE:
INTRODUCTORY
i.
of Christianity,
AND THE
I
was no era in the architectural as opposed to the far-eastern,
the Roman
period
of the second century
of the
building
twelfth,
that produced
comparable
history of the world, between
art
to those
in northern monuments of Syria
and the revival
Europe
during
the
of stone architecture
between
the fourth and
•
Early Churches
Syria
111
4
forms
of the basilical
the seventh centuries. Even the greater monuments of the Byzantine style, stripped of their coloured
types
of central
as to
the
marbles
as won-
the
derful achievements of engineering skill, with much grandeur of interior scale, but with no charm of exterior
had
effect. The yrian churches, while they may have boasted of mosaics and wall paintings, were not depend-
forms
ent,
and their
as
the
superficial
mosaics,
Byzantine
would stand
churches
adornments
only
were,
for beaut)'
upon
of effect,
in
of purely
a simple,
architectural
truthful
and
ornament, beautiful
vault
and
various
place,
which
in Syria, developed
simple
forms, through
structure
various stages of growth, articulated, producing
A. SOUTHERN
T
churches
the the
of its
in
SYRIA,
which
discussed
the
is not the Syria ordinarily
of several regions wholly,
of
the
are situated
known to travellers,-
in the interior
or in part,
for centuries.
desert
These
which
but consists have become
and practically
regions embrace
uninhabited
a territory
much
larger than those sections of Syria which are still densely inhabited. Some of them, indeed, still remain to be thoroughly they
explored.
were once fertile,
of a highly
There
thickly populated
developed
civilization.
either entirely deserted,
-
primitive
state
preserved
exactly
and condition
are
inhabited
SYRIA,
years.
formed the
eastward the
again
Jordan
flows
western,
coastal
discoverer called
the country
the
however, east
restricted to
the
caused
the
country.
is. to be
The which
inhabited
was
SOUTHERN
reach
was
in which our churches
lie are
SYRIA
the eastern
boundary
the
how
Arabia
lies whole
and
this
of the art of that
in ancient parts
the
times,
by
Arabs,
the
mountains
valley of Jordan,
of Ammon
and
base of those hills, now known
All
natural
usage,
one must traverse
cross the deep
desert
great
third
to remember most
so
lies well
the
in the study
the
dis-
lie too far
as
(Provincia Arabia)
far, but
of the
In modern
called
this region
of Palestine,
the
present
One of our regions
for
the
regions,
for us to employ
far to the north,
pass over the mountains marked off from the others by
strip
is important
region
it is today.
materials
It
southern
To
that M. de Vague,
districts
much confusion
up of the regions are
unless some element
which
north and south;. is known as Syria,
has
by
of the
wonders of these
of the central
and
exclusion
include
to the east of the latter.
A.
this
"Syr ie Centrale."
a nomenclature.
country,
ranges,
line drawn
and the Orontes to
of Syria
south, another
the gradual drying buildings in these
to the number
tracts
ranges which parallel
boundary
owing
not
east
that
more of than are
and Amanus
of the architectural
cussions, to
It was
the stony
the
by
SYRIA
which flows south,
north.
distinct physical- geographical and geological lines, as well as by distinctions of their architectural monuments. lie to
the architectural
and the Normans
of the inner
fertile country
each
of
One further surmises
i.e. the Lebanon
and the Djaulan,
j
of the
soon must have taken
by the series of mountain
coast,
Adjlun
in numher
evolution
anticipated
to
three
plans,
set, that a coalescence
principles
C. NORTHEASTERN
are making
taken into consideration. The principal regions
the
eventual result would have perpetuated Greek and fewer of the Roman elements
which
or of inferior
and
of the Lombards
and
inhabitants,
of poor construction
they
by nomads -, or communities, in a
in reverse proportion
of the
and the seat
Today
of civilization,
a last stand against country. The ancient
proof that
or perhaps sparsely
during a few weeks at a time occupied by small and scattered very
is every
feels,
of basilical
THE COUNTRY
majority
and Aleppo,
churches
spirit.
Palestine, the Lebanon and the coast towns, - nor yet that part of the interior of Syria which still boasts of large cities, like Damascus
in these
to a
B. NORTHERN
in these pages
if
and the' use of high arches,
would have
five hundred
speculate
found in the architecture which we call Romanesque, for these Syrian monuments preserve much of Hellenistic
various
2.
HE country
at least
of natural
steadily from comparatively
quite elaborately
buildings
only
lease of life. One
the development
dome in another
achievements
all wrought
initiated
of structures,
these
building materials. The church edifice, during the three centuries history
set
may
of this development,
a longer
of interior supports,
one
even
and,
use
in tracing
these
in their ruins, present examples of careful composition and design, both exterior and interior, adorned with a wealth
permitted
and most interesting
One
outcome
of architecture
been
however, in
buildings.
eventual
style
structure,
the region around
of il-Harrah. well
and then
Gilead.
extends
Damascus,
northward eastward
and southward,
beyond
the
From
as the Djebel
Wadi
to
we know il-'Akib,
a
The Country
III.
5
tributary of the brook Jabbok of the Old Testament. This territory embraces the group of volcanic hills
valleys,
and have destroyed
structures
in their
building
operations.
less and less thickly
tract
southward,
the
north.
Auranitis
ancient
within the The
formation
of black basalt,
of the
Djebel
of
the
formed
Hauran.
This hardest
with
was mostly region
is
--
of Bedawi n. are deserted,
fewer
building material
Arabs.
here. The
and
is inhabited
by
ward
has reduced
its
which
subsist
is
Empire,
bad government once
the
sites
collections
of sumptuous
rebellion
it offers
in its more
of many
richest
beautiful
of huts among which edifices
are still to be
a remnant of church architecture
mountains
and part of the Ledja
remains have been
or less by the Druses, a people and practically
on the remains of ancient
found
majoriy
the
parts of of the
architecture
independent,
fertility
who
in sequestered
region
churches extremity
the coast range Orontes.
and
of importance is situated and
nearly
as
to the
far
rugged
into
northeast
the Djebel Djebel extending northeast.
Riha
Barish.,
country, Djebel
almost
extends -
road. embracing
and
other
10
the river
This
-
Its eastern ancient
and
is entirely
a
four groups of hills;
and the Djebel
Halakah, the
nor-th-
of Antioch,
to Aleppo.
hills are composed
:l The intervening country between this region and Southern Syria, the country about Damascus thickly settled, and consequently contains few remains of ancient churches.
to the north of
"Afrin,
the Lake
in the south,
one beyond These
lies
the valley of the
by the line of the
Aleppo-Damascus moutain
of the at the
boundary
this region
as the Nahr
is marked
modern
and
at a point a little
flows westward
boundary
north,
to reach it one has only to cross
of the Amanus Epiplta'llia,
ancient
in our study
far to the
of Syria 3). Its western
Beginning
Hama,
(Syria Aragna)
SYRIA
near to the sea;
of the
for a century
in constant
and for this reason
other
one
Only
ruins
seen. Scarcely occupied
as
Plain
The
to wretched
the broken
sometimes
except
towns,
buildings,
j
The second
churches
of the Turkish
flourishing
South
Syria
of the
granaries settled
as the
as Southern
NORTHERN
i
quarters.
by wandering Ledja,
stone ever employed
districts
deserted
inhabited
and in the
which
This is now by far the most thickly settled
exam pies
towns (Ill. J.) in a territory
buildings which serve to illustrate the church of Arabia.
were
to the
in the midst
and
to in these chapters
three
proceeds
In the mountains
Syrian
the Hauran.
as one
a desert, Here,
extensive,
to the south is
vol-
wiJi be referred
of all the
tract
by the extinct
of building
for brevity,
of the ancient
he finds himself
of ancient
has long been
B.
or,
settled
part
but rather
The rolling
finally
tribes
by man in large architectural undertakings had great influence in determining architectural forms. This region Arabia,
until
of a large group that
entire
in the plain basalt was the only durable available.
closely
Trachouitis, and Provincia Arabia.
geological
canoes
rather
and
Roman
composed
It coincides
a great
own unskilled,
known the Djebel Haurau, and the rolling country to the south of it, en-Nukre, and il-Ledja, the great Java on
Taplii.
Gel/eral View in tile Djebel Hanritn. Ruins of
I.
and
Djebel
from
il-A'la, Sim'an,
southwest
to
wholly of limestone
the north
or
that city, is quite
Early Churches m Syria 6
from
of a beautiful texture
and quality. No better
Boms,
directly
stone for
northward
building purposes had ever been hewn. This region, which, in these chapters, will be known
I:Ta~~ and hills
to
as
east
this
Northern
Syria~ or simply
the North,
has few in-
Eiuessa, and to extend
ancient
from that
the Djebel the
deposit
line to include the Djebel
Shbet.
southeast
un broken
two low-lying
of Aleppo.
of basalt
groupS
Somewhere
of
to the
comes to an end;
for at
habitants, and these are confined to a small number of villages that have been erected among the ruins of
Isriyeh. a little to the southeast of the Djebel Shbet, and at Re~arah not far from the Euphrates, limestone,
ancient
or
towns.
There
is ample evidence,
however,
to
gypsum,
takes
its
place,
of Palmyra,
as
well
and
in the hills to the
prove that these barren wasted hills, now almost completel)' denuded of earth and vegetation, were
north
once covered with thin, but productive soil and supported b)' a large and prosperous population. A vast majority of the ancient sites arc entirely deserted, and have been in this condition for thirteen centuries.
which
The greater number
of the small population
are Arabic-
was not easily quarried,
speaking
In the Djebel il-A'ia
there are a
recourse was often had to the use of sun-dried brick. It will be found that some of the churches of this region
shepherds.
natural
in these ambition,
which
limestone hills are very poor and without and have wrought little changc in the
C.
causus, especially
NORTII
EASTERN
SYRIA
region of the
few.
Within
easy reach
west
there
pied
by miserably
boundary
is the
Its western
above , or It extends
eastern foot of the limestone hills described the line of the Aleppo-Damascus highway.
northward almost to Aleppo, eastward to the Euphrates, of its course,
of southeast-by-east,
flows in a general
and southward
into the
unexplored region above Palmyra, part of which may always have been a desert. The western part of this is underlaid
is known
with
black
basalt.
poor
settled
iI-cAla,
and seems to have
some
This
still boasts
been
occu-
of whom
a
well settled
scant
fer-
during
the
occupied by a wretched of the country to the north
east is absolutely deserted, and very few even of wandering Bedawin ever reach this desolate land.
The
country
has
not
been
been
the case of the limestone
is no lack of soil, but of means present port the
only desert existence
which explore
are
grass
of great
this wasted
and the desert-lined
soil,
hills to the
have
earth
of a
of
as has
, there
west·
the lack of rain and the absence
of irrigation, state. The
denuded
brought
seems and
depth, tract
the
region
and
able
to sup-
If it were
not for
dead
mosses.
few widely
scattered
it would between
be the
to its
wells,
all of
impossible limestone
to hills
Euphrates.
AND RACIAL
CONSIDERATIONS
Jews, the Hittites,
and
Syria
or another,
parts
are particularly
of Egyptians,
Phoenicians,
upon
of Syria The
on the
villages
Arabs,
Tis. unn~cessary" for our present purpose, to consider III detail the early history of those
concerned.
highway
of squalid
are
to exist upon a line drawn eastward
3. HISTORICAL
I
Its inhabitants
of the great
is a small number
of I:lama, called
and the
mostly
formation
North.
Middle Ages, and is sti\! peasantry. But aU the rest
country,
country
and
east
rolling
rolling
basalt
deep under ground,
(Ow/eidelle and Eltplt1'atellsis)
a gently
direction
be had. But the
fr0111earthquakes.
It is, so far as it is known,
part
to
in only
are said to be outlaws from the larger towns on the course of the highway. One small section, a plateau
grounds.
at this
rock, it was the
being
as the basalt
the eastern part of Northern Syria, and is to be regarded separately from the other northern region on geographical and geological, as well as architectural
which,
material
quality
of the architecture
a part, at least, of Ellpll1'ateusis. In these pages it will be known as Nortbeastern Syria, or the East, or
third region is [larger than either of the others, has been less thoroughly explored. It occupies
desert.
marblelike
the
parts of the country
is the underlying
building
tility, The and
In those
itself,
were constructed in large part of mud-bricks, and that this produced a distinct inferiority in the architecture. This third region embraces ancient ,C/lafcidence and
settlements of Turkmans and most part'in tents. The settlers
been pillaged for building materials; but ordinthe ancient architecture has suffered only from
natural
capital.
basalt
durable
condition of thc ancient towns, except in a few cases ill which larger villages have grown up in the vicinity of fertile valleys. In these cases the neighbouring ruins have arily
of that
lends so much to the beauty
of Zenobia's
few impoverished communities of Druses j in the middle part of the region, and in the hills to the northeast, one finds occasional Kurds, living for the
rock is limestone
as at Palmyra
with
early
which
history
we
of the
the
at one time
Assyrians,
as having
had
of other
peoples and the
and Persians, only
a very
who inhabited early may
distant
invasions be looked relation
to
Historical and Racial Considerations
fl!.
2.
Itt. 3.
General view itt tlte Djebel Baristza.
Ruins of Damoiir,
General view m zhe Djebel Simc/m. Ruins of Silllkltar.
7
Early Churches
8 the
development
period.
The
later,
one
architecture
of the
Christian
factor
in all these
early,
as in the
stages of Syria's
our
study
of the
However nationality, that
and
they
Semitic
may
since
the
shall
see,
had
had
dawn a
peopled
Christ, -
a rather
that a powerful and intruded into Syrian of Alexander
the
strong
to the foreign
south of it, element was
various
Syrian
nations
still
longer
Nabataeans
upon
the
kingdom
fourth
century
history, -
establishment
in Syria
in Egypt, introduced
and another
a new and vigorc:>Us into tile life 'of the
which
had a most
profound
upon their political, social and but upon their culture, language
maintained in the
small Semitic
independent
duration,
kingdoms
such ,as that
South,
and
organization more
of
of the Arabic
that
of
the
Jewish
readily with
the forms
yielding
pertained what
to of
the
of
purely
given
time
result
of colonization
armies blood But
was
the influence
For
the
along
population
which
be known
this
point;
are
indigenous,
coast,
and
had the
begun South
Edessa,
eventually
had
never
This
of Hellenistic South,
to Hellenize still
cities
apparently
as that
attempting
to
which came the part
result
being
in
of a conscious
of the
maintain
into
that
country
its
which
Semitisrn
and.
independence. Antioch, ~ new fo~ndati~n,'~a~ ~ pur-ely Hellenistic city, established in the midst of a country inhabited other
by Arameans
form
of Aramaic,
who
spoke
but
who
Syriac, had
no
or some national
The
many
elements
were
Greek
that
neighbours.
Maccabean
Hellenistic
of
manifestly rulers,
also shows the
process two
so
influence
kingdom
was
a long
one,
afterward.
conquest
in the North kingdom
of Syria
The
by
in all their
process
During
interference
cities this
the Hellenistic
which part
which
and
up in Syria outposts Among
to have of a later
in
the
the Nabataeans,
and
of Arabia,
under
this time
the e-arly Roman a number
forth
periods
of important
of Western the cities
a significant period,
it
j
of the Jews in 70 A.D.,
province
were the
were
province
of Rome
over
of the world.
architecture
of
early in the first century
by the final conquest
had grown
part
for five
and the conversion
the emperor Trajan, in 106 A.D. From all Syria was ruled from Rome. there
The
began with Pompey's a Roman
kingdom,
of the
history.
of Rome.
the better
B.c.
into
victory
which as they
were to endure
in 63
the
of the Idumean
West
of Syria
power
covering
of Syria
continued Christ,
politically
but its effects
centuries
after
from the peoples
conquering
world
centuries;
affairs
the
been unified
was the
formation
Decapolis,
culture. illustration
of their
appeared
to unify
the
to the
slowly
and the Semitic kingsdoms of once more to reassert their,
a new power
was
by
to the city of Antioch in the Greek cities which grew up
wery
is an that
Jewish
of
peculiar
strength, and a Semitic kingdom had established itself in :anawat.21
of Zeus
East
Church
Church
at Umm
Here the nave
(fit. 16), and
arrangement
the
~
,; ,
•
...
'"
10.40-
EA5TCHVRCH
aeo-
VMM IDJ-DJIMAL
'-"
H.
EB Ill. 16. 10
P. II,
A.
p. 435.
20
Lowrie. il10111111lt11Isof Ilu
Early
Clmrck, p.
126.
21
P. II,
A.
is
of the city gates.
7M
iiiI
This
of Masechos,
•
B
in a
is carried across
to an entrance
and its general arrangement,
A
and
of decoration
profile which
which
thus
little
blocks of very porous
is very plain,
the
reflecting
the prothesis
level.
of
which is not
This
hewn
and describes
were in two storeys,
all all one
interior
caps
moulding
of roughly
the west facade,
important
covered
The
lined
distant.
the portal,
sanctuary,
more
The side chambers
whole
or
was constructed
at is-Sanamen
miles
upon
communication
presbyteriulIl
of
at Tyche
thirty
an altar
chamber
the diaconicon, or vestry;
noted
the
the chamber gifts
in kind. 20 An exit,
it
has also an out-
because
than
basalt.
by
wall, it may be assumed
the prothesis,
like the temple more
and
with the apse
often
be
between
wider. The chamber
name is believed to have contained
which
have
space
CHVRCH
1!1. 15.
one
arches are retained,
directly
Since this
in the
DAMIT IHALYA
(1/1. IS). Here
At the east end, the apse arch is narrower,
the
to
by
type of church is to be
in the Ledja.
the side chambers correspondingly on
is shown
.stCTIONA-B·
of only' three bays. The transverse are
The
(Da1ltatlta).
10
the long nave is abandoned but
ornament.
of the porch
form of the same
seen at Damit
that that its curve
circle within the apse
is no interior
character
il- 'A/;,ij.
by a
the south side has an entrance
in its east end. There
D!cmit
2 I
lIt. 315.
22 P. Il, A. p- 179.
of
Early Churches in Syria
22
that
this
class
confined the
of
immediate
second
_I£t,_
Roman
period,
peculiar
plan
entrance, only
differs from that
i. e. the
in having
flank the
south end of the Temple
the doorways
rectangular
while those
of the
recess in the temple To the south
for
chambers
open beside
open directly
of this church
which
into the nave, the
is a group
of residential
with the nave by means buildings
of a
occupy
two
court, .the west side and the side
at Shakka
appears buildings
other
and
the
early
has
described
of seven
walls,
by one large
The
front
and
rear
ways, the side
and
is by a
divided
These
four small
and are connected
by narrow
longitudinal
arches.
by three
walls are pierced
walls
The
arches.
very close together floor
of this
above.Y
bays
transverse
ground
of the
discovered.
of transverse
pierced
the
to have
example
been
already
2-1-
consists
in
Moreover,
among
system
of Shakka,
rare and
mountains
5ha]::1:(8., in which
arrangement
door-
have no openings.
Tapta. The
rectangular
into the recess itself.
in the south wall. The
sides of an enclosed
the
no
of
quintuple
on the
of Zeus,
of the chambers
sanctuary
buildings communicating doorway
of the end opposite
kind
and
arches, are placed
Tafl.ta. C/mrclt. PIau [after de Vogite).
the east end
its
in the
was found.
"Basilica" of
nearly square,
Ill. 17.
area
prototype
century unique
"Basilica"
was extremely
limited
neighbourhood
place the Pagan been
structures
to a very
oldest also
church
at
of the nearly
portion
Tafha "
Christian
square,
than
it has
those
longitudinal
which
appears
progeny five
of the
connecting
of the
to be the "Basilica",
bays,
wider
"Basilica",
in pro·
but
has
(fli. 17). There
arches
is no
is but
adjoining the church. There are three large arched rooms
one doorway in the west wall though there is one in either side waIl,Vand the east end is pr-Ovided with a
one storey
shallow
high,
storeys, beside These
and six smaller together
with
a small monastery,
group again Another
in a chapter
building
the and
dealing
church,
probably
as the church
half of the double
This
of its class (Ill. 18).
is to
those
church
at
different
three-aisled system
class of building
of Southern
basilical
of supports,
in the Pagan form
church
were reproduced architecture
plan
which
WITH
TRANS-
by the
with the transverse
to
of the Hauran,
at Tafha
is represented which combine
The church
connected
as published
by
published
exploration
P. II, A. p. 128, Ill. 103. 20 S. C. PI. 17. u. c. 11, p. 408.
apse
has three
preserved
of the
still wider
in
dated
368, mentioned
The
at
church it also
prototype, the
IS.
east
but the conditions that thorough A distinct
Nimreh
has
toward
PI.
three apse.
which
doorways There
were
the Church
in an inscription
found at Shakka,
of the
s. C.
It has
the aisles. This is perhaps
over
of St. George,
changes
six bays
no galleries
and the drawings
24
at Shakka,
some
has
a semicircular
shape,
of the region has shown
shows
and
proportion.
this
Syria.
Vogue,
convent
and
by M. de Vogue of Southern
A.D.
at the west end,
of the
At one time be typical
M. de
[Namara},
again and again to illustrate the church
of the basalt country
best
with the
it is oblong,
j
Nz"lIlrelt,28
find their prototype
of Shakka.
was believed
But more extensive
23
Syria
ground and
"Basilica"
of church
Christian architecture of the
CHURCHES
OF SUPPORTS
churches
is the
This
(Saccaea), Convent," 368(?)
of proportion
THREE-AISLED
church
form.
windows.
Slta#a
with the monasteries.
aa
VERSE SVSTEM
A totally
of elliptical
buildings
are CLASS. 2.
apse
I shall refer to the
of the same type
be seen in the southern Khazirneh.
in two
a vestibule in the south wall of the court.
buildings,
composed
appartments
six and
in
much
appears
an apse
to
wider have
between
are such at this
examination
change
(111. 19) follows bays,
side end
the oblong than those terminated chambers;
of the church
is, for the time, impossible,
is noticeable
here,
not
only in the
25 Cf. p. 16.
According to Professor Butler's field notes, "There is an entrance at the West end ned one in the second other doorway in the side walls opens into the tower on the North side. This tower "bears little resemblance 27 S. C. PIs. 18; 22. 28 P. 11, A. p- 343.
bay of the South aisle". The to de vosue careful drawing". e-
r ~ iJ
Churches of Southern Syria
III. 18.
!a!!tii.
J fl. 19.
,Nimrelt.
Cll1Wc!I,
interior looking Nortlnuest.
Clturcll, interior looking
Hlest.
Early Churches in Syria
NIMREH·
CHVRCH'
A
--- A •
0
SE..CTlON
C-D Ill.
20.
was placed
~gainst,
superstructure. If the Section A-B in II!. 20 be compared with the corresponding Section of the "Basilica" (Ill.
temple,
tri-lobed
!O) or with
the south side
proportions
observed
of the ground
that
that
lower,
curch
aisle, and that
which
more pleasing
at Tafha,
span
the
proportions.
The
the
weight
were
designed
of the to carry
both
and
of
in this church
sixteen
half
hundred
of
years.
erected already
shows a church
within
a Pagan temple at Kanawat.
mentioned
it was prostyle, the entrance side
within
right angles five bays.
in these
pages,
and terminated
in a tri-Iobed
chambers.
erected
of this kind which was
The this
to that
apsis
30
the
and the beautiful
set out a whole ments
-
faced the north;
old
original
church:JI building.
An apse with side chambers,
perhaps by the arrangement ----------------
-
axis
was at
It had suggested
of the Pagan building
new
the
wall
was
wall of the
west
became
front
was
the line of the west wall up in large
Nabataean
building
part and
of fragwas very
the only beautiful west front in all the churSyria.
only
32
This church
is now a mass of
the west wall, described porch
In a complex Arab
of
remaining
modern
Pltilippopolis,
ancient
emperor
between
its major
north front
of the temple
The
beyond
but
to open upon
above, and
in good preservation.
Other Examples.
three-aisled
new three-aisled
portico
church.
bay
ches of Southern
evidence
rectangular
the new
wall of the up,
left
of the
It was made
of an
beautiful
i
east
walled
were
foundations
of the
the
was
of the nave
temple,
at the end opposite
(Ill. 8.), with of the
The temple,
apse
upon
a side porch
within,
chambers
erected
the Pagan north
The only other known examples of this ciass of church are not well-preserved. In one of his plans, 20
and
of its side
ruins within;
[Kanatlia}.
M. de Vogue
the
doorways
of the temple.
and roof which
yet more than
j
upper
when one considers
arches
them are in place after nearly Kanmuiu,
of the
it wiii be
are higher
supports
slender, especially
enormous
arches,
the aisles,
are exceedingly they
but in those
the side aisles are narrower in proportion
to the middle and
of the
plan,
supports.
Philip
of the
the
with
It is impossible
debris and modern of a similar
sort,
at CAttl :H, ancient in which this kind
Roman
to mark
former
churches
buildings
and similarly
built
of
one
transverse
to make
work which At/tela,
city
Shehba
his birthplace,
existence the
at
out
surround hidden,
by there
", the is
of these systems
of
its plan in the it. Evidence is to be found
not far from the other places
of Christian
building
has been found.
