Abstracts - International Initiative for Georgian Cultural Studies

MEDIEVAL GEORGIA
masters: Sometimes they are depicted with the gesture of prayer, sometimes with their working tools or even
during the working process. The medieval Georgian donor reliefs also vary in terms of a style, reflecting
the artistic and aesthetical taste and features of different historical epochs, as well as the peculiarities of
various regions of the country.
Ekaterine Kvachatadze
G. Chubinashvili National Center of Georgian Art History and Monuments Protection. Georgia
The Main Trends of the Medieval Georgian Facade Sculpture After 11 th century
The end of 11 th century marks a period of crises in Georgian sculpture, and as a consequence, the history
of sculpture after this time remained beyond the focus of scholars. Though it is still difficult to analyze
comprehensively the development and problematic nature of the sculpture of these centuries, there are
some hypotheses we can put forward.
During the 12 th -16 th century, scenes and images emphasizing integral ideas are not found on the exteriors
of Georgian churches at any further extent. Due to political turmoil, the creative process was interrupted
and some examples became dilapidated (especially from the 14 th -16 th century). On the facades of the surviving
churches from this period (Pitareti, Kazreti, Ertatsmnida, Tsugrugasheni, Dmanisi Sioni, Magalaant
Eklesia, Sapara, Sadgeri, Chitakhevi Belfry, etc.), we can observe separate and unrelated stone carved
compositions. These miniature facade reliefs, often interwoven with the ornamental decor, display different
qualities of craftsmanship and are close stylistically to miniature sculpture. This diminishes their monumentality,
which generally characterizes facade decoration. Despite their overall decorative nature, these
sculptural reliefs, which often bear deep symbolic and theological meaning, highlight the most important
parts of the building.
In the following period of Late Middle Ages (17 th - 18 th century), we witness an attempt to create a system
of facade decoration. At Ananuri Church, the long abandoned tradition of creating an integral artistic
program of facade decoration to express one idea and a complex theological meaning is rediscovered.
This is followed by a system of facade decoration at St. Peter and Paul Church in Sagarejo and “Gigos
Sakdari” in Kintsvisi, which stands close to Ananuri. The “Mtskheta” church in Lechkhumi is somewhat
distinguished.
The artistic interest in volumetric forms, which had waned after 11 th century, is not a driving force, even
for the revitalized creative explorations of 17 th -18 th century. The main intention of such artistic explorations
was the creation and revival of the sculptural programs incorporated to express one theological idea. Beneath
the arms of crosses marked with the triumphal-eschatological features evolved the main idea for the
decoration program that reflected Old and New Testament images.
The artistic style of late medieval relief sculptures is as polysemantic and dissimilar, as in some cases,
non-typical and difficult to interpret iconography of this period.
Peter Grossmann
German Institute of Archaeology in Cairo. Germany
Roman and Late Roman Elements in the Early Christian Architecture of Egypt in Comparison with
the Situation in Georgia
Since the time of Augustus Egypt belongs to the Roman Empire and since the 4 th century or even before
the Egyptians abandoned their great Pharaonic tradition and used for the architectural arrangement of their
surroundings motives from the Hellenistic and Roman art. The style of their architecture became Roman
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