Εύρημα παλαιοχριστιανικού άμβωνος εις περιοχήν ναού Παντανάσσης Φιλιππιάδος
Part of : Αρχαιολογικά ανάλεκτα εξ Αθηνών ; Vol.VIII, No.1, 1975, pages 95-103
Issue:
Pages:
95-103
Parallel Title:
An early christian ambo from Philippias
Section Title:
Σύμμεικτα
Author:
Abstract:
The marble fragments discovered by chance near the church of the Pantanassa in Philippias, Epirus, had belonged to an Early Christian ambo of the type with steps at both ends. These fragments are part of the solid single pieces of white marble which formed the sides of the ambo. As can be deduced from the general modelling of the sides, which are decorated in high relief, the fragments have mostprobably come from the upper of the main body of the ambo.The largest, central section of the sides is semi-circular. It is joined to the straight lateral sections with little semi-piers, which are placed at obtuse angles and are similar in shape with the small piers which adorn the side ends. The panels bear at the centre an unsymmetrical cross within a large frame of convexo - concave mould ings. The small piers are vertically fluted with grooves at the upper half, whilst the lower papt of the grooves is barely carved. The lateral panels and the terminal little piers are carved on both sides. The decorative motifs and workmanship of these ambo pieces, which constitute an important and unique find from Epirus, suggest at first sight a possible dating of the ambo to the late 5th or early 6th century.The position of the finds near the surface of the ground, in the vicinity of the church of the Pantanassa, indicates that the ambo pieces were undoubtedly in use in this church, which is dated to the 13th century. This conclusion is further supported by the discovery in the same trench of a poros rib from a Gothic cross-vault that had surely belonged to the roof of part of the church, as attested by similar finds brought to light during the excavation of the church. Moreover, clear signs of later tampering with the marble pieces, in addition to other evidence, show that these had served a different purpose in the Byzantine church, having been possibly used as closure panels in the iconostasis· or a similar place.The originally fairly large size of the ambo, the style and quality of theworkman- ship, and the type of the decorative elements adorning the sides suggest a possible provenance from Nikopolis. There exists an immediately recognizable analogy in the dimensions of the finds and the surviving pieces of the ambo from Basilica B of Alkison ( the lower section of the ambo, which has been preserved in situ, and the Roman round base used as platform for the circular central part of the ambo, which is now exhibited in the Museum of Nikopolis ). Moreover, the simple decoration of the finds, the formation of the basilica ambo from various Roman and Early Christian pieces, the stylistic and chronological correlation of workmanship in the decoration of the finds and the surviving relief architectural members of the basilica, permit us to advance — under reservation — the view that the finds might have belonged to the ambo of the basilica of Alkison. A detailed study of the finds in connection with the surviving parts of the ambo from the basilica at Nikopolis would be necessary in order to confirm this view.
Subject:
Subject (LC):
Keywords:
βυζαντινές αρχαιότητες
Notes:
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