S. C. PI. 19. 30 Cf. p. 15. 31 A. II, p. 407. 32 A. II, p- 407. 33 Professor BUller makes no mention of this church in his other publications, but Brucnow, Die Provincia Arabia) III, p. 163, refers to a church which was built witbin the "Little Temple." 34 No mention is made of this temple in his other writin~s, but Brunnow, Die Provincia /!1"(lbia, HI) p. 106, lists it as among the ruins. 29
Churches of Northern Syria 4.
C
HURCH
basalt
architecture
and
niments
of the
to the
stretching
Christian
here,
little
if there
and
appreciation
plan
we
already
of churches,
discussed
by
tribute
proportions, bution
to
the relation
people, in these
of
treatment
of details,
themselves
masters
gination.
And
whichever
of abundant
many cases probably both of more
prominence
than
if we
are
to accept
There
are
about
names
of architects
The
term
were
sometimes
is mentioned
as having
The
oblong
of supports chambers ground chapels
these
number
plans
imain
of the South,
which mention
the
held
other
These
men
offices;
one
of being which
with a longitudinal apse
naves, in
between
side
the most universal
churches
found
system
of the fourth
in the region
but all of them appear Variety
minor
extent,
In the superstructures
in the a
was introduced
details, proportions
similar
placed
in strong
of Southern
Syria.
Ornamental
contrast
such as the of part
uniformity
or
in these Corinthian
orders combined are
not
fixed over
by
diversity
in the
local
details
masonry the
use of material,
and this was
of
regions
The
the
church
dated
this is dated tion of the
body
set in clay; and
in Northern
churches
but in all cases
earliest
which,
as earlier than decades.
These
middle
of the
perhaps
a Jittle
state.
Syria
There
church
which bears
region
Churches
and
convinces
to be built here,
which
are
still to be
are no less than seven may be reckoned
of Fafir t in by at least two
may be grouped
as dating
fourth
centnry;
some
earlier,
others later,
about
of them
than
the
being
the year 350.
BiiJdrf'tsii. Nortlt Clwrclt 3;'. The
deserted
Djebel
Barlsha,
ruin
near the middle
we have deliminated to
pre-
churches appearance
here,
of Banl$.usa
the
as Northern more northern
is situated
of the Syria.
in the
region which There are two
of which
of being among the oldest christian
has every buildings
35 A. II, p. 88. Early
of
a careful examina-
of the
for various reasons, the
in most
is one at Fafirtiu,
of those
seen in their ruined
and
with the arches finished stone.
in the year 372; but
the
polygonal
windows,
one that this was not the first church nor yet
of the walls
in others still, of small undressed
inscription
other
of stone care-
of double-faced
shapes
doorways
earliest
walls of the early
blocks
cases the entire east end, together the interior, were made of highly a definitely
to local conditions.
the
of ponderous
also finished;
frames
is also a slight
of a sort
stones of irregular
usages
are found well
we find that
In other
composed
different
but
in part at least,
regions
yet we find
There
region.
actual
were built
fnlly finished. was
practice,
the entire
due very probably, churches
structures,
in others. And these
scattered
In certain
early
small
of bays in the nave and the placing of entrances,
and to a certain part.
showed
for they were
the distinction
periods.
only
refined
Ionic
churches
are to be
to later
the
to one in the Snuth.
a semicircular
with undivided
belong
as
or builders,
rcWvlTl1Q.
plan of these Northern There
con-
such
of one of the churches
basilical type, and
which
of the inscriptions.
at the east end, furnished
century.
into
or had
buried in the sanctuary he designed.
afforded
architects
brothers
is usually
deacons,
we
there
appear to have been persons
in the North
employed
than
and the
ten inscriptions
in their ornament
are
in some examples,
of mouldings,
the evidence
of con-
and diversity
and two or three
architects,
their
instead
variety
in others,
to solids, the distri-
-
of the curve
throughout
the
of ground
of effect,
we choose to call them
or the true arch
the
were
skill and fertile
Northern
the
the Doric order employed
matters
ornament,
end,
pages
prototypes
beauty
with the churches
such as
east
part
is to be seen
they
is
are not profuse
perhaps because
the Northern
these
lintel
or permitting
however,
diversity
for the majority
in the North
of voids
carved
arcuated
the
to show on the exterior
in which respect
endeavor
In the matter
of masses, the employment
application
to
of artistic
but in all those
directly
at
of treatment,
have accomplished
variety in the Pagan
more
roofs
at hand was an important
seen in the South,
country;
of the apse
accompa-
again,
of less importance,
of the
cealing it by a flat wall. The great
find far less variety
the
to an extent
nave
lofty clear-
invariable
And
in any other part of the could
the
was
plan.
in details
of the
in architecture
had been no spirit
was a smaller
only
the arrangement
arcades,
work of local, native builders. have
presented
roofs are the
in the
hut this alone
churches
to the
for the arcades,
basilical
employment
at the time
among
lying
far away
timber
beautiful
world, The material
factor
of the
supports
of design and of construction
in the erection
unknown
than is that
In the hill country
and
every element
employed
stages,
of the South. Orontes,
contributes
of the
vails. Columnar storeys
northeast,
almost
country
SYRIA
of the North is far more beautiful to contemplate,
of the
that
in the limestone
OF NORTHERN
even in its earliest region
east
CHURCHES
25
in Syria. 4
Early Churches
26
Syria
111
.·.::0::0. :0: 0:: a.::u::·:-I~~
~ ~ .-.,,--
r t.
'.:0 .:0 'cu:.-c::::o:.:.rr..:.:"'iIl'=~
J II. 21.
in this entire
region. and
west
end
Unfortunately
about
one
end has entirely
collapsed
the slope,
the interior
leaves
only
arc enough 1 have the
much
j
of the north
'wall
Ill.
of the
of the arcades,
ear-ly
the east end,
churches
This seems among the
of the
after
region,
blocks
laid without
portals
reference
in the
south
There
a semi-
Syria,
except
small block
is inserted just
no exterior
in a single
ornament,
the westernmost profile
below
saving
doorway.
as that
instance
jambs
a moulded door-cap
This
of similar
details
the
nave
columns
on
debased about liar
was divided
either
form. The
intercolumniations
of lintel
structure
to the earlier Christian in
which
a block
semicircle of a true
cut in three
is
manifest this
of Christian
symbolism
in any
but
some
of the
fragments
of a chancel
than the church, as the chrism, In my
capitals
were
the cross, the
P.
n.
ll.
p. 114, Ill.
church 132.
out in the
of the churches 01 and all, save but the ruins
disturbed.
This church
is quite similar
to the church at Bankfisa
22).
arch
form,
in the nave.
The
apse is preserved
of the
half
dome.
original
erection
the a
effect
longer
shape
apse;
por-
to
fallen,
such
ordinary
37
south
The
later
a
may
the
toward
the
apse their
Note:
Not
as
are
its
at the
The
half columns published.
that
The
form was
was square until time
of the general connected
Here again the
The
side walls have
they east
responds with
changed
side of the
original
doorway.
show
after the
entirely north
is directly
state.
masonry.
formerly
the
chamber
ruined
long
which
a small
is important.
apse nine
that
chamber
remains
coursed
much that of the
assume
nave is a narrow bays
up to the springing
have
on
the south
by
the
seven" made
chamber
south
is in a sadly but
that
are
of the church,
alterations. church
except There
Alterations,
the
lengthened with ,
of
but one
similar
is no sign
I mentioned
brought
condition,
(Ill.
,symbols,
of ornament
by an inscription,
dilapidated
of well-
laid in regular and
one
proportions,
fish, and the wine vase.
of the
is dated
Not
is size and
have disappcared
Christian
district
as characteristic
uniformly
will be
follow.
the earlier
to the general
of limestone
little
rail, which may-be
show various
first publication
36 A. ll~ p. 95.
which
am.ong
conform
of construction which
which
in the
to be
pecu-
tions of the church, unless it be that there were cro~ses upon
churches
Serdjitla. ec
in a
of the structural
must be
of hills in Northern
are built
blocks
variations
have not been
of Northern
There
of
that
giving the
think,
Pagan
group
They
they
one, are in a much
six
the blocks, and then
arch set lipan the columns.
appear
details
descriptions
from centre to centre
stones,
but
a
was set upon each column,
was laid upon
was
and
architecture
and a long lintel stone extending of the columns
carried
period; The
The
I now
group
country.
quad rated
the
of the Ionic order
of which
of the
dressed,
in two neigh-
seven bays.
wide. The columns
combination
peculiar Syria,
side were
Christian metres
2
into
a converted
outlines of groll nd plans descri bed above
bouring ruins, dated, the one 349 and the other 352 A.D. The bases of the columns, which are still in situ, show that
most
of the
over
has almost exactly
suggestion,
interesting
courses.
There
been
the southernmost
are
in which
the lintel.
is an
churches
of huge qua-
their
this
Djebel Riha,
to coursing. There
wall;
but
have
Tlte Djebel R£(,a.
of all
side chambers (Ilt. 21).
The walls are composed
monolithic,
same
as having
it might
abandoned.
but these
the manner
that
building;
the
probable enough, for there are stones debris on the slope which once belonged
to a half dome. are two
possibility
This
side walls. and
for observation;
circular apse between rectangular
drated
lie in ruins.
to suggest a very early date for the church.
restored
Serdjilla. OI1I1'C",plan.
22.
of it has rolled down
arcades
the remainder
fallen details
~llO.tioO
it is ill-preserved.
third
are hewn out of the solid rock of a hillside. Its eastern and
-i::c-4@
North Ol1lrch, plall.
BliIlN/sa.
Its
0
~
were built of end
preserves
on either side
beautifully
carved
-----------~
Churches of Corinthian
caps
familiar was
with
which
good
carved
show
that
Classical
in the
models.
middle
set
impost
on
the
columns. little
moulding same
The
was
A small
cross
The
are of the same
of the half dome,
level
apse
projection.
architect
of each abacus.
of the arch piers of the apse as the
the
as
arch
the
capitals
had a moulded
'The doorway
of the
interior
columns
did
columns
at the
ends
a very
simple
profile
which
was
of the
half
archivolt
of
of the side chamber
is
century. not
of the
Tuscan
The
match
those
were
Here
the
upon
arches
storey
lintels
for they
are
of
which
which
windows
in form,
which are lying
half
as in Bankusa, blocks
The
rectangular
of the
but
stilted
of the
clear-
as may be seen
by
in the nave.
The
basilica
and
about
preserves three
of the springing
plan
is typical
its
west
Rlha.
wall, its north
of its
of the
east
end
half dome.
wall,
up to the
The
ground
(flt. 23). Its size and proportions
quite
like
the
gains
still more in length, relation
rum in the Djebel
quarters
level
the
cut
two foregoing,
of 5 to
except
so that
3· The
the
were rectangular
Ruwe(tfi, Solttlt The elder
that
are
the
its proportions
entrance
towns
of the
have
been
to the
churches reasons,
blocks,
their
but have little projection, ian in type; and The which after
are
be made
of the
of the
others
inclined
fact
are
to look
of antiquity,
have
a logical
give place
which capitals
to
of good
a number
responds,
type.
They
of the apse
capital. apse it. For
There
on
a third
once more
38 A.ll,
264).
(Ill.
other
form
compounded
p. 96.
nave two
west
was rock-hewn
above
west
and
north
like fourth century aisle,
which
39 A. III p. 99.
is
portal,
Midjleyya entrances
, and if any, was
indispensable
for the first
southern
the
(If!. 26).
preceding.
each
aisle.
there
original only
in the Syrian
because
of the fact that the church
versely
for
of
half of
in concerned
There
wall as usual, three
in Serdjilla
separation
fallen, leaving
innovations
in
certainly
_
wall, side chamber
of Bankusa where in the
is primitive for the reason
weil-preserved,
in the south one
when the In all other
of Ruweha
no important
and
that
it would be
columns
24) and all the
true
the
in churches
at a period
like
of this
Yet One is
because
so far as stonework
front
there
only
the north
bays,
not
arch as a sign
of the apse having
nine
was not
form.
is exceptionally
entrances
in the course,
has
arcades
of architecture.
Church
(Ill.
should
while the arches
in
upon
For
to be a little later
is the more evident
intact,
in the
arch appears,
history
The plan presents The
arched
district.
perhaps nave
forms and
arcade,
front
window
in stilted form. But in this place the upperwall cf the
west
the
set directly
half dome
panel carved
time the three-piece
The
the
that
it is found
building
the church (Ill. 25).
are
at the level of the
rectangular
semicircular
the north
much
only
South
the
it seems
might
than the other
mountain
Too
of construction
this
only
and the
same
which is
and ruined
accounts,
of true arches,
primitive
that
deserted
upon the three-piece
since
other
arch was being
hand,
modelled
Here again the impost
most blocks are banded and moulded architraves.
the
are cleverly
is placed
is a small
with a sunken
profile,
of ornamental
are beautifully
with the caps of the apse piers. moulding
Attic
to the capitals
are again half columns, a Classic
were set on high
and the Classic volutes
give variety of the
being
this
basilica are composed
have
and their capitals are Corinth-
leaves are uncut
caulicoli
devices
columns
bases
was appa-
in Ruweha,
of the
however,
the
plinth
there
Ril)a, on some
of them.
and
intercolumniations
m. wide. The dividing
windows
of the nave.
to be more ancient
from
either
nave north
Djebei
taken
enough,
2.07
and
over each arch
extensive
respects,
the
and with slight
clearstorey
of the two churches
one of the most
nave
bays;
The
Clturclt.30
time in the whole
nine
loophole windows
on the inside,
lintels.
as at Serdjilla,
chamber, which we shall call the prothesis in this case, is a three-piece arch and is still in place. The had
Clwrclt, plait.
shows narrow
splayed
in
rently one window
than deserted
Midjley),ii.
preserved,
high up, deeply curves
other
is another
23.
is completely
two
JJ£idjleJ'yii. ee This
Ill.
part of the semicircle
cubical
considerably.
were
their
plain
the
::·.U_-_-:U:::U-.-:IL·_·U.-.-_TI"_-_-n:::n:::
again the three-piece
which form the lower
raised
of
with an echinus
was used above the columns,
the blocks
capitals
arcades.
order,
recta ill profile.
is a eyma arch
fourth
27
caps
provided with a simple door-cap, the profile of which corresponds to door-caps definitely dated about the middle
[orthern Syria
the
This,
of
the west wall was only one plan, one.
while The
churches,
perhaps
was divided sexes,
in side
the
transmen
Early Churches
111. 24·
111
Syria
R'i",vel..ta. Sontl: clinrch, West facade .
•
lit. 25·
RuwNtii.
Sontl:
C/l7I.rclt, interior
looking
Soltt!i East.
Churches of Northern Syria :.::::O::.::O::::E.:::.D:.::O·::.::a:·:::a::::.a,::.:.'I
"""" ....
,J
~r
" ' ,
~
A
26.
Ill. occupying The
Rltwe{tfi. Sout/:
the eastern common
apparently
arrangement
early
in the
not considered
builders,
even
in some
~l"
"M
~
io! :
basilicas,
"i
,'.if! :~,o "
by the Syrian
as essential
larger churches,
~.
~
was
(Ii
~
not to have been required
The
nave
arcades
consist
arches
of nine voussoirs
storey
windows
over
each
are
arch,
windows
by ceremonial
of columns each,
not stilted.
rectangular
with
two
in the side aisle
and
in
the
are
double- pitched
roof of the
nave
way
through
This
may be a feature peculiar
for it is found in which the
and it is probable treated.
The
ceedingly
simple.
nave arcades than
loopholes.
The
right-lined
door-cap
of early fourth
to show that the
the three
western
portals
all the
of somewhat
more
wall.
one showing
a bevelled
to the early churches, basilicas
The chamber
on
up in two storeys,
that the north chamber was similarly
ornament
throughout
The capitals
the church
is ex-
of the columns
of the
are of the Doric order, of a Greek rather
a Roman
type,
for they
cltapel, plall.
The
in none of the later apsidal
of the apse was carried
have no astragal
and
interlaces
in flat
mental
discs carved door-caps;
suggestion
The
early
Riha.
The latter,
tirely
of ordinary
have
no
apparent
from
the
beauty
end or
of the other
caps
set
of the
colonnades,
form
existence effect.
in place
of responds,
on the impost
Outside of the details described above other ornament within the church. The
ornament
well balanced crowns and
the
all
of the exterior
cornice, the
in profile
consists
chiefly
walls, and is used
straight
portals
are
across
severely
for a number been
contrasts quad rated
plans,
Syria,
to those
as we have just
from
Sim'an,
are
polygonal
of two kinds;
In the matter
the differences
the most salient
difference
width of the arches of the nave reduction of the number of bays.
one,
the other,
set in clay, both
75 to 80 em. thick. where
are built en55 em. thick,
masonry,
field stones
a
of the Djebel
seen,
masonry,
which is present
are less con-
is in the increased and
the consequent.
of a which
for the two gables
the
two
pediments.
The
plain,
the
easternmost
having
Sz'mk/zar. This
half gables at the end of the aisles. It is also
drawn
of the ends discs gives a
except
of Northern
of undressed
being
spicuous,
is no
have orna-
these
of the Djebel
district
of interesting
of ground
profile.
a cyma recta,
of
symbolism,
a sort of double-faced kinds
moulding
there
number
composed
bracket
haif dome of the apse is of the simplest
none
while the walls of the former
east
columns
are simple
The impost
detract the
of engaged
there
level.
and At
lintels
crosses which might have after the church was built.
churches
Syrian type projecting on both sides in the of the axis of the arcade. These brackets for
three
with intricate
Tile Djebel Si1ll'1'11I.
a peculiar direction
general
All
the middle
carved
upon the flat surface
of Christian
the northernmost
reason
profile. But by door-caps
character.
fascia
but
of crudely incised added at any time
century
are dignified
decorative
relief.
of the
necking and the profile of the echinus is good. Three of the nine standing columns have brackets of 110
of the
Sim/;:/ulr. Clmrcll and
Ill. 27·
one
top of the east
the east end is preserved.
south
clear-
was carried
to a gable at the
SCALf;,
front.
mere
east end is sufficiently well-preserved
The
_ ....
1.dCM·1M·
true
are placed west
i
forms.
carrying
II
:r""
and .... ,,__
seems
E
, ,A'"
with three western Latin
of their
~
za.. :r
half and the women the western.
more symmetrical
portals,
CllIIrcll, plan.
t-
side a
40
church
is of the
long,
narrow
(Itt. 27). It has a small apse, and square
side-chambers,
lengthened
toward
the
but
that
east
after
basilical
originally on the
the
type
had two south
completion
was of
Early Churches
ru.
28.
1D
Syria
Simkhllr. Cltztrc/tat left and Cuaoe; at right.
..
Ill. 29-
Burdj J:liidar. vVest Omrclt, exterior f,'ollt tlte Southwest.
Churches of Northern Syria
Jlt. 30.
the
church,
and
an arch
X/tare'tb
was
placed
at the same time. This chamber with
the
nave
is ill reality
bay
apse
of both
which
of the arcades of the
ponds,
arcade
crown
of the
south
wall
is quite which
was
the
half dome
sixth
north three
standing.
with the res-
and only half
of
contrast to the chapel,
The south not
(1ft. 28). The
The whole structure
to the south
but
at this
wall. The west wall,
preserved
of small and
quadrated, and
are
and in strong
century.
composed
the
flat pilaster piers. There
remains in place.
added
side of the east end wall is double-faced
irregularly well
lintels are monolithic
shaped
finished.
The
and entirely
wall was built of field stones,
The rectangular by
enclosing
of the east end lip to the
and most
primitive
roughly The
apse,
walls. The opposite
in the south
is only partly
clearstorey
jambs
the
at the west, are rather
the south
in
from
are half co] Limns engaged
doorways
and
is taken lip by two walls
two projecting
are three
The
but the easternmost
on two sides. (11/. J97 A.). The responds
ends
the
at its entrance
is directly connected
seven-bayed,
forward
C/m1'C/t, exterior frons
of a narrow doorway.
nave arcades
project
bema end
by means
Sheins.
blocks door plain.
laid in clay.
windows of the c1earstorey are framed
long blocks set in the irregular masonry
of
31
tlte Norstnuest.
the c1earstorey
wall. The main arches
and are composed common impost
blocks with a double
and the voussoirs, order to carry
being
columns are short
and thick, and
cincture
at
a
building, constitute The
four panels
walls of the
of the
above
shaft.
interior
debased
The . mouldings
rail
of the- arcades,
of Christ, carve?
is the only the ruin.
bit
of Christian
the side
in debris, but
richness of design.
the middle of the westernmost
ornament,
between
hidden
devoid of ornament.
of
than the original
The exterior
There are no traces
even of the usual cornice. A six-armed the monogram
type
a) well turned
constructional
are almost
the show considerable was practically
necking
of a chancel
bema
a pronounced
arc of a very
with the capitals
only
the aisle. The
have
which may be later
together the
them, project out
scrolls. These, and the single Doric
tall
the .top
the apse arch,
j
the impost in
are Ionic, all but one which is
capitals
with small billet-like have
bevel at the top
than
on the side toward
capitals
Doric. The Ionic capital,
thicker
the thick wall above
beyond the imposts entasis. Their
are not stilted
of seven voussoh-s which spring from
cross forming
in very low relief in portal
in the side aisle,
symbolism
visible
in
Early Churches
32
In
Syria
...-----:--:-:-:--:-:-"""-:-
...... I OM'
SCALE. , .50CM-lM·
D
A,-J,t.*~..~..... _~~f~=;r~' B
"~r ~ f
l·!O
M>:
"
'sE.CTIONA-B
~ C-
---=.~-:--10M· 'sCALE.
.5:E-CTION C-D' 3 t.
Ill.
!Ota1'ab Slunns,
Burdj ijfdm-. West CllUrclt." This church,
of the few churches arcades; were
made
have
entirely
Sirn'an, is introduced
of uniformity
of style.
which preserves
but it preserves of ordinary
field
It is one
both of its nave
else (Ill. 29). The walls
little
disintegrated.
and sections.
The arches
also in the Djebel
here as an example
Church, plan
stones The
laid in clay
and
details in cut stone
are composed
which on either
two of
side are shared with the other arches.
They are not stilted. in the midst
voussoirs,
of eleven
The two south
of their dismembered
simple door-cap, .the eastern a more elaborate
portals stand erect walls,
each has a
one of which
has rather
profile than the other,
similar to door-caps
though both are
which are dated in the fourth century.
are the nave arcade, the apse, the jambs of the aisle portals The
and
plan
the
frames
was greatly
of the altered
clearstorey
at the southeast
when
the prothesis was rebuilt (Ill. 2(1); but the rest of the
original
shape,
would
be
classed
angle
and greatly extended church remains in its
so far as plan is concerned.
aisles are disproportionately
windows.
wide,
The
}OU/1'"bSlums. This church
4'
is one of the best
edifices in Northern
Syria.
built
laid in clay,
of field stone
side
half dome
of the
so that the church
tree which
has grown
among the later structures
if there
wise
the
building
were not so many other features
that confirm an early
roofs (Ill. 30). The
date. The
are divided
These are divided
columns 41
six bays of the nave of
P. 11,
IJ.
excellent
proportions
p. 288, llf. 31 I.
by Doric
and careful
finish.
but one are Ionic,
preserved
Its side
walls,
have
apse has been
religious
which were
fallen, and the
wrecked
by an oak
up within the sanctuary
is almost
intact
nave has only by arcades
but
other.
for its timber
five bays (Ill. 31).
in which
the exception
j
being
all the columns Corinthian
in
Churches of Northern Syria
FAfIRTIN· CHVRCH· DATE: AVG'372AD-
D
E,CTION A-B'
j
I' I
B
rJf!iC· IIU
"
".7
DETAILS'
SCALE,: .20' CM-1M-
1Il. 32. general
form.
stilted
on cubical
dows above by three those
The
impost
are broad blocks.
the north aisle are rectangular
in the fifth century.
south
portal
and that
plain;
higher
of Kharab
arcuated
Shems
in the ends
windows the
It is interesting
in its proportions,
windows
windows
facade
is much narrower
Churches
and
of the aisles. It has three
of Ruwehn
in Syria.
pre-
it has but one portal,
on the level
on the clearstorey
which
to compare
of the arches is blank,
level,
within,
two arcuated:
in place of rectan43
Early
west
This church,
thus far in this chapter,
west facades,
the two. That
where
openings,
and a small square
has three
in its pediment,
arcuated
is still in place, of
and lintels
but the
gular
two rectangles
arch, instead
windows.
mouldings
The
The
over the
the other church
opposite
and all, above
of at the extreme
as is the case at Ruweha.
window
where
east
pediment the chancel
end of the church
half dome of the apse
by a lean-to roof, the side chambers, of the aisle roofs.
was covered continuations
by
at Ruweha, are the only buildings in Northern
their
much
and framed
The jambs
portals are severely
mentioned
serve
win-
as the result
was provided with frame mouldings.
