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The sculptural decoration of the Sagmata monastery in Boeotia

• Βογιατζής, Σωτήρης

The foundation of the Sagmata monastery a short distance from Thebes in 1105-1106 is directlyconnected with the prosperity observable in Boeotia during the 12th c. At this date the lower part of the walls of the nave, up to the springing of the vaults were constructed, with the vaulting and narthex following 50-70 years later. The katholikon was adorned with luxurious sculptural decoration, of which very little now remains in situ. An example of the wealth of the decoration is furnished by the marble floor (dated by Orlandos to the late 12th-early 13th c.). In an earlier publication I discussed the building history of the monastery structures and the dating of the building phases of the katholikon. The present article supplements this with a consideration of the sculptural decoration.A large number of architectural members discovered from time to time are stored in the monastery buildings. Most of them were discovered by P. Lazaridis in 1976. Since then, other scul ptural members have been collected by the present monastery fraternity. Architectural members are also to be found incorporated as building material in the walls of the katholikon and the chapel of Ayios Nikolaos, very few in situ. Most of the sculptures are uncatalogued and unpublished. This circumstance was first noted by Orlandos. P. Lazaridis, who discovered the majority of them, published photographs of some members in the Archaiologikon Deltion, without comment, and three were studied by Laskarina Boura. The remainder (138 pieces, mostly in very poor condition), are published here for the first time. Few of them have been cleaned. These were exhibited in 1997 at the Metropolitan Museum of New York in the exhibition “The Glory of Byzantium”. A large number are of the Post-Byzantine period, and a few date from Late Antiquity.The members are divided into the following groups:a) 12th-13th c. (when the monastery was flourishing); this group has the greatest cohesion and clarity . From the hand of the same marble-worker.b) llth-12th c. This group has less homogeneity; the pieces are plainer and have stylised decoration, though they are carved with precision and material is removed to great depth. They coincide chronologically with the first phase of the building (1105-1106), which suggests that they were probably intended to adorn the katholikon, though they possibly come from other buildings. The conclusion is reached that the first phase of the katholikon, too, was decorated with a significant number of sculptures.c) A few sculptures are obviously earlier in date than the katholikon (10th-llthc.) and were brought here from elsewhere.d) Sculptures dating from late antiquity. These are of unknown provenance and use; their relationship with the temple of Zeus Hypatos known in the region is uncertain.Reconstruction of the church iconostasisThe number of sculptural members preserved is far greater than required for the iconostasis. Dissimilar colonnettes, clos ure slabs, architrave blocks etc. A variety of evidence suggests that they formed part of the sculptural decoration of the katholikon and that they belonged to two different iconostases. It is suggested, amongst other things, that we have a complete picture of the architrave and the Royal Doors of the later of the two iconostases, that both probably had roughly the same dimensions, etc.Conclusions. During the first building phase (nave and lite): first marble iconostasis of the Sagmata monastery, with incorporated spolia; second building phase construction of the vaulting of the nave and lite, addition of the exonarthex. Replacement of the iconostasis with another, more luxurious screen of higher art. Construction of marble floor. New decoration of a higher quality. It is demonstrated that the local building School produced a monument to rival the churches of Andros and Attiki. Everything points to the advanced techniques of the local sculpture Schools at this period in southern Greece.

• History and Archaeology
• Philosophy, Ethics and Religion

• Αρχαιολογία
• Arts and religion
• Architecture and religion
• Decorative arts

Η εργασία αυτή σε μια πρώτη μορφή παρουσιάστηκε στο Δέκατο Τρίτο Συμπόσιο Βυζαντινής και Μεταβυζαντινής Αρχαιολογίας και Τέχνης της Χριστιανικής Αρχαιολογικής Εταιρείας στις 24-4-1993 με τον τίτλο: "Η αποκατάσταση του τέμπλου του καθολικού της Μ. Σαγματά στη Βοιωτία", βλ. Πρόγραμμα και περιλήψεις εισηγήσεων και ανακοινώσεων, σ. 3. Θερμά ευχαριστώ την αδελφότητα της μονής Σαγματά για τη βοήθεια και τη συμπαράστασή τους, αλλά και για το ενδιαφέρον που δείχνουν για την επιστημονική έρευνα. Επίσης, θερμές ευχαριστίες εκφράζω στον καθηγητή αράλαμπο Μπούρα για την προσφορά των φωτογραφιών από γλυπτά μέλη που είχε τραβήξει με την εκλιπούσα Λασκαρίνα Μπούρα, καθώς και για την πάντα πρόθυμη συνεισφορά του σε επιστημονικά θέματα. Τέλος, ευχαριστώ τον συνάδελφο αρχιτέκτονα Θεοδόση Ζαχάρο, που μελάνωσε πολύ ωραία τα σχέδια αναπαράστασης., Περιέχει σχέδια, Το άρθρο περιέχεται στο τεύχος: Μέρος Α'-Μελέτες