Syria,
being
The c1earstorey
on the other side are arcuated,
of the
and high,
monoliths set in walls of irregular construction;
restorations
and
arches
Fafirtin. 372 A.D." This
brings
in Northern Sim'an.
us to the earliest
Syria,
The apse
parts
are Jying
hillside.
in the heart
here is perfectly
rest of the church the north
situated
of the dated
has been thrown
as they
nave
down,
fell. PracticalIy
had seven bays
of the Djebel
preserved;
wall was cut out of the natural
The
churches all the
but alI its
the whole of rock of the
(III. 32), one portal
-----------------P. II, B. p. 327, Ill. 370. 5
Early Churches in Syria
34 at the was
west
end and two in the south aisle. The
flanked
from
the
aisles
chamber The
by square through
having
exterior
between
side
narrow
also an outer
curve of the
the
chambers
side
doorways.
doorway
apse
chambers,
of two
but
mouldings,
These
capitals
graceful,
having
a tall necking
the
shaft.
The
are
responds
of delicate
cyma
apse
have
of Doric
peculiar
caps
Christian
is richly
variety
decorated
the astragal piers
profile,
outline
cap
while
the
carved
egg-and-dart.
with
The
consisting
of
2
The
of
the
order with
and
the
Biitfitii.
little
'century the
of four
plainness
the
regular
the keystone
cross.
The
doorways,
rectangular of
are treated
with a delicacy
of workmanship
that
the neighbourhood
kind. aisle
are
which
of design wanting have
interior,
I have not hesitated
in the
quarters
of the
lintel
in the churches described
Ionic
b
,
Northern courses
are
found
Syria.
to place all of them
drums
of this
building above
the apse
the
church that
are
in two
spared
churches
to
except in the
one general
large
its walls must have
been
Few
a height
built
nave
are
but
the
which
collapse.
of the columns.
rectangular jambs
in double-faced were perfectly
and
have
the two
comes the
a Tuscan
above
finally a four-
the
cincture.
moulded,
Corinthian
in at
capital
the same apparent
delicately
The
those of
design. The
its springing, are returned
giving outward
of Eafir tln. The arches of
those
wide
were
but
the east end is a next
echi nus,
Its mouldings
walls
side, At
then
necking
end presents
we see an effort
volutes,
capitals
like
east
time
variety,
drawn
The
with the
capitals one
comparatively
monolithic
the
are of a crude
effect.
nave,
of west wall are standing.
on
in the
and of
frames.
the
balanced.
are
structure
window
first
alike
is slightly
remains a
the
these
piers
of large of over
to the fourth
wall
bays,
in the
to the
clear-storey
and
built
windows
are
and lintels.
set
The
polygonal plain.
are not stilted.
of quadrated
blocks,
in with heavy
aisle walls are partly
masonry.
The
doorways
The
it appears
of small
Bdid, Catlzed"al."
field
stone or even of mud-brick, for hardly any quadrated stones are to be seen . The plan ,ever, how . easi 'IY IS ~11ade out. The nave had seven bays and the proportIons of. 2 to 3. The apse connects directly with the north Side chamber, the east wall is sttais ht as usual Both side chambers are entered by door~vays. Ther~ are t wo d oorways In . the south aisle, but apparently no west portal. The capitals of the columns of the nave arcade seem to have been uniformly of the Ionic 44 P. II, n. pp. 293--299, 111. 323 -16 P. u, n. p . 3301 1//. 374.
the
five
responds
The
column
one, but
of
assigned
of
without
at the springing,
the lower
are composed
lengthwise.
standing
ground,
in the
of Pagan
of Kefr Nabo
apse
was a comparatively all
fragments
incorporated
split
was miraculously
that
In the church
of the wall of the
column metre
and then
the apse
windows were
and
arcade
For
recta All
a horseshoe now
arches,
and
its
it, and part
two
owing
be of
door
common
Ionic.
height
its
capital
apse arch
It is only
the
doorways
should
only
the
caps of the
Kef,. Nabo. J4
Only
apparently
of
sided
of
century.
echinus.
variety
with a cyma
above
of a very simple
south
no
were
Corinthian
bu ildins
into seven bays.
is Doric
plan.
are
sides
of the
the
great
There
were
the inscription of this
and
toward
and a refinement
been
and therefore earlier
The
bears
All the details
the date.
and
of the c1earstorey
of any
of the south
monuments
a disc embracing
exterior
windows
ornament
gives
is carved
is divided
of
has
On
has the
columns
grounds
above
doorway
temples
the
nave
of Classical
of much
nave
to 3 and
church
on
The
entabJatures
church, The
4G
clearstorey
These
ruined
foregoing.
of the
their descent
a cyrnatiurn.
the
straight frames
This
a
apse
as
proportions type
No other
churches.
of cut stone.
of
with
completely
type
at the spring of the arch showing
the
which
and
is another
same
are returned
a studded
east
recta
a
early
45
mouldings
in Syria.
devoid
no
above
proportioned
with mouldings
from the arcuated
and
ovolo
above
of
the
in these
be discovered.
apse
bands under outward
an
could
Here
to show had
common
Biis!tal1wa.
south.
apse
pilaster
mouldings piers
on the
the
well
are
south
nave arcade are of a echinus of the capital -
cavetto.
the
most
ornament
entered
is permitted
windows. The columns of the Doric or a Tuscan type, the consisting
both
type
apse
45 47
P. II, P. If,
The
great
"cathedral"
church because
at Brad is here it is the
referred to as a
largest
church
in the
entire
region of Northern Syria and is situated in the laraest ruined to hi .. b wn, W rch was perhaps originally Barade . Tile C h urc h IS i in an almost completely ruined . stat~. Only the
apse
the lower end,
and
11.
eastern the
COurses
only
is s.::'ndin~. 11.
the
piers,
of the
the But
of the nave arcades,
of
the
apse
are
side
chambers
and
in place at the east
lower
storey
of the western facade
all the
details
are
rr: 365. p. 305, Ills, 337~339.
p. 325,
responds
walls
lying
as they fell
Churches of Northern Syria at
the
time
difficult
of some great
earthquake,
to draw a restoration
The nave has the proportions 36 m. long and 22 m. wide. wide
bays.
doorways way caps and with
The
leading
east
the
of the
eastern
those
end
into the
between
apse
regular
in plan,
side chambers
and
are delicately
exactly
like
those
elsewhere;
inspired
The
that
for this reason,
fi!- ,~:
...
~,',:: : :
ti---
',
~4-
: : J.9~·
wt~- : :
I
;;
I
~ 1'·
IN.3C·lr83
r0 ..e 0 ------;;
R~.).o
but the middle
j
which was certainly
carry
a salient
sufficient
a large triple-arched and flanked
In
and its lintel
is
cornice
details to show opening
by engaged
divided
colonnettes.
~1 ,~--+~B
5.9~-
: : ase
a
:
~'~
;i
12 us
which
-.
i: ---111~
--.,.
and
at the ends of the
profile,
ruin preserves
was
aisle at its
portals
models (Ill. 34). It is framed
~
: ;' >
,
there
entrance
Classical
consoles
by colonnettes
,
'--~¥-~~~---:-+,
dignified
Above this the
in. the church
north
and of small importance
of good
by
the
western
The doorways
by Classical
flanked
carved
A
narthex.
mouldings
onto
are three
portal is a large,
moulded,
are of Doric type
was joined
There
aisles are plain
with
chamber.
which end.
colonnaded
and a door-
the north
responds
of Farfi rt in and not found
chapel east
of 3 to 5, (lIL. 33) it is It was divided into nine is
of the apse piers
egg-and-dart,
and it is not
of the whole structure.
35
l,tO
~ ,,~ ,:
::
iii , ,
---"-+'--+--!iiI ~
:" :
,~
I
U'J 1.60 .2-3
.----S.
~-~
r4.~,)-
BPlAD
-s.
'CATHEDRAL:'
10M
Ill, 33· among
others,
one need not hesitate
approximately arcades Doric echinus
the same date.
present carved
the necking arum leaves.
The capitals
a new design
in general
outline,
j
the upper
with
a heavy
with perpendicular being
decorated
to give this church
with
of thenave part
being
right-lined
or twisted
grooves,
eight erect,
plain
Bii'ude/t, Clmnlt There the
ruin
the
century,
of this
demolished at the
392 A.D.
4S
is a small
east
name,
This that end
give assurance
church
building
it is impossible j
that
the south and north sides were provided with distyle porches; but these may be later additions like the
There
it had an apse,
the side cham bel'S are common
still
to
Djebel
Bartsha,
be
at
from the end of is so completely
to determine
but fallen stones
debris. The proportions are only
which dates
little
To the south of the church was an oblong atrium, colonnaded on three sides. The two portals on both
from those
in the
its form
from a half dome and the walls of seen
beneath
the
of the nave are entirely changed in the churches
four bays, and the
of this century. nave is so wide as
......... -------------(z~---Early Churches
III . 34·
III. 35·
B7,ad. "Cathedral",
111
Syria
West Facade .
J(ltirbit Ijass. C/turc/t, interior looking towards apse.
Churches of Northern Syria with door-caps
37
which reproduce
profiles
to belong to the fourth century.
·.-.-.-a:::rr::.u::.U:::lJ:::U.::n::::a.-.-.:
prevails
in the
nave arcades
ends are half columns, The capitals
.::rr.::n:::u·.-.-:rr:::rr'-'-.u:.:n::.u:::
with
much
them
show
century. 111. 36. to give short
a nearly
naved
and sixth of the
centuries.
outline
were'
to the nave.
not
unusual
The interior
of the
ornament
columns
These
in the
fifth
here consists
of the nave arcades.
are in two varieties, so far as could be discovered;
one,
of Doric
with
fillets
other
form, having
interlaced
a crude
of the
Klth'bit
small
representation
south
consisting
a bevelled
about
doorways
echinus
symbolic
carved
discs;
the
of the Ionic capital.
is framed
One
and a Rat band.
piers
nine (111. 36). I could discover The
entrances
only one western portal.
to the side chambers
6.
T
HIS
great
tectural
productions
materials.
foothills rock
foothills
to
limestone
most
although limes tone
51
the
the' nave
arches on either
side, and the face
or
medium
Dattsen.
The church
at Dalloza,
is almost
wholly
at Serdjilla,
It lies northeast
the
ruined
in
52.
sixth
in which structure in the
ornament
were
the
buildings are composed, of the two materials, erected
] t will
exclusively
be observed, 82,
92.
III
the
basalt
of the lintels of
is dated
follows
region
373/4
A.D
were employed,
the
of the
methods east,
of the character
strip
in limestone.
basalt is the underlying only by excavating
later
converted
of stone.
into
rock, and
deep pits which
reservoirs
comparatively Usually
for water. few churches
only
the foundations
of the walls, and
the lower courses,
to the height
a meter
together
door
were
or less, supports
with the
the walls was built p. J33, fl/. lSI. P. If, n p. 24.
of basalt,
while
of sun-baked
the
brick
of
frames, the
and niches and, occasionally,
constructed
em-
while the
of the limestone
and is often executed
built
50 P. 11, u. 25
J;[ass.
century church
for one
church
usually
we discover
interior in
a fourth
'Ala,
In. this region entirely
at Khrrbit
both kinds of stone
partakes
often
and is the same
church
SYRIA.
churches ployed
the century
that
the
In
Hass
century
There was in all probability at Ruhaiyeh
surface,
were
of Khirbit
fourth
rolling
into
ruined.
51
smooth
penetrates
is also in the Djebel
dimensions it closely resembles the church but is without the pseudo-transepts.
In the middle
cases, at spots
which
and general
was to be quarried
in certain
will be described
plan
hills to the west.
in the neighbouring
down directly
50
was the
c. p. 100. Pis. 59, 6J, A. II, pp. A. 111 p. 94, ]~ig. 32.
S.
-
of available
was set the
of a fine mosaic pavement
directly in front of the apse which later in this volume.
basalt
part, of a mixture in basalt.
are remnants
RiI)., -
formation
buildings
effect its archi-
latter
of the apse arch were brought
upon this. There
that adjoining
In this strip the
some
off from the others
strip,
the
west, and,
into three Iongi,
strongly
was also available
region.
for the
through
underlying the
the
basalt
which
of the Djebel
Jimestone
where
marked
for the pur·
capitals of the
r\ch angle capitals
against
i
these
been
which terminated
mouldings
above
The
the
of the
have
of the half dome,
CHURCHES OF NORTHEASTERN
de divided,
1n the westernmost
natural
40
conditions
are both doorways
discussion,
strips, each
by geological
but
may
poses of architectural
tudinal
the
region
were
set beside
that
apse
in plan as the
it plain that there
decorations
any
moulding
by M. de Vogue. In the plan presented in La Syrie Centrale, the nave is shown as having six bays; but make
from
and are
of the fifth
of the
Db- Sambil.
measurements
twisted capitals
impost
This church (Ill. 35) takes us back to the Djebel Ril)a, and to a church published in a plan and a sketch
careful
and are carved
,
slightly
in this chapter.
were
Riha,
J:!ass. " (SI,insltara).
hitherto
at both
and Medyleyya.
of the
different
half columns
in good mouldings
of two fascias, a eyma
are
arrangement
quite
described
Clwrclt, pla».
.f/ass.
square
churches
capitals
These
KI,irbit
that
order
(Ill. 37);1 one or more of
of the wind-blown
The
are
and the responds
as at Serdjilla spirit
leaves
that are known
Corinthian
are all well proportioned Classical
the forerunners apse
The
the apse
main body
of
For this reason
Early Churches
111. 37.
most of the plans,
churches
which
mounds
are
J(!l;'·bit f:Iass. Cit/welt, fallen
arc to be studied
generally
well
stones
only in ground
marked
by disintegrated
formed
brick
out
in
the
and in fallen
structural details which were made of stone) and which are generally visible upon the surface, having fallen after
the
middle
mud
strip
buildings baked
walls that
had
constructed brick
that
small group
of a combination
of such
excellent
of later
of basalt
manufacture
tine period.
The
light colour,
appear
was
also
Euphrates,
with limestone of fine texture,
in the ruins
employed,
where
gypsum
seems
to
have
near
the
been
the
tectural
forms,
closely
allied
both
in structure
with
those
hills to the west and northwest, and
called
strip,
Syria.
systems of construction and loped which were peculiar fluenced basalt
in no region
in minor
district
were
Syria,
necessarily built
Syria,
hand
their
inferiors
being
of the
the
only
walls in a different stones
chips and clay;
Syria employed
whole
courses
of the
ground
plans
of the
respect; for the or
widely
and
over
for square
was
show
that
filled
men of the immediate
the masons
stonecutters
of bonding
difficulties
last, often
of these
introduction the
middle
supported
of a aisle
by
at
narrower provided
and
often
furnished
supports
enos
of central and
of this
res-ion "
greater basalt
which
, while
not so
fellow craftsthan their
northwest.
region
to the employment
depar-
plans
freedom and
with
will be
numerous
as their
to the west
plan,
which
of basilical
of plan
displayed
of the side aisles.
vaults,
place, type
of this northern incident
by columns.
features
architects
South,
Northern
proportioned
These
proper
neighbours
in both
aisles.
normal matter
with
which are
many
is the
of dorninical
the
confused
arches
in
across
a few churches
the
to be
carried
also
in
are usually
ordinarily
at the western
the
These
churches
arch
columnar
to tall piers
arches
narthex,
in their
the
support
to
churches buildings
way
broad
is evident
side
higher of their
several
give
towers
are
of
making
but
bay,
the
and
Christian
Northern
plan.
carrying
first
indication
versatile
square,
transverse
a sort of inner
some
arches
those
from
are
and are not
westernmost
arches
in the
which
and the
scheme
majority,
like
high
of
general
There
of the later
peculiarity
larger
but,
Syria,
and
of piers
the
piers
dr~S;d
of Euplt1~atelzs£s follow the
interior
in some nearly
much
the
North.
spaced,
northeastern doorways)
no wise from
nearly
Southern
the
In
of
most
churches
in
differ
lintels
latter
South.
basilical type
from
builders
the
the
the
use ~of
ponderous
construction
characterized
which
tures
.one available.
but) whereas
arches
discussed
builders
in thickness,
for
than
There
In the
manner
using
single
only
the same material
arches,
and
in the
of their
were content In their
hand,
employed
jambs skill
churches,
forms developing the
the
classes
Syria stones.
other
They
great
A
in the
on the left.
for
in better
bonding
the
excelled.
showed
more
stone,
developed
for instance,
faced) of two
in with broken of Southern
the
are
and influenced
and
where precisely
employed,
double
forms
on
stone,
found
But, in the broad
by the architectural
on the right
Southern
them
the
of wall construction,
of this
They
by
dressed
the rectangular
of decoration were deveto the district itself, in-
of Southern
details
so richly matter
way
single
not
limestone
was the only building
with occasional
of square,
which we have grouped
Northern
where basalt
in the
of Northeastern
supports
archi-
and in ornament,
developed
intervals
masons
in this
where rnud-
at Resafah,
chief, if not the only, budding material used. In this district of eastern Ellphl'atellsis the
middle
one
and gypsum. and beautiful
at Isriyeh
and
regular
voussoirs
so far as it has been
eastern strip,
explored, is provided These building stones
together
and
that
at
blocks
It is in this
capitals.
walls, the
builders
to assume that they were imported from famous brick~making centres of the Byzan-
is disposed one of the
brick
disintegrated.
we find
Syria
in
The
faced all the of a very hard
I
I
Churches of Northern Syria medium by;
that
those of Southern
nevertheless
Syria
they accomplished
solution
of their
problems
noticeable
in their
domestic
as well,
they
in
their
churches
and
which
were
practicable
at
hand.
nerally
in the
simple,
projecting
these
relief,
patterns
and
bring
even
earliest
and
bears
an inscription
son,
Arcadius
between
are
but
and jambs
relief
value
were
simple of
of door-
employed
to
of inscriptions. in Northeastern
of Theodosius and
- ..,
Designs
circles,
representations
lintels
in
geand
within
church
Caesar.
of the
devices
not unknown,
crude
upon
letters
dateable
clevermotives
with surface patterns.
out the decorative
The
much
surface carving;
are
such as crosses
forms appear
ways,
the Great
must
therefore
Syria and
be
his
dated
the years 383 and 395 after Christ. ea But there
is at least one church: others.
and
probably
which seem to belong
there
ru.
are several
to the earlier quarters
region, and ornamental details are not abundant enough to form a basi sf or classification according to date.
A. D. At the sixth side, a stone middle
rail,
aisle
chapter
Zebed. Basilica. 54 which may be regarded
in this
region
is a large basilica
It is one of those
in large
part
in the extensive
structures
of mud-brick.
The
lie in the centre
of a large
metrical
mounds
of clay which
monastic
buildings,
itself are traceable
the
of which
lower the
courses
bases
are
ruins of the building formed by sym-
rectangle
mark the remains The outlines
seen the tops
of many of the interior
columns.
the
about
360
situated
A. D.
a few
converted both
a native
bishop
Here
impossible found near
together,
a fine
to
the
below
its full diameter, chambers.
foundations
for these
the
The
and their
surface. bases
and
but it is not might
columns
are of almost
be
'stood
Classical
but no capitals were found, The columns carried
architraves
53
that
buried
profile.
protrudes
tomb
of a profile similar near by which
P. l ll , iu sc. rooe.
to the cap moulding is dated
in the year
of 337
54 A. III p. 301,
The in a
in Greek
inscription This
bishop
of Beroea, to
Edessa.
the
holy he
and
which
name,
is the church and
which
the famous
little
doubt,
about
Rabula and
one
referred
IV, p. 50.
Soon
after this, he
the
in 313 A.D.
to become
of
Rabma retired,
church,
church
in Syria
bishop
a
basilica of Zebed
inscription
of his gifts to the
one of the first to be erected of the Church"
he had, and
to which
The
by
all that
he became
that
to in the
the time of his conversion.
been
and by Acacius,
Kinnesrtn
until
probable
Clialcis,
Having
385, and baptized
poor.
near
to
been born
Roman
west.
sold
the
is known
having
the the
of the monastery
the throne
bishop
of Kinuesrlu,
remained
It is very
the
toward
to Christianity
Eusebius,
monk.
apse
no remains of side
throne".
in Kinnesrln,
miles
to a monastery
The
some
of this region,
retired
are
west.
described
interest.
OUf
It is significan t that
gave
each,
the
be
in Syria, at once suggests
two side aisles by two colonnades there
across the
Bishop of Edessa, (412 to 435 A ..D.), and the sixth century monk, Rabula, of the well known illuminated been
columns
toward
we find a Syriac
made
unique among the churches of the region (Ill. 38), the nave being divided into a very wide middle aisle and of fourteen
entirely
will
now claim
was very common
have
Its' plan is
turns
parapet
one panel
Gospels.
and
then
almost
its inscriptions,
i
"Rabula
of
of the
wh ich were of stone,
Upon says
of
in similar mounds, along
planly
of the walls,
ruins
which was built
all of mud-brick.
the church crests
as the earliest
with posts and panels like those
this
below
from the apse. on the north
extends
and of
some in Syriac, church
column
parapet
of a chancel decoration
The
Zebed. Basilica, plan.
38.
of
the century. The lack of uniformity in plan, however. makes it impossible to classify the earlier churches of this
of Zebed.
"IIIl
but,
j
the limitations
of incised
of grapevine
animal
showed
decorative
mouldings
were often carved
low
in
architecture
of decorative
within
These
nature
!/
in this field. This is parti-
skill in the invention
material
-
were hampered
much more in the
cularly ness
39
is. with made at
was probably after the "Peace
4°
••
e
.. I ., : ~b >,'~."'.7.---
1I'{SCI005
r
INS\ !007
°E
•
~ ...o-~
INS'lq09
I;~e;; '; k ,~o_-'-.;:..;;;J
.... _.M.·
.:I~
:
«.
IN~~~10
INSC'1008
, ',:lta, in 111. 50.
appears west
end
if not, they
j
rich, portal
probably
are the earliest
with a definite
date.
KsMjbe!t, East Clmrclt, S4 1I 4 A.D. In general
proportions,
lows the church those
in the
the church
at Bahiska
south
wall
j
j
bays, the east
wall is straight, entrance
of Ksedjbeh
its only nave
must
with the apse, and has a second,
transverse
been the prothesis,
which
arch, of the
and
are of four varities and
two on opposite
of the capitals
are
has only five
is directly
toward
a portal
baptistery
the west. The
(111. 47 B, C, 0, E,)
which apparently sides of the
are of the inverted
with
the east, a single
toward
columns
con-
arched opening
leads into a .srnall
protruding
interior
fol-
and the south chamber
which
apse
portals
upon the aisle. This chamber,
nected
capitals
have
and
but the
has an arched
form,
of Brad and
ornament
in the corresponding
Paul and
windows
to a rebuilding
moulded
ornament
aisle wall and to
west end. The
reproduced
moulded
belong
of basket
,Cathedral"
the
of Saint
to the south,
(111. 47), like
exterior
of a cast of which
The
with that church,
in the south
in the Church
a diminutive
abaci
it. The
a photograph
of the with
was familiar
in the south side is exceedingly
and was exactly
capitals carved
of
fallen east portal
The
cones
BiibisM. East C/l1lrclt, plait.
sible that the architect
which becomes
were placed two middle
aisle. Two
truncated
cone, or
82 A. Til, 66.
83 P. III, 1074. 1075. Euseblcs is named in another, undated son of Kyrillas was "the buyer and builder." not the architect. &! P. 11, D. p. 158. En tly Churches
,
nave,
unifofl!lly
in the
as the capital
dated
, but the north
of the
truncated
beneath
end
was permitted
in proportion
fifth century.
apparently
east
are those of the south side.
this gives
were
the same
ruinous
details taken
d, ,",
111. 46.
by means of an arch,
bearing
is wider
and
length in
vertical some
church
The only portals
churches
interior
within
is ill a sadly
(Ill. 46), the
bays
curve
temple,
middle
common
and the name
are situated
caps of which are moulded
Pagan
width
almost
I):ita.
discussion
had
to show
aisles
only
but its fallen details have not been disturbed.
resembleel
The
not
type,
All three churches
church
condition;
some
of an unique
of five miles from Dar
The
A. D.,
are
:9 ,~ ,, ''
,i ,i
as
418 A.D., and Kyrios Kasr il-Benar, for the inscriptions
, I
8
j
of Saint Paul and
in an
I,
or
is the same person Church
p ,
in stone.
the two forms employed
refer
tj
~ ~,
to
the same name
R: !
D
II , ,
in
o
iI
,
9
to father and son. It is possible that M. Kyris
perhaps
The
,
place
to have had difficulty
the ancients
and it is not impossible
town of Dar
the name of Eusebios,
inscribed,
and Eusebis
A hand-
of Kyrillas, as a builder,
SOil
names, in Greek
among
by,
near
8~
and as a «senator" (?). These
83
seem often
or having
that
389 A.D.
or shop,
inscriptions
A.D.,
The
after
dated
neighbouring with
Eusebios,
Syrians
educated
inscription
also was an architect.
lintel
mention
seeing
is mentioned
presbyter,
390 A.D."
the lintel of a house,
J.alb
was composed
than and
those of the it is probably
that
has caused
Only
a tower at the
towers, The
has been actually
"17
-
an iuterestinz an~
of an arched
and its east end shows apse,
however,
Ill.
was
5 .. C PIs. 130, 132-136.
A. II, p. 196.
Bii1t~i?,l'tSii. Soutlt Clmrc/t, capital (after de Vogi;;).
13 2.
218 S. C. PIs.
65,
its
of the south wall are
of the structure
chapter
Lauzeh
of
of the Djebel Rll!a
and a long stretch
the remainder
The
with a plate
the larzest of this b
was
of its details
window
columns.
21'
of Northern
to the angle
four window
in books
conforming
churches
its
the
of the west
of a cross.
The
whole,
parts
of
in La Syrie as
most
the
has served on the
Though
combination narthex
on
towers
those of Kalb Lauzeh.
a circular
basing
work.
northern assignment
in the
this church
j
but
of
is given
its nave is concerned, Ban~Qa
building
(fII. 98).
monasteries
usual
dates
of the apse wall instead of
Plain. This church has been made familiar of architecture through the plates of La
Syrie Centrale, which have in many
drawings
section
only a small
i
a quarry
the Sermeda to students
the
century
than
the
in the southern
writers,
church
centuries; are,
Del' Termiinin. Clmrclt.
basilica
SOUle
The
form
It is situated
Riha.
up. a loggia
of Ban!;Osa,
in relief, and the
exterior in
higher
each
In the
great
sixth
the cornice.
was
had
ljltss. Soutlt CI",rc!,.
mouldinzs b
set
with conchas
at Kal'at
a
the openings.
were
of tracery
The
and
them
scheme
the
ressauts
higher
In its ornament
were
adorned
a storey
ends
one
of the windowsills
of the half dome.
gable
returned.
shows a base moulding,
the level
relief and are
Between
impost caps
The exterior
course
The
which
were
general
mouldings
projecting
brackets
facade
the
all the
from
from
the pier are
followed
that
rose
through
The
church
colonnettes
to the
ovolo,
adorned
them.
plain
and its half dome seven-sided.
except
of
inj ure its destroyers.
uncarved
mouldings
building
spared
fear that moulding
would
of the
Biialptsii. Sontl: CIt1wc!" plan.
13r.
66.
A. II} p. 219.
Churches of Northern Syria
Ill.
133.
carried
off, leaving only a few foundation
which,
with the aid of M. de Vogue's
is easily probably within
chambers was carried shows unusual
beyond
and probably
up in a high
an open The
was
from
wall. The apse was flanked by square
which project
chamber,
end.
stones,
plate, the plan
drawn (Ill. 134). There was a long nave, of nine bays. The foundations show an apse
a straight
south
'Arstu».
narthex
interior
tower. of eight
arrangement
to the south
across chamber
The
also the north chamber,
(Ill. 135). The bema
carried
the nave walls.
angle are
A
deep
of the tower;
entirely
almost
the
Egyptian the
the
wall,
at the
west
caps. The exterior
east end
was and
arcuated
windows
cornice
is a high
in form.
openings
the
third
surmounted
higher
than
CLASS
there was a crypt under the bema. The prothesis, as we may call this south chamber, was thus in an upper
two
large
unusual on the and
windows
dimensions,
to the quite
east (fl!. 136). The south
nine
very
large
windows,
by outside door-
prothesis
south, equal
and
above
it
cavetto ,
string
course
the cornice is pierced
of
with
with moulded windowwithout
bases
2
most of them
The
the
or caps, from top to bottom of the tower. The remains of this church are extremely interesting.
it has the form of a fluted Corinthian pilaster. A low doorway in the wall of the side chamber shows that
on the east and south.
storey
angles have pilasters,
Basilicas witlt Rectangular
ways
above
entire
The entrance
two metres
The lower storey was entered
A moulded
at a level
the floor-level of the nave. The eastern respond of the south arcade is elevated to this same height, and
storey.
the
around
The
and
columns of the
runs
is carried
great
tower
rectangular
moulding
wall, and
plain.
encircles aisle
string
aisle
plan
chambers.
is over
ornament. length
of apse.
M. de Vogue's
was much elevated
the side
C117l1'clt,exterior
two
to Gothic
itself
There
are
eighteen
Sanctuaries
churches
smaller
structures,
belonging some
to this class, very plain, and
r;:==r=====E3CE=r::===::E=El==r:::ES~. ::~:.:cr_:.::::a.~:~-_-_o.:.:.:.:n.:.: '::0::':::0:.: .: u::. __: n __:::..-_
had
of very windows,
wall had two portals seven
of which
have
been preserved. The doorways have mouled relieving arches above them, and their frames and door-caps are mouldings of elaborate profile, but devoid of carved
L':::::J;;;J:J;;;_=_=-==-=-=;;;oO=_=-IE=-=-I • Il!.
134.
;:rass.
SOl/til Clmrcl"
pIau.
.,31'-
132
Early Churches in Syria
Ill. 135. Hdss. Soutl: CIt1trclt, interior looking Southeast.
Ill. 136. ijass. Soutlt Clmrclt, exterior tro»s tli- S t' J' Oil ". 0
Churches of Northern. Syria
133
.
--~
.........
"
(,
~
..sECTION A-B'
BAJ:(IQHA· WEST CHVRCH· DATE: 50 lAn
Ill. 137. others
extremely
rences
have to do chiefly
narthex,
rich in their decorations. Their diffewith the disposition
and with the arrangement
of the
of the roofs
at
the east end, where most of the churches have lean-to roofs,
but where a few are covered
of the churches
main
gable
have
roof
piers and
class.
It will
arches
219
of
A. II. p. 190,
noticed
that
in the Djebel
others are in the immediate
of these
in place
be
group are situated
by a continuation
of the nave. Three broad
columns and narrow arches, but these
P. II.
B.
p. 195.
all
fall into another but
three
of the
Bstr-isha, and that the
neighbourhood.
Early Churches
134
Syria.
In
I:
"I',
Iw:=_o_:::::::o:::-=:n::::-.-.+-I II!. 140. DeI.'es.West Clttl1'c1t,plmz.
111. 138. Khirbi: Hasan, Clwrclt, plan.
which
compose
The century upon
was the
gateway
the
church,
the
time
when
appears
the
earlier
I say, present
structure.
visible
Foundations
are Ionic capitals all the marks
of the
structure
gateway
wall;
all
down. details and
rest of the
details
in the east
in each
are
end,
new.
Heavy
of the
windows,
mouldings
Two of these
are carried over the
draped
in a festoon
between
moulding.
are grooved
At
the
angles
and a similar
pilaster
disc below its cap, is directly date
this wall,
is actually
the use of pilasters in the Christian
Kltirbit Hasan. The
church
220
the
dated
architecture
parish,
and
must
have
to
purchase
would
them,
been
or
have
been
used
to
fold, and
The
West
Church
of
Its nave
both on the
has two windows; by extensions
of the
aisle
lean-to
roof at right angles to the others. The exterior
ornament incised 220
consists of the cornices
mouldings A. U. p. 199.
of the windows
was covered
by a
of the side cham bers Littmann,
by
is now a sheep-
as such for centuries.
,
is a little smaller than is almost the same.
ends.
interior
The incised
constituted
A. IV1 p. 151 insc. 6.
the sanctuary
side
was a columned columns
type.
and one to the with closed
capitals
of a plain,
hac!
which
were all provided
were
confined
moul dincs
ZZ2
and
" ornament.
the exterior A
has
on the north,
narthex
The windows
window
sanctuary
was an arch. There
on the north
mouldings These
but
to the prothesis
portal
uncut Corinthian
cornice
at Dehes
into the d iacouicon,
there
openings.
222
two windows;
opening
west where
with
of the walls, and the
2Z1
was lighted
was a single
the side chambers are square and have one east window sanctuary
Hasan
served
had three bays, and its rectangular
and the entrance
roofs. The
than could have
upon a building of
(It!. 140) but its plan
bays (Ill. 138) and there are two entrances,
were covered
more
of Khirbit
for the amount
j
Di!tes. West C1t1wcltand East CIt",.c1t.
a doorway
side chambers
in barter to pay
arches have fallen, but some of the columns
the churches of the sixth century. It was built of very large quad rated blocks of stone. The nave has four
each. These
used
materials
have been re-erected and their supports have been added to carry a crude roof of tree-trunks, wattles and earth.
the foregoing
south wall. The rectangular sanctuary
beans, wheat and
of the people of the
workmen
probably
the costs
of
of Syria.
is one of the plainest
been
the
is made renders
The
gifts
considerably
church
has
The interior
the
feed
this size. The
of
of building. It reads
of determining
standards.
labourers
507 A.D.
at this place
to modern
are
date
The inscription is
cost
us as a means
and
example
a broad band which
in which the statement
to
probably
with
with a
it is one ofthe few which
of the
were
in the middle of the wall.
of the gateway
above in Syriac.
because
subject
that the form according
with an ornamental
we have here the earliest
discs
is ornamented
In ttte year five lsutuired and fifty six, according to tlte era of Antioch, t1tis churct: 'was completed. And there 'were spent upon it tigltty five darics, and four Ittmdred and tltirty busltels of beans, wlteat, and lentils, besides the cltief expenses. 221 It is unfortunate
arches
pilasters
other
lentils
curve of the
of trapezoidal
is adorned with bands
as follows:
it useless
two in the sanctuary
the downward
If the
thrown
decorative four
disc or boss, appears above caps,
been
east
in spiral loops (Ill. 229). An ornamental
and terminate
foliate
adjoins the
were
of the side chambers.
in situ.
The
the
inscription
apse
work.
There
ornamental
a long
interesting
in the end of the fifth century
which
of
the
is
has
row
mentions
(Ill. [37)
of the
middle,
unusually
and
many
the
an
inscription,
building
in
bears
consist
carving (III. 139) with a large ornamental
of fine pattern disc
suggest
is standing
dated
decorations
are
sanctuary century
portal
in relief, one of which
there
and the lintel of a doorway
which
which appeared
at
church
of a semicircular
wall embodies
other
windows one
the
This
side of
of the
because
of fourth
with the
but
erected
of the ruins which
and there part
structure
inside the rectangular
have
itself,
have been
structure,
that the
to
present
in the debris
remains
upon the church
to the close on the north
which
was built;
are
not written
only
door-caps
frames around the openings.
complete
II,
206.
the
to the main
Churches of Northern Syria
Itt. '39.
III.
J4I.
Kftirbit Hasan, C/l1Irelt,exterior frons the Sontti.
DeI}es. East Oll/relt, portal in South wall.
135
Etly
Churches
Syria
111
•
-
•
-
Itt. 144. Ksedjbelt. C1mrclt, ptan.
,
if'-I---------l rHt t-.•
The
East
Church
so completely ately
drawn,
type
and
of this same deserted
223
ruined that
size as the West
Church.
leaves.
end of the
south
wall,
an interesting
frame mouldings
door-cap ornamented
One
The
preserves
(Ill. [41) with cusped
bevel-faced
is
to have been of the same
part of which is still standing, portal
town
its plan could not be accur-
but it appears
with upright
lintel
bears
and a arched
the same type and
Church"
in this same ruined
east and
the
south
the building mouldings
that and
capitals
are
(lit. 143). Only the
standing,
but
the
are continued
often
aas
dimensions is "Trinity
town
walls are
is in ruins;
another
from
terminate
of the
responds
type
(Itt. 262).
Btint1tl!~~a.Cltuycll.
are
in
of
all the rest of
windows
have deep
one opening to
loops.
of a well cut Corinthian
caps
acanthus
a small
"CIt1",clt of tlte Trinity".
Of exactly
Da'r K.ita. Cll1,,-c/t 0" :; tlte Trinity, ptan.
J43.
ssa:
Dar
West
The interior
design, and the
a beautiful
wind-blown
226
panel of relief carving, the other a torch or lamp-stand. The
window
tinuous.
mouldings
are incised
In the same
group
church is a very interesting in these pages.
and are not
of buildings baptistery
The
con-
with
this
described
later
the
church
others,
is attached which
sill-level
A church somewhat larger than either of the foregoing Sergios' at Dar Kita (Ill. 142). Here the east
is Saint
end is almost of the interior bays
perfectly
west
supports there
j
preserved,
wall is standing; have
collapsed.
was a western
The nave
narthex
of four
between
entrance
in either aisle, the north portals being provided
distyle
continuous which
porches, colonnade
adjoins
building
and
the southeast
shows
prothesis
south
aisle
i
the
south
terminating
side
and heavy
of the
but the diaconicon ornament
of
rather
crude
imitation
of the portal of the
Moses in the 418 A.D. (cf. Itt. 50). 223 226 228
the
great
same
which
224
•
A. II, p.
of the
up into a is a
church
of
is dated
202.
returned
along
a short
outward at
distance only
221
of Dera'rnan belongs to the same
Church
two
south
A completely the large
portals
and moulded windows,
were
P.
II, n.
ruined church
ruin of Kokonaya
to this class. but this
Only a part
shows
protected
by distyle
as well
a string moulding
it is inhabited; under same
as
but those
p. 184.
and window mouldand a deep cornice.
it certainly
P. II,
220
S. C. PI. 121.
p.
Ilt.
240.
A.
and
of the 225
227
in the form of
"0
discussion,
B.
ornament
of Kefr Klla is difficult
The church
part of
to have belonged
of the north wall is standing;
as a fine doorway
Kefr Kiia, Clmrclt.
type
in the southern
appears
rich interior
a base moulding, ings,
the
A. II, p. 205. A. II. p. 208, Fig. 82. S. C. PI. 120. A. 11) p. 213.
are
Kfjkaltaya. Clturclt. aa
The
west portal
town,
but the mouldings of the
i
It had a base moulding
and its porches.
a
cornices;
roof
was carried
The and
having
mouldings which are not was covered by a lean-to,
by a continuation
West
group.
though a The church
side
angle of the church.
tower. Paul
two
against the baptistery
a base moulding
the windows have relief continuous. The sanctuary the
and ...there were
four
columns with
end walls,
had
consisting
The
and
angle.
cut off.
West Clmrclt.
De1~ac1fta1t.
and the lower storey
but the side walls
carried
no respect from
is concerned,
are incised,
and
to be sharply
III
to its southeast
a base moulding
windows, the
differs
so far as its plan
baptistery is without
Dar Jr-ita. Clmrclt of St. Sergios.224 537 and 567 A.D.
of Barnukka
A.
its
has the plan of the dimensions
church
n.
242.
II, p. 216 .
to stndy because
p. 212.
are about
at Dehes.
One of
P. II, p. 187.
I
Churches of Northern Syria. D
M'~:"':. Al IlI1
ill
11+--- 1:1.,56--_111
IN
sc.
to 8" foil
•
."'0 2,5
RESIDENCE
,II '" I
,
~I
o
o
,II INSC-
988-
II 'I
II
o
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i:i 111'Iiif-------"
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,I 30~
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I,
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ce.o
II
>
"'0-
,.,-L""o a e-
::1
o
,:,:a.
_
ORIGINALWALLS'
~
LATER
SCALE"
ttt.
169.
FLAN: o.oos.s- 1M· ELEVATiON' o.ooS-·lM·
...
Early Churches in Syria and side chambers,
a few showing
the exterior
of the apse, but only one with a rectangular A number
of the churches
in a few
the apse and side chambers
but
in
the
durable
majority
material,
Kerriitln,
sanctuary.
were built entirely
only
the
the rest
curve
narthex cruciform
of basalt;
for
of stone,
interior
were
foundations
were
of
being of mud-brick,
details
278
This
church
that
was
Greek,
of all
at least
building
the
first storey.
Merchants",
The Arabs
for it had
buildings,
though
columns
of stone
and
called it »Tarrutln
important
of stone,
arches
of
as high as of the
markets.
But
were not well built.
buildings
of different
shows
the
walls
were not made
earthquake,
to withstand
with the result
are a vast field of fallen arches
and
columns
that
walls,
rise
to
region,
either
side.
The
the
shocks
of the city
from which
occasional
a height
which I have called
of fo ur or five
sin ale b
church
that
Syria,
being
about
was probably
has
been
60 m.
dedicated
Holy
First
Martyre.
the
end
of the Christian conquest,
fortress, angles
and
standing tell.
in the
them,
interior
of mud,
of the tops
level
some
so
that
made
seven
arches
semicircle visible
between
provided through
with arches
consisted
plan and
narthex
of the apse
of
four
side
interior transverse
up to and
arches
borne
278
The P. H,
important B.
p. 73 f.
and
279
feature
A. II, p. 305,
ra.
being
having four
entirely
forming
piers on
rectangular,
a hexagonal figure
relief,
that
erected
by
barracks
at
fortress of
and The
in the
bays.
west
portal cross
grapevine
city of il-
Its nave was was flanked by
was probably The
portals
of the
and 14.56 m, wide. and
nave
broad
enclosure
basalt.
deep
an ornamental end,
the
13.70 m. long
three
conventionalized at either
or
southern
of the
containing
558 A.D.
280
of
broad
into and
have
lintels
of the
inscriptions
is enriched and
divided in
by a disc
a band of highly
terminating
in a chalice
all in low relief. The church was probably that
"Munificent
the same
Thomas"
who built the
558 A.D.
time,
Z:1-Allde1~£1Z. "Catltedl'al".281 fine
of
stone
and
25m.
standing
and
in
place.
has
a small
opened at
of this 305.
square
to
in their
the
exterior, into of
by
three 280
side
piers
is the
south.
the doorways are
curve
of the apse, with
between The
diaconicon, on
connected
with
the apse and
the
Both
east walls;
aisle. aisle
P. 11, B. p. 50, PI. VIII.
now have wide
arches that
the half brick. on
The prothesis and an exterior
chambers these
and I believe
arches
the walls of
chambers. upon
small apses,
and west ends are
and
upon the south
sun-baked
broad
region
(Ill. 170) which was It was about 43 m. long
of the
doorway
portal
opened
this
Parts of its east
is directly
perhaps
in
A.D.
of Audrona,
A part
arches the
560
in it, is displayed
has an archway
on
church
its interior
five windows large
eire,
throughout.
wide.
north,
were
large
Cathedral
built
the
on two columns
interesting
but its
in plan, is flanked
not
entirely
chambers.
the
the end 'of the main aisle, and square apartments composed of four arches, at the ends of the side aisles.
side
entire
upon the ends of the aisles. The narthex
of three
built
was
piers
still is
in it, was and
long,
512. The
rectangular
middle
barracks
square,
original
which
arches,
by
in the
was
apse
so-called
church
of the
chambers
nearly The
.Another
underground
five windows
to the apse
square
Ander1n,
level.
walls,
the
great
them.
walls and roofed
are in situ. The
with
square
to the same
have become
the
still high,
behind
fortification
are
date
can not
the whole is filled
out (Ill. 169), of the
sides.
over four metres
of the
Nevertheless,
easily
a ruin, one
church
western
the
was
The
at
into a
long
m.
three
,1-Andertll. Barrack CI",rcl,.
large
the walls
church
partition
of the interior rooms
chambers.
two
the
the walls are reduced
the
after
against
all the structure
was filled with
either
converted
of the
are
date,
the ground,
it.
It
were set at the four
while
walls
conceal
structures
far in
wide.
or soon
was
towers
middle
battering
thus
26 m,
early
or after it had become
The
The
an period
was done
and completely Above
and
walls were erected
church, and stout this
long
church
of the Whether
is the largest
discovered
At
the
battering
The great
in the name of Saint Stephen,
the
Moslem
the Cathedral,
next
the
horseshoe
which
a trilingual in
with 28
by
for the inscription
portal,
with
level
apse,
chambers
chiefly
of
the ruins
metres above the masses of broken' stone. church
but
of the
512 A.D.
210
its main
about
The
about
in the whole
a nave separated
the walls
city
buttresses
arrangement
out and all the ornamental
Syriac,
bays
than
of any other
and
broad
were well made, and often far more richly ornamented those
upon
is now almost
by side
projecting
The
is of interest
carved
the kinds
which are
disappeared.
Arabic
plan
buttresses
exterior
arches.
not be made
hav~
Most of its buildings
built
provided
transverse could
505/5 A.D. Ancient Tarutia was a large city. were
and
the
Zeoed, Church of St. Sergios,
(Tarntia). "Cat/ltd/"at" of St. Step hen:
kinds
is the set of four exterior
The either
are unfinished they
domes
originally
of which were
nave
was divided
side, carried upon 281
P.
II. B. p. 52 f.
Churches of Northeastern
,sECTION
Syria
A-B·
'59
.~. 2.'10
2.40,
i.12 A~:
1:>.'01°1
1.00
;.6~
2..."
:
~ :
106 .
a.c 1.10
a az
A )
".
b.IO
'0."-'-- -_.-
aJ
---
,
,, ,,
I ,,~O
,,
,
•
• 1 ,, ,,
2.20
B
---"-0--
IL-ANDERIN' 'CATHEDRAL'
1 :
'
'
~ 2.2.7 20.
, -M~:: _. _~~.::.e__
'
.-
t :
_
'0
Ill. '70.
Early Churches
160
Syria
111
@ CISTERN·
NAVY}..'
DATE-'-"!'
CHVRCH'
1:Z.8~-
w
[IJ
[IJ 100
IB
IJj
I NSC"S38
A
I NSC'84-1
INSC·B4-0
Nazoa. Cluwc!t, pIau, Date: 598/9' A.D.
Ill. 171 two
slender
piers
piers.
supporting
side
aisles
interior and
the
and narrow
narthex.
the
At
a broad
end were
west
in the
two
angles,
were carried up in tribunes
which,
011
large
window.
jambs An
The side
windows
window
The ornament figures
Since
this
The
building
and
71).
one
voussoirs. that
the
was built
rare in Syria,
typical
IS
part
The
it may
be
with
in 558.
There
supports
with inscriptions
atrium,
set
two the
The lintels in large
and the
all the
apse piers
portals South
rest was
opens
directly
on either
is the
side
of the church
capitals
of
courses
the nave was divided
rectangular
were
churches
and arches
of basalt;
in the west front. interest.
of the
of which
West
in the bays
Church
the lower built
of
dated
bears
courses stone,
West
east
end
the
nave
all
had
its
nave
nave.
Of these three, the
late
date 606 A.D. Only
of the walls is the
of the
main
smallest
its plan
side chambers,
is su bstantially the same,
wider
arches
carried by only
either
side.
At
small
towers
A
North Church
in plan. The South
of two portal.
capital
the west front are
and the Song of Solomon, in praise of the church.
on either side
in the South Church
of this volume (Ill. 267). portal of the West Church
in the second part
An inscription
on the south
Tltis house 0.1 tlte Itoly fatlter (or abbot) Barap s (?) was built in tlte 9I8tlt year. i.e. 606 A.D. In Mir'ayeh, near the east end of the ruined us
that
town,
are the
could
not
20
m. long
There low
are walled
remains of a church,
be perfectly and
made
exedra
of
the plan of which,
out.
was divided
remains
The nave was about
by arches on columns.
a mosaic
near the
C'.',U~""'~:
pavement,
middle
:Q: ::0',-" I.L
__ ,
I!!. 172. jJllu'allal,!, yVest Clturclt, pIau.
II, p. 305 f. 284
P. II,
H.
and of a
of the church.
t:
in high
from the Psalms of
The
of the group. Its
between
but it is identical
on
is illustrated
easily.traced.
(/!I. 172). The
six bays
foundations
of these churches were were
of an apse
has much
four columns the
columns
of the
Church
larger,
in Mucalla~, in
substitute
the very
Church is still larger; but
which
yet the plans
consists
is a little
churches
of
are not
letters
283 A.
for piers
of three
il-Hass,
was
David
n. p. 13 f.
a group
aisles
The inscriptions
P. II,
is
Djebel
into
relief.
282
are verses
There the
side
of the portals are adorned
and beautiful
Mu'a!!al,!. 283 606 A.D.
tells
of Syria. The lower
deeply
by three
a colonnaded without
the
used in the barracks.
was erected
both side chambers, J
of small
that
is about contemporary
of its portals were
(fll.
shows
It is evident
that
is very
walls, its interior
bays
but the
dome of the apse
which
in this
mud-brick.
upon
one
of the lintel of the entrance
like
at Nawa
period
four
with
598 A.D.
'82
frames
one of
in low relief have been hacked
The half
material
church
of its
or towers,
prothesis
discs.
that the church
other
Nawa.
of
and
of good brick,
assumed
by the
of the portals was very flat and consisted bands
prothesis.
in part
portal,
formed
preserved
composed
from the upper part
to the
the
on a side, are still in place.
in the
of two peacocks
away
the
over
walls have collapsed,
were large and
of moulded
the
partly
of the portals, two
arched
the
is
arches
wall had but one
arches,
the south,
cruciform
arch across
longitudinal
The
squares
west
transverse
p. 69, ill. 74.
284
Churches of Northeastern
fit. '73.
il-Firdjet, t, The
2S'
only
known
to
which
In
all
this
eight
is the little church
metres
length
region
which
that
sanctuary
from
are two walls of about
terminate
at the angles
of
square chapel with a deep set apse enclosed
in rectangular
walls protruding
entered
only by a doorway
the
building
was a baptistery,
has and
been discovered thus far in Northeastern its position would be unique among the
baptisteries
of all Syria.
in the south
If
wall.
it is the only one that
This
is the position
Syria, known
that
the cult of the Virgin favour
here;
whether
this
Lady the
might
chapel.
was
an
toward
the
then west
west,
the
was much
have been a very
the
middle
aisle
ends
of the
a distance
space
of the
between
of the
there
the sides of the
curve
2S'
A step
in advance
Syria
from the Euphrates, fortress, B.
in the
p.
takes
a large
and
piers
to within
ruined
the
was
other
the basilicas
town,
the remains
walled
Moreover, detail.
a large
Sergios,
the
Two
a little One
farther
of the
which contained
other
was
have contained
perhaps
former
a monastic
the throne of a bishop.
by Procopius,
who says that
centre
far like
of no less
after the Moslem
we know
earlier
more
history.
The
about
its
great Arab
conquest, later
that
there
adorned
was
a church
on the
outside
states that the Khalif
physician,
here
i
that
chiefly
in
by
an-Nu'man, built
by
was much
his
own day
who
was
Hisha.m,
and
the that
as
an
mosaics. place it
and
says
that
were monks
men
in it. In 1247 the place was
tell.
How
of the
much two
It is certain
that
III Jahrgang
19°9,
about
and
1225,
of beauty,
other
religious
destroyed
by the
churches, erected
to one or the one
can
Churches in Syria.
not
long before
p. 99 f.
Reise im Euphral-mld-Tigris-Gebiet, 19.26.
was
and there
was a wonder
both were
to
YakClt, an Arab
of all this refers
important
fortress
eyewitness
which
Mongols.
was inhabited
once belonged
there.
a con vent
other
He further
The
mentions
there
fortifications,
was populous,
and selling
writing
Ibn Butldn,
the
a Christian.
the place
buying
its
(724-743 A.D.) resided
Hisham
Christians,
about
1050. He writes
within
with gold
it appears
than
Aed. JIISt. B. 11) IX. Palestine 1tl1dI!1" tlu lI-fosiems, pp. 36,432,521-523.
Sane und Herzfeld, Arc!liiologisclu H. Spanner und S. Guyer, Husafn,
on,
the relics
70.
KU.IIS/wissenschaftl
and
of the churches are
basilica.
is mentioned
a rougher
the churches show
and are discussed
the Martyrion
geographer,
us to Sergiopolis not
and containing
286 F. Serre. Afolla/sllt/le jiir Procopins. Lestrange,
development
ornamental
as the limestone
have
was a guest of the bishop here about
being
[Sergiopolis}. Cltlwcl. of St. Sergios.
of Northeastern
Early
comes
so high a finish, for the walls
that
is an
a metre's
execlra and the
given
plan,
it was
in such large blocks,
Syria,
of central
have been the The stone was
by photographs,
quarried
of Northern less carved
were
Christian
in
of the west wall of the nave.
Re,lifal s,
P. II,
is hardly
churches
early
equal to its radius
nave, and the western
four metres
a huge
nave,
The handsome
the city wall was built by Justinian; and since Sergiopolis was one of the few places which flourished as a
returned inward to form a narrow gate. This wall with its little entrance is exactly 011 the line
but judging being
or of being
The church
a semicircle
semicircle
of
church and may
into three bays and there In
kinds.
as to
is divided
of a low wall describing
westward
bisecting
28~
-
one,
not capable
of Saint
of many
to speculate
of the church
narthex.
consisting
produced
nave
way, by piers,
enclosed
exedra
Theotokos
possibly
The
ordinary
-
it is interesting
a beautiful
was probably
Lady chapels in the Mediaeval churches of Europe, and this region abounds in inscriptions which show in
of different
the walls, and the two great
more irregular appearance.
to the east. This chapel
was
four churches
built of gypsum, which appears to chief building material of the locality.
(Ilt. 173)
eastward
161
Clm1"cI., pia".
city gates,
is
between
of il-Firdjeh
Extending
walls of the sanctuary
a small
great
have had a rectangular
has other peculiarities.
side
t,
than
church
side chambers the
it-Firdje).
Syria
1920, IT, pp. 1-45.
21
Early Churches
Syria
in
nave
were
built
like those the
two
the
clearstorey
and,
up
great
at
piers
were
longitudinal where The
apparently
but
the
that
th_ere were
plan
plan
lit. 174. Re,afalt. Cit/wei, of St. Sergios, plan (after Herzfeld). the
Hegira,
begun
Ibn
by order
have
a way
famous
Butlan
of giving to
large
building century.
one
for
given
Constantine,
been
This to
responsible
seems as
for them.
emperor
had
years
likely
erected,
periods but,
basilica
completion.
eliminate
only two the
military
third,
additions
As it stands
The
original
long and horseshoe square
were
for
remains
its
19·50 m. wide. in plan
and
side chambers,
three
both
east.
bays
by
cruciform
The arches piers
carried
a broad
narrow
transverse
narrow
arches
nave
carried at
the arches
over
members,
S. Guyer,
op. cit.,
into ends
arch over over
three
crucifor-m
western
of
the
was
toward
the
of the cruciform
the
aisle,
and two bounded
Rusafa, :J'
work with
the
great
the
1'0. fl, ..
a
church
early
thay
are
stonework,
The which
were inserted
every
Syria, after
mark
shown
of sixth
and were probably
some the
were city,
but
columns with
to give greater
security to
earthquake,
original
well
building of
pillaged
from some other
of which
at least two, of
in
town. In this case it would date of the alteration. 201 13,
west end.
in with poor masonry
bear
after
Herzfeld's
map of the
be impossible
to fix the
288 Op. cit., III Abb. 133') III, PIs. LVIII. LIX, d h h ' oes not s ow t esc exterior buttresses.
construction of the origin J basilica to h ' ...... t e reign in the first half of the IXth century.
( 4 9 I-51 8) ,all d Itclds that the first rebuilding was done
filled
arches,
in the
t lie
by columns set
in good
capitals,
years
unless
and at
each of the
and half way between them.
of Northern their
day consisted
under
supported
up
sub-arches,
perhaps
plan,
(p. 102), on the
a later
brickwork.
arches,
j
Sim'an
arcade
were
hundred
building
of Saint Simeon
of a modi Ilion cornice,
of
built
Corinthian
inserted,
basilical
piers- of the
above
century
and this
of the diaconicon zoo and
were
like inferior the
church
sub-arches
main
were
uncut carry
within
west. The
op. b. lIO and J.)le Baulumst der Armenier Ir Abb 5'9) which are both ,
in the
same
Northeastern
uP, by piers and columns, suggested by the Martyrion
region
of Syria. This
into a central square, at Resdfah (lIJ. 177).
general
similarity
covered
by
makes it seem a dome
and
likely
buttressed
that
the interior
by great
apsidal
of the
1
.,),
church
niches
at FacICII was divided
in some
such manner as is
J
310 SUITe und Herzfeld, Archiiolpgisclu Reise im Euphrat.ullr/.Tig·ris Cebil!!, II, PI'. 28-38. H. Spanner und S. Guyer, Rusaf«} 19 , 26 pp. 35-38, 56-62. JII Th 1 fl' . . e p nn o. tll~ c111IlCh at Resdfah recalls even more closely the suggested restoration of the church of the Virgin (El Hadr(/.) nt Arnidn ~Strzygowskl, Die Batekllnst dtr Armel/ier 1I1ld Europa, IT, p. 5031 Abb. 539) and was probably vaulted in a manner suggested by the cruciform nrrangCll1eOl of vaults over the palace at I::n~l" Ibn Wardnn (Straygowskl, Amid:l, pp. 22I~223). 312 S:J.rre und J Ierzfeld , op. ciL, pp. 29-30.
Churches
of Northeastern Syria
t\A;:> R IBN\"/ARDAN CHVRCH· LONGITVDlNALSECT10N-
III.
178.
.
r67
Early Churches
168
In
Syria
7/1. 179. Kasr Ib" r,yardiin. Clturclt,exserior from tlte East. grapevine
growing out of vases at the ends, like several
examples
in Northern
are
beads
which
e. g. Kalb Lauzeh.
and egg-and-dart
interspersed
There
with
leaves,
might have come from Kal'at Sim'an, the minute
crenellation, in the two
Syria,
and the narrow
country
small
further
running
west,
roundels between
taean
patterns
other
patterns,
the inverted
are found eggs
are more like the
from Southern not easily
vine,
Syria;
but
with N aha-
there
are
made out in the photograph,
which are not found in other Christian or Pagan dings in Syria so far as I know.
Ira{r Ibn WMdall: Cluwclt. This
church
buildings, palace
belongs
to
and this church.
All
of basalt
and kiln-dried elaborate
had domes.
three buildings
brick
as
basalt
The palace is definitely
of
a large
were built
of the best quality,
vault structures,
as well
group
or barracks,
all
and two, at least,
The church and palace included
marble,
materials.
extraordinary
made up of a fortress,
possessed and
564 A.D.
313
an
buil-
and dated
brick,
limestone in
their
by an inscrip-
tion of the year 564 A.D. and there can be no doubt that
the
entire group was erected
and probably
under foreign
at the same
influence.
time,
The aim of the
Churches of Northeastern
Syria RESTORATION'
LONGITVDlNAL
SECTION· 3CALE.o.oO!l-·lM·
".'0 ..
0
IL-ANDERiN'
.:;""21-=:''II':>.
..
,.~;.;""~
; ....' 1,.'0
DOMED CHAPEL·
/
IN5c.9:l.~-
PLAN
SCAL::,;:.o.co~S·lM·
Itt, r80. braced
by a wide wall
springing
of the great
west
were built to form
top,
and
which
a solid rectangle,
the circular
below. The dome
of its substructure
that each pendentive (fl!. 178) and
each
remains
there
nating
bands
of brickwork
Above
this
point
the
Frames
of limestone
structure
appeared
were inserted
At the
the lower storey, and marble columns
in both storeys,
marble
string
exception brick,
course.
of the
and it is to be noted
embracing
particularly
gallery
are noo centred arches,
pointed
apse
effect
is confined
arch
and
to their
the
form.
to the flat carving
portals.
of
smaller
angles,
piers which,
arches
square (111. 180). chambers, with
at the
piers
the cruciform
covered
arms
the same hesitated above
corresponding
to
by a half dome
of the interior material.
In
cross,
my
the
side chambers
were of stone. The of mud-brick,
restoration
I have
The
interior
the
crossing
and
it may
very
ornament
consists
marble
and
of
of the
moulded
divides
the
string
course
two storeys.
of
yellow
marble
of the capitals is not Syrian in the sense that it
resembles
which
the
The
other work in the churches herein described.
are bits of mosaic lying in the ruins which suggest parts
of the interior
were encrusted
with colour. 110M-
FRoM E·HBR'lF£LD
it-Anderin. Central C/mrclt. This
little
church,
built
1I1':!
Il].
in j'ntjillmenl of a vow by 314
Early
Churches
in Syria.
P. II,
B,
not
well be that
and
of the basalt lintels
decoration
of
to place a tall, sugar-loaf dome on pendentives
which gives a plainly The exterior
the
by tunnel vaults
that the great
arches of aisles
beside
middle of the outer bounded by broad
connecting
All the piers and arches
apse was other
the
carving
that
side
marble columns with their richly carved capitals
of white
There
and
wall arches over the gallery, the wide tunnel
the
yellow
western
by a
with
it easily
of its class
mound of disinte-
is almost perfectly
is an apse
cruciform
and
opposite.
of those of the apse windows were made of
vaults,
the
arches,
was of brick.
arches,
that
others
piers with flat piers in the walls, made squares in the
was used for the interior
All
of
but its stone portions are so disposed
outline
east
west, two
outside and inside.
which were separated
as
the apse, formed a square in the square. This inner square was
in all,
in the windows
in this part
for it was made
materials
overlooked,
It is now a mere
were.
ease. The
in
storey windows (fl!. 179)'
entire
The same use of materials
6 bands
common
a type
in the ruin that the plan was drawn and measured with
The walls of the
and basalt,
more
of perishable been
grated mud-brick;
church, up to the level of the lintels of the portals, were of solid blocks of basalt, above this, of alterto the sill level of the upper
probably
the ruins would indicate;
have
possibly
to
was a window
wall between the pendentives.
might
by an arched
was pierced
that
was
up so largely
dome. Inside this exterior
by the mass of the rectangle
window
which
Syria than
rose an octagon which were also
but enough
Eukios, Sopltia and their cltild1"eu, presents
flat on the
pendentives
fallen;
show
the and
were the actual
braced has
The spaces above vaults at the east
from this, on the exterior,
carried
octagon
arch. tunnel
J
8 1, Re!fltj'alt. Cerural CI",rclt, ptalt.
p. 56. 22
Early Churches in Syria
17°
smaller angles
Re{li'"alt. Cmt,'al l'
I 8 2.
Ill. {tubbelts covered
the four compartments
in the
building and
Central Cil/welt.
Another church like
church outside
that
above,
at
Resafah
the north
of the little except
rectangular
that
is
the
wall. The plan
church its
and that the cruciform arrangement the
square.
Dr. Sarre states with tunnel
spaces
between
the
spuare
are covered
of even
a brick
restores
the
over the
with domes. dome
building
over with
Constantinian
a brick
octagon
dome suggests
is entirely
within
and
the
the
central
a pyramidal at Antioch
the central
square roof
and
of wood fact that
was restored
itself as the likely
space
in
cupola,
form The
of roof interior
15 m. from end to end
The
only in
building
polygonal complete
is 6 m. square.
church
at
is a small
MiCrayeh.
(II!. 19S) is attached
an octagon
In this
to the east
end of an ordinary basilica, with apse and side cham bers. The
apse arch occupies
the
side
the
octagon,
from
chambers
doorways
and
one side of the octagon,
project are
to the entire
reached
just beside
by
In
the
heart
Guyer
and
diameter
oblique
of
passages
the apse. The walls of this
of the
remains
al-f:lalawi)'yalt
Frall{ais
d' Archiolog-ic Oriel/talc.
city
may have
of Aleppo
suggesting
been the Cathedral
aisle of which a
plan
was covered
which
later
Middle
place
are
that
of Aleppo.
Ages,
Northern
but
the
details
It preserves
end ~f the
church,
The restored
to the
which are still in
preserved,
and these manifest
of sixth
by Mediaeval,
sides
building
be assigned
This fragment
structures.
the
by a series of three domes,
characteristics
Syria.
which IVI.S.
basilica, the middle
ordinarily
very perfectly
the principal on all
would
there have been
church
the title of La Madrasa
under
d'Alep.
century carving in
of a building is enclosed and
only
more recent Moslem
a
and
east
The
L shaped
of this, a square
standing the
angle
columns
piers
believes tion,
fraction
a semicircular
of the west
that
assumes
side
of the
this
into
a third,
the
east
end
dome
the dome have free
dome that
floor
into
domed
Suaygowski,
M. Guyer
arch
below the east
a similar
square, and
like the first, and that of an apse between side
of the
rend Europa)
Sim'an.
is of Moslem construe-
the
opened both
by a dome.
of the L, like those of
at Kal'iat
was composed
The
(1914) T. XI, Pp- 217-23I.
covered
under
at the ends
the present
he
exedra of
just within the narthex,
space
piers
of the octagon
and
chambers.
including
curving to the west
315 Sture und Herzfeld, op. clt., II, pp. 39-44· Straygowski, Die BaukullSt del' Armel/ier 318 Serre und Herzfeld, op. cir., Abb. 154. Spanner and Guyer, Rum/a., p. 42. 317 P. 11, B. p. 70.
318 }1ull(Ihl de "Imtifllt
in
This plan is unique.
of a Christian
has published
318
six columns,
in this region
delapidation,
of piers and arches.
a restoration
be carried on an
I
lYIicraJ1elt. Central Clur.rc!t. 317
one,
suggest would
plan (III. 195-W) shows an oblong
the idea
in place of its stone
measures
may
of mud-brick
octagon
discovered
exterior
He dismisses
for a central church in this part of Syria. cross in this building
and
square,
the centre (lIl. 182). aro In spite of the
526 with a wooden dome
and
apse
of the
that the arms of the cross cross
we
high with debris
Aleppo. [Beroea}, "Catltedral".
vaults, and that the four angle
interior
so that dome
of about two metres
is heaped
is somewhat
shaped
are outside
a
interior
square
of il-Ander in described
horseshoe
side chambers
arc covered
small,
to a height
all the interior
earth,
which
rIerzfe!d).
are preserved
in stone;
of the square.
Rqafak'"
restored [after
Ouwc!t, interior
II,
interior p. 4
Amitla,
0
8
is much higher
f.
Abb. 116.
Churches
of Northeastern
Syria
[7
I
,j
Ill. 183. than
the original
of the height of
the
the
which,
of the
carry
of Northern
preserved, the
angles moulded
octagon
singular and
probable later, 319
The capitals moulded
architraves
capitals (Ill.
Syria.
never having
of the
gular
ding
one third
from
stilt which
J
late,
of all the columns
83) are all of a foliate
treated in the half plastic, half colouristic techwhich characterizes so much of the sixth century
Some
the
The
the caps of the piers
carving
In
carry
La Madrasa al-J:la!!iwiyyalt", capitals.
This half dome is perhaps
like the dome within. type nique
U
nearly
is concealed.
exedra
in turn,
half dome springs.
and
so that
of the columns
columns
blocks
pavement,
Aleppo.
been exposed
are perfectly
to the weather.
capitals
are
of the wind-blown
above
the
L shaped
brackets at Kal'at
resemblance
like
those
Sirn'an. between
those of Saint that
All of them
the Aleppo
in the
the details
Simeon's
great
"Cathedral
are
very
a
of this church.
an oblong,
undivided
structure
in this material
the
is a little baptisteries
Ill.
320 P. JI, B.
with
chapel of basalt, planned of Northern Syria, that
apse. Its date is presumably
fortress.
At
churches,
buil-
chambers
projecting
It is
semicircular of the nave.
apse
il-Anderin
one
like which
wings
p- 102, II!. 119.
321
the date
finds
an undivided
chapel on
enhances
let us say, half a century. P. II, B. p. 95, 1//.
build-
of mention.
mouldings that reproduce those of the architecture the western hills. In the small fortress at il-Habbat,
numerous
a little
ecclesiastic
Syria that are worthy
The chapel at Tellun, '" near the western edge of the district, and within reach of the limestone country, is
a projecting
of
few of the smaller
ings of Northeastern
rectanfinds
is only
There
dated 556, one of the
angles
one
Cltapels
variety.
piers are
Indeed,
CLASS 3.
P. 11, u. p. 56) .Ill. 49.
among 32\
either the
of 320
like has of the
with side side of a
entire
width
T ABLE
OF CONTENTS PART
II
ANALYSIS
VI.
GENERAL
SURVEY
VII.
GROUND-PLANS
VIII.
ACCESSORIES
AND
SUPERSTRUCTURES
IX.
ORNAMENTAL
DETAILS
X.
INFORMATION
FROM
XL
ORIGINS
AND
THE
INFLUENCES
INSCRIPTIONS
•
•
CHAPTER GENERAL
SURVEY:
COMPARISONS
I.
3· ORIENTATION:
T
HE first part
study
In
of this
of the early
volume
or less chronological
examples made
has
been
and
every
which
architectural
or chronological
has
of monuments features
could
involved
lay
the
importance.
A
in common precision,
all have tuary,
having
sanctuary, have
and
chambers,
to which the names
been given.
the priest and the deacon preliminary fulfilled Here
oblation the
before
the sacred vessels
vested.
There
and often
wall,
it seems
most
side.
The
circular first the
identify
this
sanctuary
was
a rectangular
is a broad
the
of the
and
with three
sanctuary the
diaconicon
of stone
of two covered
were
322 The fifth (?) century church
nature
forms,
on the
south
not
for the
are
minor
details,
a narrow The
arch
was connected
324
doorway.
opening
capable
This
between
invariably
of being
practicable
prothesis.
chiefly
these
of ground
is little
closed,
doorway
Beyond
matters
there
churches
is the
a square-
between
and
the
general features plan, and these
in common
of the North
is often
between
South
the
of Syria.
dome
j
roof of wood,
was an exception
Norther»: Syria
as we know
the
used for the covering
at Ba'albek
this be
with a stop for a door, opening inward,
arch,
The typical
one a semi-
by a half
by
diaconicon.
which typical
In
apartment;
a lean-to
opening
of its
as the prothesis. is usually
cases,
outer
The
open upon the nave;
and the nave is almost
doorway an
always
one, rarely both of them,
the
usually
while
entrance
in the
sanctuaries. apartment,
exceptions.T"
occasionally
headed
churches.
rectangular
which we may call the chancel arch. The side chambers,
with
should occupy;
the
a rectangular
usually
had, in most
slabs
chamber
this chamber
was, of course,
though
from
the inscriptions.
or
The diaconicon
has a larger
from
an apse
and diacouicon
has a doorway
natural,
apse, the other
second
usually
and interior,
and to the infor-
whether
smaller
substituted
one of them
exterior
Special
nave and the sanctuary,
322
of
AND CONTRASTS
nave and the
the other,
distributions.
and ornamental,
is to be derived
been no rule as to which
since
churches
that
survey
to chronology,
the
the preparation
these chambers
a general
less attention
many
among
in European
In the second
is the beginning,
between
was the room in which
the litany.
manner.
chapter
or less a sanc-
side
mation
of their
in different
geographical
structural
some
things
to the east, even
lost
is also given to accessories
to details
emphasized.
of the churches
separately,
to present
paying
observing
seems to have
but,
Syrian
Of,
still
the present
is made
kept, and here the clergy
than
to
of,
have
treated
and in a disconnected
an attempt
study
sufficiently
accessories
which
being
of which
were
side of the presbyterium
office,
certain
with more
ofprotltesis
office of sacristy
buildings,
but
of a nave and
performed
details
body
and certain
are certain
by
of a large
on either
The prothesis
certain
the monuments,
COMPARISONS
many,
one
not have been
there
significance part,
to
may
treat-
the sanctuary
or presbyte1-iuUl, have
regions
of Syria have certain
the two main divisions
earliest,
been
have been lost sight
all are oriented
j
and
of
claim
at least, Moreover,
CONSTRUCTION:
2.
5. DESIGN.
This
of the churches,
them,
the churches
the
smallest
I.
L
has
be, that as a result,
to many
between
by century.
within
presentation
and it may
j
common
contrasts
the
in a more
an attempt
building,
delirninated, ment
up the
review, a large number
cited
to introduce
of Syria
order, century
the foregoing historical
AND CONSTRASTS:
4· UNITS AND RATIOS:
has taken
churches
VI
of
church
of Northern
it in Latin
countries,
Syria
with a longitudinal
system of supports which carry architraves or arches for the support of an upper storey of lights, - a true clearstorey storey
high.
(11/. 184). The The
central
side nave,
I
is the basilica,
walls
are only
or the main aisle
one of
to this rule. (Cf p. 182 note 327).
323 The church at Northern Dana (Ill. 191-H), the chapel at il-Andertn (Ill. 191-G) and the church at Umm it-Tuweneh (P. II) B. III 6). 32~ There is a group of churches, mostly of the sixth century, in the (Ala which for some liturgical reasoll, had lateral openings connecting both chambers with the space directly in front of the apse (p. 164).
[1
Early Churches
In
Syria
MSHABBAK· CHVRCH· c
r~
~
A-III-+~'--f--'c-----tll--ffi "
~ .' ~ (II
&-1---'-'---
13
,.---'I"±:i-..... "
i!
r .
WLSTFACADE' ,
EAST END·
.sCALE: ---
'"
SECTIONA-B·
_
lll.
184.
.."
Comparisons
and Contrasts
'n
l_
J! j'
",
ltI. 185. Arcuated lintels.
the
church,
was covered
of timber; from
the side
the
If the
with a double
aisles
side walls
windows.
Ill. 186. Be"db!l. House, jJlan and elevation,
to
had
the
lean-to
level
sanctuary
pitched roofs
roof
pitched
of the clearstorey
was of apsidal
form,
arched
only
lintels forming
its
curve was usually concealed on the exterior by a straight wall that formed also the east wall of the side
in form,
cut
what
is called
apse a single curve
or five windows
chambers these the
which
chambers roof
in
of the
the
were
occasionally
both
entrances
rectangular
flank
carried
location
earlier
occasionally
of the
in both
not indispensable examples
churches
sixth
century. regular
Northern were its
features
across
simplest
with architraves walls
which
space
consisted
ends were
with
returned
the
ends
in the side walls. They and
arched Early
j
western
but
Churches
the
or
of
portals narthex
narthex,
arches
employed
Besides in
purpose
of with
were closed
with
toward
each
The
occupied
other. by piers
Windows
or
were
of two forms, rectangular of these
windows
are
in the
exterior arch.
earlier
to pier-caps
On the outside,
of the crowning
moulding
mouldings
of the portals,
churches,
even the lintels
were entirely
bare, As church
mouldings
were exten-
string
courses
and
there
was
which served
the
openings.
basilical church
of the North,
a sort of chapel,
religious
small windows.
used
[or base courses,
building,
building
three
however,
and other
the
a smaller
a wooden roof. In other
in the west facade and usually are
sively
for all arches
below the
on the
of the older
advanced,
end the
of openings
of the chancel
of the portals
west
churches,
with
consisted
the
in the earlier
profusely
and the frame
while on many
piers
wide intercolumniation.
in the c1earstorey,
churches
narthex was
walls
pierced
confined
the only ornament
are at times three
In
blank
not
being
were used. If the
there
no windows.
was
were
was the
so
and then again there are examples
often two storeys
portal
of the
j
is usually
and the archivolt
of six monolithic
of the
churches,
and jambs
The
are
which
Mouldings
architecture
a porch
in it
and
during
and
(I!I. 185).
lintel
openings
apse is visible,
are
portal
facade.
which carried
between
columns placed
the
whole
gable,
dated
an arcuated
coupled
them,
for each
with
with
there storey
the wall seem to have
the earliest
churches
the
form,
porch
where lower
but there
aisle
where
of the
and
usually
as several
invariable
along
provided
western
examples
The
j
in the north
churches,
of even
The
generally
examples
The
it became
colonnade
Syria.
extending
aisles.
but
above
were
necessitated
A two-columned
or a continuous been
church
in the earlier
attest,
up
were so treated.
two in the south aisle, or sometimes if the
of the
to form a low tower
chambers
to the
walls
apse. The walls of one of
side aisle
a few cases
main
the
invariably
the opening
window is often found and there are some
is to
between
are almost
above
This form of window head is one of the characteristic details of the architecture of Northern Syria. In the
chambers; but in a number of cases, as in two of the earliest churches with definite dates, the curved wall be seen
for they
to a semicircle
worship.
or without
This
was
an
It had
an apse.
oblong system
110
of interior supports. The side walls were relatively higher than in the basilicas and carried a simple roof of timbers usually were.
a gable
extended This
Northern private
with
houses
each
along the side
is the Syria
at
simplest
form
end. where
A colonnade the doorways
of church
edifice
(Ill, 79), and is substantially of the country
with
in
like the
the interior
in Syria.
23
.\
walls
Early Churches
Syria
In
\
5E.CTlONAB· IlE.5TOI1E.D·
CHV.QCH·
.
MASLCH03 , LSLlL.....OL __ :' _N'MM IDJ-DJlMAL
D
Ill. 187. removed,
a sanctuary
storey
colonnade
storey
(ill. 186).
added
along
at one end, and the two
the side reduced
to a single
buildings
like
second
or
the
third
three-aisled
well known century
at Shakka
plan is combined
SYRIA
The
characteristic
most
central churches
are of two types, both the
churches
that
the
parts
of the Christian
system
and the
wooden
transverse which
of other
longitudinal
clearstorey
system
covers nave
metres
apart
of interior
Syria
world
supports,
and a flat roof
building.
by transverse
and a sanctuary
types
consists
piers
width of the
engaged
tially
like
buildings such
nave.
chambers
with the
the long,
The arches
narrow
of the second
halls
century
in Shakka
verted
into
walls
of these
crown
is essen-
at
buildings
an early
are carried
of the transverse
arches.
clay.
These
buildings
the side, although western portals. The
of
the
as it is generally found
up to the crown
and
interior
the
end
arches,
the entire
protrudes
not
semicircular,
the
major
end
axis
of
required three
beyond
period.
The
side
This tower contains' a and to the roof which
attention.
west
end,
are built
was covered
with
and
apse and
in the galleries.
Sonthern
Syria,
chnrch
is
not
The one
are' rare,
from the front and
is of basilical understood,
plan,
of
to the not a
but a basilica
in the Haura n, and derived
to the west
portals were generally
for
each aisle
j
there is
on one side. The windows they
are
A narthex
and a colonnade infrequent.
of decoration
attached
in the
is 'often found in
alOng the side ·of the
Mouldings except
placed
and 'other forms
when
taken from the
Much of the ornament
ruins of more ancient buildings. was executed in stucco.
beaten
are only a few examples is rarer, and confined
to the east wall
aisles.
insignificant;
up to the level of
form of an ellipse,
of the side
an entrance
was con-
the
access to the gallery
are
of the
in
is parallel
also sometimes
side
of stone slabs covered
is often
the
small
height with the
the east wall. It is occasion-
but
of which
constant
in
of the main arch. The
A tower
one
stair giving
of the gallery
(ll!. 20). The apse in some of these
ally
ch urch.
arches
of equal
and a flat roof
building
churches
of the
level
walls are
on piers, spans the in two storeys, span
the
NORTHEASTERN
The
remains
SYRIA
of ancient
architecture
Sy~a are not well preserved,
of the Hauran,
kind
reaching side
and galleries,
Syria,
The spandrils
were entered
there
other type, which
mountains basilica
This
aisles
in Southern
up to the same level and a roof of slabs was laid from one arch to the other.
the side
(p. 16). Here the
carried
arches.
public
(Ill. 4-A), which itself
a church
from
and narrow
of Roman
as are still to be seen on the south
Kaisariyeh
in
almost
spring
side walls. This nave
of
to 3
2
two storeys, or an apse which often embraces the entire
the
of stone
arches
with side
in
by a
One of these
to be the earlier,
spanned
from
roofs are replaced
of arches
the entire
(Ill. 187), which appears a long
of Southern
of which differ essentially
aisle,
basilica of the
with the transverse arch
system. A broad, high arch SOUTHERN
Roman
from
struction prominent
in
which
elements
have
110t been
from
the
heaps
owing
clay- mortar j
but
disturbed
and
the and
ruins,
in Northeastern to the poor conmud-brick
were
in many cases,
lie as they fell, so that
of faUen walls,
piers
and arches and
Comparisons \
from the mounds
of clay,
of the
buildings
can be restored
degree
of accuracy.
horseshoe using
dome
and
plan;
with
had
wooden
apse
shows certain
free,
between
the
columns
in the
arches,
were
arch
is frequently
westernmost smaller
bay.
arches
generally
western
tecture
or more
substituted
system
of the
the
side
interior
transverse
towers.
While
The
by
narthex
There
were
occa-
basilica of North
is evidence of Oriental
is
the basis of the archi-
is still the Hellenistic
Syria,
influence from the Persian
STONEWORK
I
is a strong
contrast
between
tural forms of the churches
of the Northeast
them
in matters
churches
architec-
the contrast
between
is stin stronger.
The
are built of a beautiful
system central
aisle
employed,
not the
finely only
end,
-
also
for the columns
the jambs interior
apses
arches
are
as
and leaving
marvels
diffe-
the spandrils.
The
earlier
churches, dressed
double
faced, averaging
long,
large quadrated averaging were used
blocks,
In Southern
unusual
of the
available, used
other
are high,
and
for
the curve
were built only on the
lintels
stone and
art.
of small stones outer
of The
unequally of these
of irregular
face. These
walls are
72 cm. thick, and often' present 326
Cf. p.
72.
large
the
like
and
in courses.
of dressed
except the
invariably
for
of Bosra, blocks
in the curved the
fitted roofing slabs.
of the arches
were
construction
the walls being
stone
formed
of
of the portals The voussoirs
great
of
always
follows
outer walls and
built of small stones,
but cut to a rectangular
Each
of
wall
often wider than they
extrados
The
of
Quadrated
for the framing-stones
the line of the
stone
for buildings
Cathedral
were often used
of the intrados.
smoothed,
and in courses
was the only buil-
blocks
are very short, being
the spandrils not
finished
in double faced walls.
apse,
but
and
walls, in many
slabs, and
the span was too
of, the same thickness, of all the walls.
throughout,
magnificence,
-
highly
Syria, where basalt
the arches
cutter's
were high) the side stone
when
55 em. high and in the construction
and the closely
extending
of the longitudinal
the appearance of polygonal masonry (Ill. ISS-A). In all the later churches, and in some of the earlier ones,
east
and the half domes
of the stone are
was introduced,
usage with
became quite
no space for a clearstorey.
of the
as the jambs
are monoliths,
of the arches
Cf. p. 145.
well
a clearstorey
roofed
In Southern
"0.
with a double pitched
was
of the nave
Lauzeh.
system of supports
from the flat aisle roofs
stone
chambers,
of Kalb
being
roof, rising immediately
quadrated
flanking
side aisles of two best example
for a flat roof of slabs,
dressed, its
of a fiat
of Northern
timber
piers and arches,
and
shape,
325
are decided
and lintels of the portals. The shafts of the
portals,
vcussoirs into
and
colonnades,
of the the
apse
quarried
construction
the the
wide and roofed,
of the earlier churches
the
churches
the side walls
and
In many for
The
great
well finished
North
the other.
of Ruwel).a,:l2~ and roofs of
common
of arches, narrow
white
of basalt and of mud-brick, there
most
aisles
architecture
for the support
above
occasionally
j
of the Northeast
regions
church
in the
and then
were built
is easily
but,
rarely
of the
stone
fine
material
of construction.
from
churches,
Syria the longitudinal
were
rences
each not
the church introduced
ding
the three
though
Northern
lends itself to carving. The churches of the South are constructed of black basalt, the hardest stone ever employed in building on a large scale. The churches within
dry. This
or three
church
less than the South, and yet we find
arches,
and
But
laid
North
the
of the North and those
South,
of construction
of the
limestone
and
transverse
as the
to borrow
borrowed
in the
and to introduce
CONSTRUCTION
2.
Fthere
is a tendency
common
at the
reinforced
aisles.
structure.
for
and columns
A large
is sometimes
a triple-arched
sionally there
over
to note,
slabs
form three
and east
regions of Syria develops, that there
stone
that
entirely
across the main aisle
This
It is interesting
namely
unknown.
thrown
style
Syria,
and architraves,
not
of the
the
the apse protrudes are generally
columns
with
the curve
to modify
northeast
features.
of these different North
to the
roof, in one, at least, of the later
longitudinal
though
originally
regions
walls of the side chambers.
in walls Piers
having
of them
cases in which
it is enclosed
arcades.
chambers,
in some
sides of a polygon.
squinch.
the churches are of the basilical
apse and side roofs;
the Sassanian
distinctive
plan,
179
Mesopotamian
which tended
the apse of
of churches of central
perhaps
and
with a considerable
In this region appears
But, for the most part,
In
the plan and superstructure
plan and a group
the
and Contrasts
face and laid
a wedge
in the wall,
double faced and So ern. to
I
rn. thick,
The spaces between the wedges were filled with broken stone and' clay, and the bonding stones were laid through
the
thickness
(Ill. IS9).
Each
sides and
projected
of the walls at regular intervals
bonding
stone
had
slightly
concave
3 to 4 ern. from the exterior
wall
(' I
\
Early Churches
[80
A.
B.
In
Syria
Ref&delt. House of polygonal masonry.
U17l17l idj·Djim&l. Cllltrc!, of Julimlos, apse f,'om tlte Sontlieast, Ill. 188. Masonry.
Construction surface.
\
Another
common
in (Ill. 188-B), where composed
entirely
method
every
fourth
of narrow
The materials
churches
and
The
churches
in
the
light
the
dark
stone
The
construction
Euphrates, not
used
were
built
employed with
In localities difficulty,
used,
only
the
of the does
the
interior
courses
are lying better
voussoirs.
The
of huge half
those
domes
were
of mud-brick. were
usually
Mouldings, in these Apse
window
but
mouldings;
churches these
surface
building,
Northern
Syria
masonry,
and
the
half
masonry
dome
place
of lime-mortar,
The
appears
is almost
half dome
It is not surfaces than
definitely
were the
roofs
took the place
a durable
in
hidden
other
covering.
exterior
and
of coarse filling
up
somewhat On the third
three
mortar all
the. interstices coat which,
coating
coat
as an extension used
surface
in the
Umm idj-Dj imal that the walls,
relief
upon
j
fine
are
but,
rarely
where
dressed
wrought
shaped
stones
stones,
over
and
in the
The
to receive
North
or not,
the interior
with plaster.
or
in a very to bring all
Plaster
moul-
and designs in low the exterior
built
and
of irregularly
not unsightly,
was dressed to a smooth
was stuccoed
it is that
was
of colour.
the second them
upon were
which
a
even to the smooth
texture.
walls
a
was final.
in the churches
presumably
in plaster
surfaces.
surface
were coated
was laid
plaster
occur,
was laid
to one colour
wall
this surface
this
found
they
were used in the South,
were
first coat was
stone and pottery,
on the exterior,
of exceedingly
interior
Certain
The
and waxed for the application
of the
the outer
was used.
wall
the rainfall lighter
this coat was scratched
of plaster
the surfaces
vault
unsightly
I found
and it was also applied
dings too,
tunnel
is common,
third
of
only
At
and
on the interior.
finer
made smooth
In
was the
from view. is milder
mixed with broken
interior,
thin layer,
in the
the
not only of the churches, but of all kinds of buildings, were covered with a thick stucco, two coats on the
mouldings
form
that
parts of Syria,
South,
was used
known
climate
Carved
used
invariably
universally
Syria,
PLASTER
of the
depth.
form of vault
STUCCO AND
shallow
unknown.
of stone
and cement,
of a tunnel vault that
In Southern
in providing
was used
the few examples
scoriae
example
of stone almost
vaults
of right-
for the most
in the
almost
employed.
the
South.
have
of little
was never
but no other clay
lintels
except
were
occasionally
Northeast,
employed
of the
is confined,
vaults,
and
of small voussoirs.
little lime-mortar
domes,
of vault commonly
the
great
lime-mortar
of a half dome, In
and
half
or
as were also the caps
carving
very
often
mortar
were usually
but the ornament
and
of dry
are
were large
in those
moulded,
of the
In all three regions
kind
than
mouldings
Some
to elaborate
in wall
in
openings
being composed
were
of 4.30 m. The
set
of tunnel
and
built of volcanic in a church.
or else of mud-
lime-mortar
the half domes,
found
of flat slabs
where
of larger
portals
a length
of rubble
were often
profile.
domes
being
though rare, were more commonly basalt
of piers;
part,
either
arched,
arches
lined
of the church reaching
The
churches
On the whole, the arches
lintels
dimensions,
were
as was also the single has been
rarer. All these were
very little
of domes,
and the door-frames, Syria,
South,
vault
set in clay,
interior
In all these
of Southern
In the
being
the door-frames, were of the entire east end, which
and arches,
in the ruins.
than
the
brick.
of rubble
Syria,
was largely
of walls,
and the tunnel built but
was quarried
mud-brick
dome rare, generally in walls;
stone
the basalt
was of basalt.
supports
of the the walls
and arches, doors and window
in which
lower
standing,
churches
finished
ll!_ 189.
arches.
in the region
supports and arches, and basalt. In several instances is still
and
was the only material,
in which
and
not
walls, and
supports
quality,
only for piers
frames.
are
of walls in Southern
or better
CORBELLING
with basalt,
was the chief material
in the manner
a poorer
appears
of the limestone
basalt
material
to the locality.
for the exterior
of the churches
is half
to have
one
used together
interior
where gypsum
Where
brick,
limestone
for the
differ from that
North. of
which
being
stone
seems
according
and it is generally
The
Syria were basalt,
sun-baked
or the other preponderating numerous,
stones.
used in Northeastern
gypsum
is show
or fifth course
bonding
dome of the apse in Southern been invariably of concrete. limestone,
of bonding
for
face. Whether
I am unable to say.
surfaces
of these
walls
Early Churches in Syria \
ORIENTATIO/f
3· Thas already
I
churches
toward
early
been
that
practically
tation
all the
late;
This
321
but
the
is quite true
degrees
not
very
when
dates
for
the
to
be
tested
by the compass,
show comparatively
wide varia-
tions;
for the
axes
number
upon - old
churches, veying
that have been instrument,
as
twelve
at
right
have
degrees
of the
by means
of a suras much
angles to the
the
true
of churches
the diagonal
of deflection number
possible.
during
from the angles to
erected
had accurate hundred
years
nearly
due
conform
accuracy, east,
to
an
their
and
siuce
orientation
or/ in other words,
major
W subjects
M.
Syria,
he
archeology,
namely
measurement, in the
of that
of knowledge
country.
330
at our disposal
units of measurement
employed
These
two
and
probably
orientation
determined
In all these
cases, the inscriptions
by
in orien-
the
text
of
of Central
units
of
at
of
were
linear
or
for of
units,
certain
by the ancients
units
the
length
of roofing
are
in even
numbers,
employed.
the researches
buildings
of Syria
like the width
of columns,
dimensions, the
in the
measurements,
doorways,
diameter
employed
likely
to
of M. Viollet-le-Duc
and
be
standard
of
and others
out and their
seasons of the year. fall just short of giving hypotheses.
back
measurement,
the
Greek foot of
and
satisfied
all
the
according to
M. de Vogue. units
of
upon
, accepted ,
the plain
part
study
the
from the
fourth
was
.55 rn.
but
it
or 70 m. or .84
were
I. 10
by
the period when
The
unit
employed
the first, second
importance
is quite
for our
evident that
the Christian period, century.
It was found,
thickness
of early walls
to the seventh
that the common
the increase it was found
propounded
period,
during
500 years,
no less than three
during
Syria.
of that
employed
With
that
is of no great
churches;
were
doorways
in
unit.
buildings
of the temple
than
theory
were employed
two units
more
buildings,
abandon
earlier
exception
of
It became
centuries,
for instance,
the
to that
flourished
the
that
of measured
and third of
with
a period
number
during j
was
measured,
built
metrical
the
fractions,
falling
yet we have no
j
laid
at different
the same
of linear
architecture
height
slabs,
or simple
M. de Vogue,
and
he
necessary
the
particular
unit
not
that might lead to interesting
SIc, covering
in the
a certain
it should
unit
which
to Syrian
concerning
the
as a
308 mm.,
two
employed
With
to discover
about
UNITS AND RATIOS
world,331
be difficult
us information
were
in the month
are of nearly equal
required
ones
east
of five degrees
completed
construction
plans
made
But two churches
a difference
churches
for their
their
and that
of each other by the
both
dimensions,
at different periods and in different parts of the not
were
later
and that of ratios of proportion,
buildings
amount
and, showing
orientation,
of time
importance of
years
of August.
discussion
subject
seventeen
than the pole-
observations
year.
that
on the architecture
the
represent
of the
system
since the extremes
which are of undoubted
within
rather
of the same
for observation,
proof
is about
the
might
seasons
sufficient
discovery of slight
churches
sun,
length
which
opened
the used
with
of doubt into such
The
between
that
limits this is
of late buildings
practiced
dates.
been
of orientation
Within
element
more
of the
published
was
in elate,
to solve problems of
erection
lying
many
de Vogue
his great work
the matter
the
are quite
4· HEN
different
in their
are oriented
axes
have
same architect
instruments
from any celestial
fifteen
suggested
discrepancies
angle is at right
Since many of the early churches
greater
the
the extremes
churches.
but
in orientation
might
of the nave, drawn
for this work, and variations
various
star,
undated true,
for determining
period
is
north line; this, of course, may be accidental,
of orientation
south,
examples
there
that
to bring a large
variations
at
for it is doubtful if the ancients
with
though
line. nil In a large
to the northeast
the true
"8
north;
north side of that
southwest
a basis
with
useful in helping
foundations
frequency
on the south side of a line drawn
only one case among the tested on
of
found to vary
oriented been
large
impossible
be
found
longer
to coincide
might
of churches
of accuracy,
appear
it seems
in Syria were oriented with the sanctuary the east.
and
stated
rri.,
m. wide and
and
that hundreds
2.20
of
to 2.24 m.Iiigh ,
The altar of the "Great Church" at A ti h t d liturtl'je ill "A t i J" J nuoc was urne toward the west instead of toward the east (Cebrol, Dictionnaire d'arcldotogiit Q 1 \ 1l1OCle, CO. 2374, n 18) and the early church p b bl d ti f h . III Ba'albek' . d . h . ., . , 1 TO a y a Lng rom t e beginning of the fifth century in the ruins • was onente Wit Its sanctuary at the west end (The Wiegand 13a'a/bek II p. 1"0 f) ' 328 Cf Map of U idi-Di i oJ P II I" o ' •• mm I J. j rma (. , A. Map. NO.1). 329 cr. Map . of Serd"ll- (P II 331 See Mull's" Ib 'J "I . • S30 s. C. p. 25. er nom "Cit fur n.,l1ss/Schen Allerl1UJlS7&issellscnart 1892 \' J I 8 r Jl a . 1 B. p. liS). 327
tt tilt
;.t"
)
O.
1
p.
35.
f
Units and Ratios \
this suggested lonia
the use of the old royal cubit
of. 555 mrn.
in nearer
which
Asia well down
walls of cut stone cubit
is known
were
or of rubble,
into the Christian
undoubtedly
thick, the double
faced
a cubit
and
half
in thickness,
the
cubits
It is believed
500,
the principal
Empire
linear
was changed
thirds
unit
the same,
high
under
able
in
built
the change.
the
remains
being of
walls
about
appear
not
The
old cubit
and
dimensions and
to have
, for such
been combined
measurements
found. The change
.in larger measurements
equally
significant
measure
30.80 m., or
which
new
are not
is perhaps more noticeable
although and
proportions
by themselves
studied
as
well
measurements
as
another.
standard
upon
that
unit
which
he
geometrical, prescribed mystic
of all schemes
Pagan
of ground in graphic
geometrical
and
Christian,
plans
and
be
that
would apply
small had 332
possible number
convinced and
and rectangles, had
a scheme
of monuments,
as a basis for his theory
of the
which
he
interest-
as the
churches, number it- would
of proportions
of any comparatively such
j
symbolic
the same modules or more
I am not sure that majority
by
to buildings
are exceedingly
to apply
to discover to the
was
and some
less and less applicable
not
the
of elevations
formulae
increases.
of
with
arithmetrical
he applied
laws to a hundred
one finds them of monuments
fixed,
of which
These
ing. But when one attemps and
system
which were all governed
many
significance.
kinds,
presented
and
one
of triangles
of modules
laws,
to
relations
arrangements
a system
etc.
may be observed
M. de Vogue,
he had found numbers,
and or
according
moduli
as M. de Vogue
but it is far more
Muller, op. cit., p. 8S9; Hermes, Ill, P.
429 f.
dif-
but
exactly
50 cubits
will average
m. or
11. IO
cubits.
20
of the In the
old scheme,
to the ends of the basilicas,
the east,
a radius
scribes
of 75 Greek
feet;
of 40 cubits
inside
a circle
the building
~s it is shown that the eastern
with the others throws out
of the
angles
of the buildings,
show that
or less constant
the
that they
length
varied
parison and
that
the
to century.
For-instance, of the naves
were
believed
of the
churches
to me that
these proportions
limits.
general
are about
3 :
2
inside,
have
approximately
only
another
are usually
the
way narrower
century,
proportion
of saying
that
in proportion 33:1
the
of 3 :
2,
while
After measuring
were observed
and those
shows
over all, observed
2
of churches
proportions
the
on
proportion
rule for interior proportions. number
the
century, sixth
of 3 :
to
to breadth
that the same com-
2,
fifth
of the
a far greater In
to belong'
of length
is that of 3 to
the proportion
no constant
and
proportion
a large
of 4 : 3, with an exterior
maintaining carefully
were simple,
from century
churches
proportion
of the basilicas which
these relations
show a ratio
which
in
relation
that
which
fourth. century the inside
and breadth
that
it was evident of churches
plan. In the publications I have attempted to
was a more
I had measured,
of
have no significance
33~
between
in-
the apses. Some
as presented in the geometric of the American Expedition, there
to
the new scheme
is not symmetrical
treatment
to
is 75 cubits. The outside the angle
plan. The discovery
basilica is not at right angles
that
feet; according
the new scheme, the same radius old scheme gives the circle inscribed apses
of
the circle
excluding
has a radius of 132 Greek
unit has been
to take
j
octagon
the
metrical
numbers,
feet in diameter
a smaller circle inscribed
will measure
because
a
will
sides
and
the schematic
of proportions,
Greek
100
octagon
555 mrn.,
than
it is easier
centre
the great
the other circles in the old scheme
are involved.
After
the
wit/tin the octagon
tangent
75 m.,
from outside
to the new scheme,
difficult
lip the questions
by
according
as .92 m. a cubit
determined,
can be drawn
for they
the
of measurements.
scheme
have had
struck
inscribed
in M. de Vogues
of units
of
on a scale of the Greek foot of 308 mm.,
The questions of ratios and proportions, of significant or symbolic numbers and of modules are much more that
arrangement
of the sacred
in standard
in which proportions
an
in La
presented
a circle
a foot, or 1.29 m. a cubit and two feet,
commonly
but
numbers
of
of Saint
and
roughly
measure
Sirn'an,
scheme
plan
column
stone
period
the
scheme,
is notice-
but some of the more
j
of the later
two feet in thickness.
foot
of cut
at Kal'at
geometric
for
to the former
Eastern
whatever
church
numbers
is multiplied
using the old cubit of 555 mm. According
feet wide and six feet
No change
thickness
about .555 m. walls
three
Simeon's
and
round
and
j
angles
and a year
the
of doorways
monuments
Syrie Centrale, 333 shows an interesting
the
This change would
of
stone,
wide
about
throughout
effect upon the dimensions
remained
or a cubit
that,
number
by five or by tell. The graphical
to be a
two cubits
the
circles,
The
foot of 370 mrn, or two
to the
of the old cubit. ",
little
or
doorways
when
era.
intended
a quarter
ficult
survived
walls of undressed
four
high.
of Baby-
to have
it is clear only within
of early churches of the later churches of 4: 3, which
is
the early churches than the later ones.
A. II, p. 35.
Early Churches
Syria
In
5. DESIGN Nthe matter of design
I
parts
of Syria
is impossible
the
churches
to
to discuss
find grounds
way.
The
show
wholly
struction
the
not
even
accompanies
large
clearstoreys
deprives
relation for or
rest
plain,
were of the
desire
The
not
building,
for beauty
though
here
churches
that have the
for a roof of stone, one behind
simply
holes
to the
series
arches
themselves of artistic
vantage arch,
with its higher supports,
their
low
the churches well
and
impressive,
columns
one of lightness these
the
considerations
The
churches
of design,
taken
ad-
chancel
arches
and
pleasing.
In
the relation
of the
nave
are
churches
in
effect is
proportions.
But, aside
proportions,
the
on the other hand, show
were much concerned
and whether
to the
can not be said to be illustrations
they
to some
rule for proportions,
mystical
combination
designed
and
pro-
for the exer-
the whole interior
of the North,
their architects
rising
The
arches
system,
of interior
the
into the dim light
in several
and of graceful
churches of the South of artistic design.
arches
to the great
and
by
In
of supports
was often
arcades
were used,
builders,
of the narrow
harmonious
of a
secured
system
with the longitudinal
proportioned,
spacious which
is often
of the
design.
an opportunity which
of and
more
and impressive.
judgment
their
crude
been
of broad
of, and the proportion piers
are
of these great
offered
as
to those
somewhat
mounting
of the supports
added
the appearance
transverse
of the ceiling, are dignified portion
were
of
were planned
according
or to conform
numbers,
with a view to beauty
with notions
Or were
to Some simply
of effect, these churches
to
whole,
say
which
of are
Every
for
the
exterior
of a building,
out
of
the
that
the
designed
It
according in the
of the intent
of the designers
means. as
the
ground of the
opening.
equal
in
arch
was
that
width
the
and
placed
apart,
The
near
making
two
narrow,
or
wide
and In
high
arches
these
different
remained
about main
periods.
higher
The Its
rectangular portions arcade
than
the
always
below
short and wide either low and
according studied apse
but in all to the width
were usually only
columns
of the interior
in height
are few or many,
it. The
low piers and
width of the arcades
walls
varies
the arches
employed;
in proportion
aisle
openings
in some cases tall
others
total
The
or arched,
were
themselves
the
clearstorey
were
the width of the archivolt
were
the same
aisle.
Course
arcades.
the
the middle aisle, so
churches
stilted.
one
aisles, and the apse
a few
much broad,
of the
approximately
occasionally
were
of the
proportions was
high;
very
schemes
of the storeys,
side
in
arches
upon
than
columns
together,
the
the
aisle
narrower
by innumerable depended
ofa number of features,
its piers would represent
at its springing.
for the realization
heights
and
middle
to
seem possible
could have been
interior
the
arches
a little
not
is achieved
of the plan,
The
grows simply
or by mystic combinations
and arrangement
the
width
apse
does
of
the story of the
use of moduli,
The proportions
the dimensions
tells
"Lamp
by these archi-
ornament
exteriors
to rules,
of numbers
The
burning
the
of the
and the Com.
colour and quality
churches.
always
construction.
proportions
proportions,
of plastic ornament, textures
and
and
in the artistic
their harmonious relation
of different
was kept trimmed
tects,
item
naturally
of voids to solids, the
and
in a few
effort to produce
attention,
of the surface
seen
and the twelfth,
the interiors
relations
materials
interior
such
and
and the treatment
nothing
binations Truth"
a conscious
of projections,
striving
any other buildings in century
particular
of lines, the
modelling
for
received
harmony
and intelligently
to this question there can
effect.
of themselves.
point is not
or not, but whether
than
illustrate
the test of serious,
important
the third
exterior
care
stand
and
More
between
churches
openings porches
beautiful,
answer.
.a beautiful
with a view
in relation
have
one
programme
would
were consciously
them
take
intelligent
and
often
of the entrances,
may
by the
the other,
builders
and
on the part of the
effects than
beautiful
The
their details
of effect
the
The
them
of gables
are merely
manifest
rather
criticism.
of all variety.
lack
features
improve
'The interiors
artistic we think
these
nor
that
was not studied
studied
con-
grace
impressiveness
these
accident
that
the pro-
stone
and have neither
the windows
and they seldom
structure.
from
and difficult
for the protection
proportions
is
design;
modern
to make
effort. Not all
if they were restored
means,
whether their
whole,
by any
of artistic
estate,
heavy
the exteriors
appear,
protuberances
cise
on the
In churches in which arched or colonnades
narthexes
the
difficult
result
original
Christendom,
the
exit,
to
the
churches,
be but
masses.
and
and
plainly
to their
in a negative
Syria,
of effect, the doorways
entrance
light.
It
as applying
at exterior
of voids to solids
to beauty
these
that
very
and the side walls were deter-
of the interior,
distinction,
treated
except
of Southern
whatever
by
are
as a whole,
for comparison
of the facades
mined
the subject
country
churches
no attempt
portions
were so differently
of the
in the different
the churches
\
at different
large or small,
to date, but the proin relation arch
to those of
presents
a great
Design \
A.
B.
Sur/fauya. Cilapel, exterior from tile Soutk.
Biilf£r(tii. East
Church, mouldings Ill. [90.
along
East 'U"!all.
Early Churches
186 variety
of proportions,
for the
space
in some arch
the
arch
very
be at
The
the
relation
In some These
even
buildings
proportions storey.
were
of the
of the apse
forms
by the
harmonious
of the slope
should
crown
width
of the
them.
upper storey
than
period.
in others.
by the
plan and
as were
also the
same
as those
treatment
gable
steeper,
because they
required
to give
strength,
and, in a side
were nearer the eye,
were seldom of voids
to solids was always
aisle
walls the arrangement
was
never
and
symmetrically dark
balance
treated
spaces, but
the solids presented the
west
openings the
j
as
Here storeys
alternated
with round-headed
the windows are grouped
endless.
In
emphasize
In the
and windows spacing
of
occur
as crowning
were which
the
more
like
of equal
light
as his
voids to
openings;
variety
openings
of often
in one church
in the middle and are separated
Syrian
as difficult
music
would
over
movement
and
of the
sweeping
curves,
and sudden
unexpected to hear,
notes
crowning
height
these
mouldings
of the feature they
were best
the details with
loved
mouldings
perhaps
could be used, and both often
to emphasize lines
The
architects
of
mouldings appear
features
the
and streng-
in the treatment
Exterior
mouldings
of the day
repeated
turns
to
Window
used to
ornament, like
members
architect,
shadows.
proportioned
were
or mouldings
church.
played an
to enhance the
carved But
of the
deep
was
of the
foliage
but
the variety is almost
mouldings
of arches.
preeminently give
employed again
lines,
and
music,
of rectangular
was
the supporting
imposts
crowned.
with the rest of
of mouldings
interiors,
in the same to
determined,
balance
of these Northern churches,
but here
to enrich
the
clearstorey
much
the
by any fixed
already
appliation
either
and those
the wall and the slope
not guaged
features
the important
capitals, then
from were
ornament
of effect;
artist
offered
The
porches, were modelled or columns with their
role in the design
plastic
beauty
by
such as
to the building behind
to appropriate
building.
important
the
the proportion
treatment.
or
view
was made with a view
a reiteration
also
a
them
projections,
piers
distance
to the taste
an endless variety. The fenestration
facades
proportions, with
distyle
of the
roof above
ends show openings of All
relation
according
studied.
but the
height their
gable
and
pier-caps,
The relation
of the doors
symmetrical;
the larger and smaller rhythm
carefully
of the
and
the
narthexes
The
windows are equally spaced
spacings.
in harmonious
architraves,
the
even and
the tran-
not only never the same, but
alike in two churches.
perfectly
and
the
in size, having the larger opening
wall of the
of these aisle roofs
were
exactly
and were
view, were to make
The angles
of the high gables
the
always
of compactness
from the high aisle wall to the lower
c1earstorey.
never
above.' but were
an impression
were
of Jines. The
of the aisle roofs were
of the
porticoes, strictly
of the aisle walls to the walls of the clear-
modified
of
middle;
various
The effects of these exterior proportions
angles
and
storeys,
in another
in the
of the same
determined
interior
by columns,
but vary symmetrically
a square
of the clear-
to that of the
it is more pleasing
proportions height
square
than
of the
in churches
periods,
is about
level of the top
proportional
is not constant
to
itself
much higher
lower storey of the facades
sition
limited
wall, and that the same cornice
both.
the
within
but it was the rule that the top
should
storey
below
cases and
in others;
even
Syria
In
to play. To
were no doubt
for us to understand
be (Ill. 190). In simple measures, over
again,
chanting now
quick,
returns, and
choir, and in the
now slow, in the quick
in the loops and spirals, the
pauses,
the gay, triumphant
we see in stone the
of the
we
see, and may try
music of a high feast day.
CHAPTER VII. GROUND
T
HAT
the
form
of the church
the
three
shown
by the great
found
among
variations
the
edifice
by any limited
was not bound during
PLANS AND SUPERSTRUCTURES:
centuries
variety
of its
of ground
examples
were partly
set
that
and of the probable
place
from century
changes
to century;
in Syria
ports, consequently,
of rules,
church
growth,
plans
is
which
have survided.
the natural growth
ment,
is
The
of develop-
in ritual
GROUND PLANS
I.
that
took
but there is sufficient
without
from the
narrow
this, the
simplest
semicircular Shems
the
ground plans of Syrian
the
buildings
into
two
churches, we may
large
of longitudinal
or transverse
those
plan.
of central
The
groups:
second,
all forms
Group
system,
first group
first, the churches and chapels and,
In reviewing divide I, those
and
Group II,
would
embrace,
with undivided
of three-aisled
naves,
basilicas,
[rom
those of square outline to the elongated type. Group II would cover, first, the buildings of square outline which
embrace
domed
or not;
partly outlines great
extent,
South
occurs; from
which
whether
are wholly
and, third,
those
or
whose
of a circle. It is, of course,
matter
the system would
within,
of plan determines,
of roofing;
have
the
to a
buildings
timber
of the
ridge-roof
with
or shed roofs, for the lower di visions, except
the
the
those
a part
that the
group
structure
in outline;
describe
lean-tos, in
second,
polygonal
understood first
a central
where
the
while the covering
flat roof of stone
or wood
of the second group
varies
the pyramid of four or more sides in timber dome
being
of concrete
covered
protected
with
or stone, slabs
by shed roofs
or
the Jower
provided
with
to
public buildings
form is the undivided
apse. In Northern
which
early date.
halls of Roman
011
(Ill. 191-C). In the South
plan of a chapel east Church
nave with a
Syria this apse is visible
as in the chapel
the hill at Kharab
it is sometimes
cealed by a straight east wall,
chapels,
in
but also was undoubtedly used for Pagan as at Der Smedj 335 and Msekeh. 1130 After
this region, sanctuaries,
on the exterior,
to be of very
"hall type" of church,
an apse at the east end, not only was derived
variety to prevent sameness, even among the churches appear
higher than the others, as in the
(Ill. 191-B). This
at 'Anz
con-
as may be seen in the
(Ill. 191-D). In the South-
at Sabhah
at Umm idj-Djimal
and in several
small
(Ill. 191-E),
such as the one at Der idj-Djnwaul
not only does this apse protrude
beyond
but there
arch across the nave
is a single transverse
the east wall,
which takes
the place of a truss. A degree more com-
plex arc the
chapels
with a three-fold
division
of the
east end, a presbytery, almost square, anel side chambers, as we find in the Southwest Church at Brad
(Ill. 191-F). often
In most Northern
project
a little
like. a rudimentary chapel
still
beyond transept,
ya.
at Surkan
nave
In
but
Northern
the chambers
project
the
these chapels
walls of the nave,
as, for example,
The next
337
undivided,
chambers.
examples
having
and
step brings us to a an apse and
Northeastern
at the sides,
in the side
examples,
as in a small chapel
(Ill. 191-G); but in the South, very narrow
at il-Anderin side chambers
seem to have answered
portions
we have
seen
vaults,
idj-Djimal
(Ill.
in the
Church
the purpose,
as
of Masechos at Umm
187),
of timber. BASILICtI'S: r:
GROUP I:
To
begin
Of the three-aisled with the simplest
form of Christian
in Syria, one must take the oblong, with a transverse a small
rectangular
sanctuary.
Such
Kasr il-Mudakhkhin arches,
this type
chapel
arch near the east end elividing a chapel
is one beside
great Roman road, not far west of Bab il-Hawa, Syria
edifice
(Ill. 191-A). In churches is found
the chancel
the called
of Southern
with a series of transverse
arch being
335 P. II, A. p. 352, Ill. 317.
off
narrower, and its sup-
336 P.
basilicas
there
are three
quite
dif-
ferent plans, two of which are nearly square in general outline:
the Northern type,
I.
chambers
included
wider than Dana able
II, A. p. 424, III. 366.
which,
in Northern
to discover,
munication
leaving a nave
it is long, as in the church at Northern
(Ill. 19I-H),
only church
with its apse and side
within the square, it may Syria,
be remarked,
in which there
between the side aisles
337
is the
so far as I have been was no direct comand the side cham-
P. IT, a. p- 327,111.
367.
Early Churches
188
111
Syria
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STONE.
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I Ill.
19 r ,
Plans , A, Kasr il-lI1udakltkltilt,
D, SaNlalt,
CltZlrcltj
Cftapel;
E, Der-z"c(j-.DjuUJct1ll-,
G, £1-Anderzll, C/lapel;
H, Nortltent
B, "An», Clmrc!,; eftapel;
C, Klta1'!ib Slums,
F, B1~adJ Soutlnvest
D!Wii, Clturclt;
r,
Clllt1-cll;
cUJIZlll, Cltttrcltes.
Cftapel;
Grollnd Plans bers j 3:JS2. the Southern
type,
verse arches and its apse as, for example, 3. the true
with its series
protruding
basilica was produced
Diversity
of plan in the
in several
ways;
using many columns supporting
(II!. J92.Kj;
in the east sanctuary
end,
East
or by curve
the
by a curved by a straight
rectangular
we may
(Itl. 193-L).
beyond
east
the
east end of the side aisles
the
prothesis ana diaconicon.
cite
Again,
the the
J
are enclosed
apse
only in No:theastern
Southern
Syria.339
churches
beyond
within a rectangular
is
il-Anderin
and
the line
of N ort heastern
(III. J93-N), where the apse is set back from of the east wall of tre
in a wall which. forms three
block
apse thus
a redirnentary
form of choir. This
of masonry.
HI)
of the
but is
Northeastern
examples
South, the ,Cathedral"
end
are the lost
of
becbmes
regions of Syria,
apses
and the church
is really
basilica
and the
34J
only
the central
the church
"Cathedral" curve
of Saint
at il-Anderin,
Simeon,
of all three apses
appears
special type.
and perhaps
on the
In a later
church
of its
side
The type, due to some
in so many with
special liturgical
of
often
mentioned
as spanning
bay (see N), forms
and Southern
churches,
as
in its
simplest
form of an
of piers or columns
carrying
architraves.
form
are returned
the
ends are closed
toward
each
other
two
western
by walls which
(III.
192-J). A
few
of
churches
have
is to be
prototype
for the Mediaeval facades of Western Europe,
of the Archangel
chambers
consisted
are
or narthex.
in Northern
seen,
open portico
the
exterior
An innovation
347
Dl1na, which
338 This church at Northern belongs in the arrangement
Of
are the only ones where the
the east end of the church. seen in the plan of the
The narthex
the churches
chambers
by narrow doorways,
arch, already vestibule
of M, the plan
In
side
aisle at the westernmost
we have
Stylites at Kal'at Christian basilica
both
the presbytery
the great church of Saint Simeon Simcan in the North, 345 and the these,
Lauzeh.
with
a sort of interior
'"
at Kalb
and the transverse
Mar-
at Ba'albek.
development
Syria
tyrion and Basilica "B" at Re~afah:J4-l in the Northeast,
temple
a further
church
connected
at Der Simdj 342 in the
at il-Anderin
built in the ruins of the
The
and in front of the
of the
341
of a hexagon.
side chambers
at the ends
at Suweda
sides
and enclosed
space betweeu.-the
the central aisle and narrow uncommon. The
church
the east wall, but are apse at the
very
Plans: J, Biilp'i1~!tii, East. Clmrc/t, K, Djuwan£yelt, Clmyc/t.
192.
The use of three apses, a broad side aisles, occurs in all three
K
to form
The polygonal
rare, being found In two
III.
(Itl. J93-M), where
extremely
enclosed
U
wall
the east wall, as in the
case of the church at Kalb Lauzeh
Syria the apses project
~
walls of the side
of which
at Kokariaya
entire apse protrudes
~ I, : , ~
apse
as ali example
Church
~ I,
(Itt. 192-J). The outer
of the apse is either concealed chambers,
arches,
at Dj ttwaniyeh
with broader arches, as in the church a rectangular
by
as in
in the nave
narrow
F.----------- .........
Oblong
(Itl. 192-]), or few piers
the East Church at Bakirha
or is shown between
of trans-
from the square,
at Taf ha (Itt. 17); and
in the church
basilica.
189
in
ways
and in origin
is an exception
a group necessity,
in Northern
Syria,
has both side chambers
especially
of Northeastern
opening
which
suggest
a
go back to the very early Itilani
perhaps
of sixth century churches
towers
if its fifth century Syria,
date is accepted,
which seem to constitute
laterally, not into
a
the apse proper, but into
the space directly in fronl of it. At Dana, Umm it-Tuweneh (P. II, B. Ill. 6), dated 539/40 A.D., and in the chapel at il-Ander'in (ltl. 19I-G) there are no doorways opening from the side chambers into the side aisles. In the churches at Newa, 598/9 A.D. (III. 171), Der Nawn,
599 A.D. (111. 112), i~'Ttiba, 583 A.D. (Ill. 175\ ir-Ruhaiyeh, 564 A.D. (Ill. 113), Basilica "B", (p. 163), and the Martyrion at Resafah (fll. 177) there are openings into the side aisles in addition to the lateral openings into the sanctuary. All these churches, with the exception of the church
at Dana, are dated
in the sixth century
and
are
located
in the general
region
of the cAla.
339 Bo!}ra (111.124), Zo'rah (lll. 122), Der Sirnd~ (Ill. lI8), Re~8.fa!l (Ill. 177), Basilica II.!!" at Re~Mah, Dec Tefmnntn (de vogtte, La Syrie Cmtrnlt, PI .. 130), Chu;ch of the Archangel at il-Audertn (Ill. 193·N), Basilica at B({albek,(Wiegand, Ba,caloe/':,1I, Abb. 190). 340 Basilica lOB" (Cf. p. 163) and the M';'rtyrion (Ill. 177) at Resfifah. 3~2
de Vogue, op. cit, PI. J 9. cr. p. 1I9 i an inscription on
3U
Cf. p. 159.
34t
the lintel of the cburch 344
cr.
of Busr il-Harirt
p. 163.
345
346 Th. Wiegand, Etlaloak, H, Tafel 69. H. W. Beyer, Da- Syrisc1u Kh-c!ulloau, p. 167, discusses
347
Syria church
before at
the seventh EI
Anja
there
century are
Palt.stiltia1~ EJ,:ploralil,lll Fuml
the use of the three three
Annual,
apses,
which,
1914/15,
apses however,
not
and
to the Sinai project
2477)
uses the word apse
in the plural.
Cf. p- 99.
the prototypes
was limited do
(Wadd.
on
the
parallels region exterior
for this treatment
in Palestine. (C.
In three
L. Woolley,
. of the east end. ~utslde churches "The
as Esbeita
and
of a
WindeCDess of Zill",
pp. 72-132).
!
Early Churches
Syria
In
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IN5C'9iO
IL-ANDEftlN· N
Ill. '93.
facades
of the
existed
in Syria
the
Christian
Hittites
There which
is aisled and
basilicas,
although
of this type,
this towered
facade,
was most
348
In
while
common
in
and west aisles,
walls, divide
the interior
as in the church
(I1I_
idj-Djnwant
it is long, five aisles.
and
12
at "Uynn
r) the
church
into three, or more,
(Ill. [9[·1). At
Dec
is much wider than
fOLIf
arches
divide
the
which
present
a square
interior
into
of plan, peculiar to the South,
hence
comes under
it is not a regular the distance
the
basilica
two, and sometimes
arches, spanning
the type
period.
regions,
is a fourth type
Certainly
the Hellenistic
architecture,
churches tudinal
in Syria.
during
appearing in all three Northeastern Syria.
Plans: L, KiJkanli)'ii, Clt/t,,"lt; lVI, J[alb Lausels, Clttwclt; N, il-Anderin, Cluwc!leS of 55. Micltael and Gabriel.
head of plan. In
more, longi-
between
the east
GROUP The
II:
buildings
central
interior
architecture
plan are not common
of Syria,
though
this
exterior and a
in the ecclesiastical form is often found
~ Examples of the towered facade: Northern Syria, Der Termsntn (de Vogue, Pl. 135) Kalb Lauzeh (de Vogue, PI. 124), "BizzOS'1 church at Ruwe~1i (fit. 156); Northeastern Syria, Kerrattn (Il!. 169), Ma'Tita (ft!. 85), Ir-Ruhaiyeh (Ill. (13), Yduz (.Ill. 39), il-Firdjeb (Ill. 173), "Cathedral" at il-Anderln (II!. 170), perhaps the church of the Archangel at Il-Aodertn (fit. I93-N) and the Basilica at Reslfah (Ill. 174); Southern Syria, Suwedn (de Vogue, Pl. 19), West Church at Umm idj-Djimal (/!/. 114), il-Kdris (P. H, A. Ill. 302), Lubben (Ill. 40). F. Oelmnnn , Hi/alli UfJd Liwa1~/laus, Bonnar 7altrbiichC1', CXXVH, (1922), pp. 188-236. G. L. Bell, Palau and Mosque at Ukhaidir, p. 122 f; H. W. Beyer,
D(1'
Syrisc!u
Kirchmbau,
pp. 148-153;
Pucbsteiu, Die Sault: ilt del' Ass)Jrischm A1'c!litektur, lb. d. K. d. Arch. Inst., 1892, Strzygowski, Kldllflsim, p. 55 f., 213 f.j Die BaukwlSt del' Al'lIICIlier, J: p. 399.
p. 8 f.;
Ground plans
P
o M·.
O.PQ.'\rR. o.oou,l
SCALE:
R Ill. '94.
0, l[al'at Sim'Cm, Baptistery (after de Vogiie); P, ii-Anderin, R, Zor'alt, Clmrcl, of St. George.
Plans:
Chapel;
Q, Kasr lbi, Wardan; in tomb at
structures.
Kal'at
brought
Sim'an
The
plan of the so-called
(III. '94-0)
to a square
by
baptistery
has an interior
solid
triangles
octagon
of masonry.
L/outside of this square is an enclosing wall, provid,ed \ an aisle about it. A simple example is found in a little church walls
at iI-And erin, of which are
now
in situ
little but the foundation
(III. '94-P). Within
square of this church is another
the
square formed
outer
by four
arches, one of which is the apse arch j the three other arches
are supported
which
stand
the apse or chancel cruciform
by two piers of cruciform
opposite
the
engaged
piers
plan,
which
flank
arch. This provides a complete
superstructure
within,
and yet
an
oblong
nave and side aisles. There
were three entrances,
in the west
in each of the side
wall and
one
one walls.
The plan of the church at Kasr Ibn Wardan (III. 194-Q) is an elaboration church
of this
is described
simple
in detail
arrangement.
in the
Vth
chapter
This j
we
may note here that the exterior proportions are slightly oblong basilical
and plan
with a dome In place
that
the
Of the three-aisled
combination
and the central
construction
is carried out with
of the single arches
crowned
remarkable success.
of the North
and South,
which appear in the little church at il-Anderin (Ill. 194-P), there are three arches on either side carried upon columns,
and two storeys
above
them.
Yet these
are
all embraced within a great arch, equal in span to the arch before the chancel; and, in theory, the plan of this
church
does
one. In the Hauran
not
differ
from
that
of the smaller
there are two forms of the central
Early Churches
192
Syria
in
Mn(AYEHCHVRCH
0 II
D
T
w Ill. 195.
church
with square exterior
George
apse
an octagon
projects
The
slightly
of Bosra, also described within
in a polygonal
the circle and the circular exedras,
front
of an apse
project nave
like
and
here
without, the
j
is planned
and having
apse
projects
form, and the angles are filled with
a circle from the between
large
semi-
are
consisted angles north
and
most
famous
Syria, is one of the most
octagon, with
of Mir'ayeh
side
in this case, chambers;
is placed the
apse
sides
octagonal
have
served
This
fourth
century
1l2Wt
called
aureum,
of
side
four the into
at
of
within a
dividing
the
narrow arches. The
in Northern
Ecciesia Magna, because
At
interior supports two
at
prototype
church
circle.
of which stood at the
two
church
a
as
a
Syria, of being
chambers
The
other
church
Constantinian
may
variously
with
octagon,
instead
five sides of an octagon
(Ill. '95-U).
wall
south
church,
Syria,
to an apse
of a
in Northeastern
three-quarters
the
the great plan, that
end is also found
about
of six columns, of
arrangement
east
of the
east
and the side
This
body
attached
straight
wings.
octagon
the is
The Cathedral
the
(Ill. 195-V), again
Fa'lfil
in Northern
chapter.
of
rectangular
Midjleyya
Vth
leaving
side
octagonal
(fll. 195-T), in Northeastern in
at but
one
space
square
A complete
chambers central
within.
The
from
of the apse arch. This church
Of the churches of polygonal interesting.
opening
of the plan
in the Vth chapter,
in a form almost square rectangle
outer square
from the square,
is more fully described in the
an octagon
of Saint
one form,
of piers and arches
for a small choir in front
and
walls; the church
of its kind, but is in a complete
of preservation.
embraces
D, J/Ilidjle)'ya, Chapel; V, FacllU, "Clttwclt of tlte Archnngels"; W, Aleppo, Cathedral.
(Ill. '94-R), representing
at Zor'ah
is the only example state
Plans: T, 1I1[;,-'ayelt,Cfmrclt;
Syria was
Antioch,
which
in this region.
Antioch,
which
Apostolica,
and Domi-
its gilded
was
dome, was badly
Ground plans injured
by the great
Ephrem
remade
is obvious
the great
form
the
most
the
fourth
was
century,
350
scattered
examples,
and
While
it
Minor,
octagonal
and
of
the
development
type
Northern
of
of supports
were
with narrow
arches,
of construction
that
groups
of churches,
and
mately
their
Little
undivided,
elates.
rectangular that
the
over
the
kinds
side
approxi-
description
the
of the
is required;
inserted
between
drawn
and
that
the
lights,
colonnades,
entrances.
The
of Northern
of semicircular
form,352
of cut stone.
windows) gable
the
distyle
windows
Syria
and
group
which
the semicircle
is set
The
semicircle
350
Strzygowski,
Cf p. 166, n. 309.
3$2 Professor
Kleimuim,
Butler's
pp.
apses at Kelb Lauzeh also plan (Wiegand, Church,
Burdj
is probably
true,
but 'his
within
the
If the
outer
cealed
by
a compound especially
by a moulding
level of the caps sphere
horizontally
inward
of a half
prolonged
Churches
in Syria.
353 35-1
was to be conthe case when
was higher
than
a the
wall of the apse, no effort was made to finish the upper ends
of the
cases,
the apses
line of
protruding
vaulting
stones;
of undivided apses,
but
chapels,
were
built
the half domes
and of basilicas of stones
of
with
so cut as to
col. 2372. A. Birnbaum, uj)it OktogOllt 'VOltAldfocMa, Nmrianz Ulld Eusebius, Vila COJl.SI(wtilli, III, 50.
op. cit., p. 201 says it was begun of the East
Church
at
in 328 and finished Burdj
Hedar
by 363.
(Ill. 58) and the church at Bututa
II, p. 132).
(.Ill. 58),
Blittitii (P. H, B. p. 330, III. 374),
Kberblt Tcz'in (P. JI, "S. p. 2041 Fll. 20g). East Church at Bnrdj Hedar (Ill. 58)) Dana (Northern) Early
are
form
at the impost.
dome
wall of the church
apse
and the
Tell
"Adeh (P. II, 11. p- 273,
Ill. 291),
Dana (Northern)
(Ill. 63), 3$4
the
but there
of horseshoe
a roof, as was generally
east
in the later
stilted,
is deep;
of apse arches that curve
The
carried around
slightly
if the apse
surface
manner
cap.
of the piers. The
a semicircle
vault,
are generally
in a similar
or with
is a quarter
the
of foliate form, though
of the half dome,
is marked
arch.
While
the piers of the apse
terminated
mouldings
level
arcades
have caps
occasionally
with
the chancel
in piers.
of the nave
frequently
and of half domes
a half
plans
circle
of horseshoe plan. His field notes, however, give no indication of this form. de Vogue's Plan (Ill. I93-M.) of indicates a slight horseshoe curve in the apse, and the Christian church in the ruins of Ba'nlbek has an apse
Ba~albtk l:ledar
A. Birnbaum,
a complete
a few examples
et dll~Lit1trgft, II, -Anuocbe'', XXXVllI, 1915, pp. 181-20g.
70-103.
statement
(P, II, B. Ill. 374) show
is, in some
upon the inside
be
in a tunnel
the apse is always with
are
half dome
above
In
of the apse could
arch is ordinarily
porches,
walls.
walls of the apse
of the apse terminate
are
at
in straight
the side
ends
apse
are
cases
a set of mouldings,
impost
circular
opened
is covered
line of its cord
351
East
churches
the curve
with
churches,
that
ends
occasionally or
349 Cabral, Diationuaire d'archiologie iVJ1ss, Repertorium Iur Kunstwissenschaft,
the church
of these
These
a related
produced
piers at the
either
timber
in other
i
its ends
capped both
up in the
in the west wall at the level
In the churches
of horseshoe
description
chapter.
Vlh
ground
(Ill. 495- V)
examples
to
straight
with
in the
exterior
Fal'ul
so far that
arch more
in the uppermost the
two
The walls
small,
of the
arch
with
produced
it is sufficient
high
for the support
with small
Continuous
one or
ApSE
353
far back
some of the minor
are placed
occur
windows,
pierced
protected
dome
at
(Ill. 177). A complete
is given
the chancel
of
the roofs of the colonnades.
set
in their
churches
that
AND BASILICAS
often aid in fixing
chapels
spaces
sometimes
in form.
we are studying,
and the church at Amida form should be studied together. 351
CHAPELS
to certain
o[ the roof are often
usually
the
in
at Amida
SUPERSTRUCTURES
give character
windows
walls, that corbels
the
territory
eastern
been discovered
of El Hadra
of a circle
are
and Resafah
and piers with broad
details
of
the
segments These
churches
used in the superstructures,
to describe
windows
such
in the churches
It now remains
course)
display lines.
church,
pages that various
were employed
arches.
trusses
in by
Syria, it has also been pointed out that different
i. e., columns
side
is outside
an
SYRIA
of wall construction
say
which
built
suggests
have as yet
of which
of the central and octagonal
We have seen in the preceding
systems
churches
if we omit the church
with so few and
octagonal
two
Armenia
Syria,
described
A.
to
Only
in
Strzy-
church,
Naz ianzus,
2.
NORTHERN
not a
in Syria,
in Asia
is hard,
was
type of building inspiration.
it
While
to form a clear idea of the develop-
spread
the subsequent
buildings
the
at
in wood.34!)
the octagon
examples
famous
Gregory. ment
that
for church
cites eight
of 526 and the builder
dome
from the ruins
common gowski
earthquake
193
(Ill. 63). 25
194
Early Churches
rn
Syria
A
B
Ill. 196. Kfer, Cltl",clt: A. Interior of Apse;
B. Exterior of Apse.
Superstructures present
a smooth
were built
concave
up in a flat
surface
without
(Ill. '96), or
half cone of solid stone
work.
there
are
for arch cipal
SYSTEM
system
up the basi lical structures
of supports,
colonnades
generally
though
there
ill detail;
adapted was
no
There
usually
of the
elevated
colonnades, piers
and the distance
on a high though
in several
churches
of the Djebel
of columns
are generally
much
high. Each pier is oblong base, shaft and cap.
we have
the fundamental
architrave
and arch,
other
little
had and
upon
employment
in the form examples
of Btirsa great
in the
355
basilica
of Zebed
35{}
and the church of Saints
'51
is-Surab these
in the
examples
of columns,
Sergios
it is certain
both
carrying
to the condition of the
great
church
certain
indications carrying
the 355
arcades
set a whole
level
is particularly
of the
variations
arch
Ruweha,
of a
by the
either
system
Here
them
are
is carried
lintel,
is so
roof.
as to
in Syria,
the region
at Umm
T form
across
62.
the
cap
of impost that
have
in plan,
This
level,
erected
and was amplified are introduced
there
on
these
3CO
rectangular
of the arches, arches
weighted
as trusses
were arches
for the
at Resafah,
where cruciform
over
the
359
piers
the side aisles.
I
PIERS
The
ment.ion
duces
the
of piers
subject
of
other owing
besides the square
which
are un-
at Kal'at
the lower
of the
and
cross-form,
piers of complex
above
intro-
There
were
piers for the support
in addition described
special which
to the piers above,
in the churches mention.
plan, like those
Sim'an,
octagon
paragraph in general.
and rectangular
arches,
be said
the
111
of piers
require
may
of
arches
through
transverse
repeated
at it·Tuba,
Syria
Of the
a slender pavement,
acted
with arches
Church
broad
the spandril
was
on
the piers which carry
and the
which
architraves.
with definiteness,
three
where
arrangement
from a column
in the North
the nave. Upon
were
other
of Northern
These
are, first,
of the main octagon
supported
and two smaller
two
of
two great arches
arches
crossing
the
side aisle and connecting with the nave arcade. These piers have a most regular plan, but a very significant feature about
A. III p. 154, Fig.
than
in churches
has
up from
which appear
it is to be noted
composed
difference
nave
and
last
architraves.
are
higher
is found
the
T form
the
of columns,
course it. This
one
of mountains,
and Bacchos
thrown gables
the small church
where
level than the arches
arch sprang
sorts of piers
at il-Barah
arch
of the piers of the apse
as in III. 197-B, but
side,
shaft
as a
I know positively
The same
not
as at Midjleyya
either side of the apse (Ill. 7 I). A special development
that there were two storeys
ruins.
the
At Ba!?u[;1n the chancel
the in-
architrave
In
-
to find the apse
noticeable
cap of the pier, and against
Hauran.
exam-
form,
broad nave arches carried on piers, as at Brad (Ill. 197-B).
nave
of two storeys
place,
adjoining
so
in nave arcades
impost
the caps
numerous
first
century,
uncommon
often
of the responds
From the
was employed
arcade,
and are fitted
and
ARCHES
In the second
-
of the nave being
in which the voussoirs
that
of the
to speak
of the
lintel,
of true 356
that
arches,
A. II, p. 302.
not all of
just
and
form
that 357
j
form
(Ill. '97-B),
in the Northeastern
Southern
two it is impossible
storey
group
be argued
and this
short,
in the spandril.
may
to the c1earstorey
of its appearance
Northern
it
presented
of an arcuated
divisions,
ples
lintel
The type represented
arch
long and
In the first place,
of the
in each of our geographical
alternately
from a higher
churches
superstructure
element.
cut
springing
number
In the
are sufficient
the
is introduced,
It is not
the use of the one or the
it almost a negligible
of but three
The
in plan and consists
though
keystone
be called an arch.
(Ill. 23).
less than three metres
difference
in (B) a single
of the arcuated
The
earlier
the
broader,
description.
effect
the
except
render
is not a true arch at all,
a development
the end of the fourth
is offset by the lowering
there
to claim some
rare, f
(A), in this illustration,
arcuated
in
simple
is merely
later than
in this
of the
but
are
appear
for columns
height of the arches
of detail
and
varies from three to fourteen of the nave.
the supports
them.
exclusive
that
as to interlock
the
end in salient
Ril)a (Ills. 22,23).
of the piers, which are generally
Above
ill a single
rules prin-
The three
in Ill. 198. It will be seen
may properly
and
plinth-block.
notably
forms,
are
between
at either
churches,
to the length
arches
whole,
of arch
from the accepted arcades.
arch, are shown
by (C) is a fully developed
monolithic
cubical
piers were substituted
creased
types
in the true
orders, between
half columns
in a colonnade
according the
are
as a rule, terminate
position
where
relation
orders,
divergencies
observance
often appear
columns
or responds,
Classic
for the various
is no constant
the
(Ill. 197-A)
at a strict
orders
of the columns shafts
the columns
attempt
of all the three
colonnade.
now to describe
from the later
of the rules of proportion capitals
with a longitudinal
it is important
themselves
were
The
wide building
voussoired
In taking
height
195
P. II,
free
A.
the
them
from
is the presence
the
angles
p. 95, /11· 78.
inside
of the
of columns standing
reveals octagon
of the piers which and
359 Cf. p. 162.
which actually 36Q
Cf. p. 163.
Early Churches
In
Syria
..-_ ~ •. ··'f•. ,' .i •.,.... "'-.-
.
A
B
C IN" 1178
A
:+
w' ,
it!
E
~t-
-. "
,
5"&
. ,.
• • '
I'
"
it!
,
~-
~
"'M·
"0
A,
~r
11.40
: : 4'0
~f'
:f
••
MCM.-tl'1-
3CALE.:
SCALE.-
A
Ill.
J
97.
Types of Longitndina] Systems I A. Simldtlw, Plan and Secsiou, B. B"/jd, Norti: ell/welt, Piau and Sectio1l.
'
'" B
::
', ,,
': ',
·
'
::
IN,,' 111>0
r
Su perstructures support
the
voussoirs
bination
of columns
common
in Syria
al-J:lalhwiyyall
of the great and
but
piers
narthex
at Aleppo.
301
of the "Cathedral"
is cruciform three
in plan
viz. two of the arches but
and
the
the
arm
thrust
of the
resses
projecting
Sim'an,
of pier, in the
and elsewhere, narthex arches,
actual
facade
of the
arch across the no
arch
and is
buttress
to take
arch. This detail
angles
members
narthex;
to support
an exterior
of arch construction.
of this form at the
two
type
of Kal'at
transverse
in the history
is not
form the cross, carry
more nor less than
portant
arches
The other
of the
has
com-
the front of the
one transverse
fourth
nothing
This
found in La lIiad1'asa
of Kerrattn,
across
j
of the arms, which
narthex
to carry
is also
which is found in the narthex
arches.
set
is im-
The
butt-
of the narthexes
at right
have
angles,
serve
only as buttresses,
form
buttresses
in the
narthex
at Kal'at
each
a column
for the
support
of the main arch,
those
of the great
were
and the middle
which
octagon
within.
not of Syrian origin,
though
Exterior
on the Kaisar'iyeh
few
are
examples
of buttresses
along the
Rasafah
at
the edge of the
they
which
the
two
of Rasafah,
early
buttresses as early
at Shakka.
The
of the Sergios
basilica
suggests
that
east
in Syria
in stone of the brick buttressing
of Mesopotamia.
east
like
lies in the extreme
Euphrates,
were an adaptation
strips
have
all late, and the appearance exterior
(.!II. '74),
at
Sim'an
they appear
as the third century other
pair of cruci-
Other
examples
at
I;Iaiabiyyeh,
churches on the
are 302
found
on
which
is
Euphrates.
nine
windows
wall
space
. earlier
CLEARSTOREV
churches,
Simkhar The
.l-
f
clearstorey
arcades
walls
were seldom
upon more
(1.75 m. to 2.50 m.) high of the main arches was provided of the
storey
appear
churches,
and fourth
appear
were
lintel
found
type.
The number their
of arches churches,
the
earlier
window they
is placed are
centred
over them.
Mschabbak, 361 362
more
above
in all The
The a fifth
the
round
where each
the perfectly century
arch; are
arches
not
or
the
preserved structure
the
course
later
These
were,
of course,
trusses.
A
(III.
more
construction Lauzeh,
churches
space for
elaborate
Kal'at
a colonnette
Sim'an
The
of the
Sherns
and
separates chapels,
each corbels
the windows,
below the cor-nice. support
treatment in
the
of these churches,
between
the
but
In the church
block
or just
is to be seen
corbel is placed
except
monoliths.
In the clearstorey
upper
side.
coursing;
walls of the undivided above
that
placed
Kharab
to
square
in the
rectangular
in later
side
either
windows
of small stone of irregular
in three
a large
either
regulated
of
reference
are framed
of Mschabbak
were
those
earliest
in churches
a small
and
clear-
like
on
clearstorey
197-A), consists
pair of windows.
windows
in the nave arcades,
windows
six arches the
without
as in the
of the ar cuated-
is not always
(II!. laid
of the
churches
topped
shape
course
of the in the
invariably
numerous, either
windows
of windows,
by the number
voussoirs
the ends
rectangular
clearstorey,
in
below
The
to have been almost
still preserve
the crowning
nave
courses
& B). The lowest
been
century.
of the
or four
to receive
roofs.
to have
arches three
above
(II!. '97-A
aisle
than
the
than
with sockets
rafters
'the
above
between
of the roof
of this detail
the
churches
and Resafah,
of
of Kalb
where a second
at the level of the window-sill carrying for
the
support
These clearstorey colonnettes porting function of the walls.
of
the
upper
emphasized
corbel.
the
sup-
necessarily columns church
of
184),
has
Cf. p. 170. Sture und Herzfeld, A rchiiologt'sclu Reise im Euphralts-
FENESTRATION
There west
are
usually
wall,
a row
und - Tigris-GtlJiti,
three
storeys
of windows
II, Abbs. 353 & 358.
of openings being
inserted
in the at the
Earl y Churches
lit. 199.
Syria
in
BtiI,;ir(lii, East ClllIrcll,
Facade.
often added
by placing
and
west
in
the
windows
ends
of
open arches of discharge of the
sanctuary according
angular.
The semicircular
closely from The
Itt.
200. SMklt
SIi!1Jt(t1!,
level of the main arches, ground storey and below of the clearstorey. end,
above the portal on the the windows on the level
Including
the windows
there are thus four storeys
facades almost
(ltl. [89). The always
placed
windows
spaced
than
in the gable
of openings
in these
in the side
walls are
with their sills on the
the soffits of the lintels widely
1Ilfary.
St.
of the portals;
the
windows
they
of the
level of are more
clearstorey,
but are of about the same dimensions, except in some of the earlier churches, like Midjleyya, :Hi3 where the windows set
high 363
in the aisle wall are like Romanesque in the
A. 11, p- 96.
wall.
Extra
together three
openings
loop-holes
for light
were
and are variously
is semicircular
apse
or rect-
that is hidden on the
wall,
five
rectangular
radiating
sanctuary
and
generally
provided
these
one
with
a
in the
on the opposite hardly
ward,
though
there
are large
windows
closed
this room
j
with
window
to the east, and
wall. The windows of side
than
but
the
splayed in-
of churches in which diaconicon
usual
of the
capable of being
windows,
for the
as well as
arrangement
doorway
and its narrow
was intended
of the apse are, in
loop-holes
in the
its small
more than two The prothesis is
there are examples
prothesis
diaconicon,
more
of equal size.
spaced.
south
most
cases,
apse is provided with windows
has seldom
widely
the chamber
tightly
the portals. The windows
number,
the proj eeting
j
to
windows,
in the
and by having
if it has windows at all, is with either one opening or with two grouped
occasionally
Cll1wclt of
aisles,
as the plan
by a straight
provided
YA
," ' 0'
'>~ ,=
10
OJ
2°9
0.10
1
) . \
-
'j,) _
~~~"
..
'ita, Kyrios of the
strikingly similar. The names of other Syrian
church
neers and craftsmen are given in the list which follows:
i
at Kasr
il-Benat,
Markianos
Kyris
REFERENCE
of Babiska
P. JIl, 1201.
Mariades
P. III, 1201.
Saako nas
Wadd.
Herakleides
2471.
,
Batu ta (N) Busr
"
il-Harlrl
(S)
P. III, 797'.
Herakleides, Alaphallos
P. P. P. P. P. P.
Gaios
Kefr
III, 1170.
Seleukos
Kefr
N abo (N)
224
III, 1170. 1II, 1143.
Dometianos
I Petros,
Kefr
Nabo
224
III, 1212.
Sergios
III, 1170.
I
III, 1213.
Wadd.
fl. III, 35 = Wac1d.
2682.
A. III, 278, 279.
son of Antoninos
Sergis
= P.
III,
1094·
Damas Sckoundinos
P. III, 1095, 1096 = A. III, 67
Markianos Kyrios
= P.
III,
1076.
fl. III, 73· fl. III, 283.
=
n
, , Kyris
Wadd.
2683.
P. Ill, 108o. P. III, 1141. fl. III, 3· fl. III, 3. P. III, I 176, 1177 (also 1142, 1174& 1190). P. III, 1177. P. III, 1120.
P. Ill, 1120. P. Ill, 1089. P. III, 1161.
(S) Nabo
(N)
224
(N)
Fidreh
(N)
Shekh
Sleman
(N)
Shekh Sleman (N) Shakka (S) Kokanaya Mughr
(N)
Ramditn
(N)
Babiska (N) Babisl,a (N)
n
389 390
Kyrillas
n
Ksed j beh (N)
414-415
421-22
Maris
,
Riba (N) Refitdeh (N)
Dornnos
, , ,
K6kanaya
431
Symones lakobos Barges Kyrkos Kosmas Symeoncs Eusebis Icannes Mar[ .... Eusebios 5'21 Pallad(ios)
Dar
I):ita (N)
Dar
(N)
418
427
(N)
I):ita (N)
Fidreh
(N) (N)
475
,
Bettir
(N)
475
, , ,
Brad
(N)
491
Brad
(N)
496
, ,
(?)
Zerz ita (N)
5°0
Zer z.ita (N)
5°0
Dar Kal'at
Abraam
l):ita (N) Sim'an
(N)
Djebel Shekh Berekat (N)
Wadd.
1984d.
Bassos
Wadd.
2043 = P. III, 685.
Somenos
'U yOn (S) 'Auwas, now at 'Orman (S)
521
n
P, 111, 871, 8S81 988. !l17 Wedd. 2413 n. A. lU, 336. 520 "Vadd. 2474· Probably the same as Eusebis of the Biibis~a inscription, dated 389 A.D.
518 A.
(1)
(1)
452 453 (/)
Bettir
"
(I)
il-Benat
Neikator, son of Meniskos
516
& 401
Kyros
Kasr
fl. Ill, 100, 101.
519
378 386
, ,
Malchos
P. III, 1146. fl. III, 37
(1)
TcxvlT'11:;
Eusebis
fl. III, 76. fl. III, 57
n
Maier, son of Zobaidos
2150.
fl. III, 66
seu'
, , ,
A.D.
Bat uta (N)
aPXJTEXTWV
son of
DATE
PLACE
TITLE
NAME
architects, builders, engi-
IU, 277, 332.
86 3°9
& 496
Early Churches
197. 197. 197. 159.
Salkhad
(S)
345
Thaimos
(S)
345
Salkha d (S)
345 345
"
Authos
"
Asterios
Oranios (i. e. Ouranios)
" "
Authos Boethos
Rabbos
"
of Borechtha
P. III, 713 = Wadd. 2026. Wadd. 2235. Wadel. 2235. P. III, "90. Wadd. 2299. Wadel. 2070 f. Wadd. 2091. Wadel. 1984. A. III, 386 = Wadd. 2168. A. III, 123=P. III, 1159= Waelel. 2693. Wadd. 2021b. Waelel. 2053 f. Wadd. 2421. Wadel. 2465. P. III, 738. P. III, 783'.
Soemos (1)
Terrieros
787'. 787'. 787'°. 800'.
" "
Gadouos
"
Leonidas Magnos
Nameros Alexandros, son ofEdeos
,
Kassios
of Mosemera
Ioannes
Symeznes Onenos
Addos, son of Taroudos Sam ethos, son of Salamos
Abibos Themos
"
l\1ogeeros Tooranes
"
lVlogeeros, son of Ant6ninos Dabanes Tonzikos
,
Gautos
Chasetos,
son
of
Ouabelos P. III, 988. P. III, 871. P. III, 87 I. P. lIJ, 888.
"
Isidoros 15allnes
(,,,ro
Icannes OA(3"VOV) Symennes
O?-(3"vov) Au toni nos
" "
(