The Church of the Holy Apostles (The Athenian Agora 20)

95 Pages·1971·30.83 MB·English

by  Alison Frantz

THE ATHENIANAG ORA
RESULTS OF EXCAVATIONS
CONDUCTED BY
THE AMERICAN SCHOOL OF CLASSICAL STUDIES AT ATHENS
VOLUME XX
THE CHURCH OF
THE HOLY APOSTLES
BY
ALISON FRANTZ
THE AMERICAN SCHOOL OF CLASSICAL STUDIES AT ATHENS
PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY
1971
A,M '_'; .,..' , . " ,'- "' " ' ".. ' -
The Holy Apostles.
The Holy Apostles.
PUBLISHED WITH THE AID OF A GRANT FROM MR. JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER, JR.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
PRINTED IN GERMANY at J. J. AUGUSTIN, GLUCKSTADT
FOR
ANASTASIOS K. ORLANDOS
PREFACE
The investigationa ndr estorationo f the Churcho f the HolyA postlesw ereu ndertakenb y theA merican
School of ClassicaSl tudieso n the invitationo f the Departmenot f Restorationin theA rchaeological
Serviceo f the GreekG overnmentu, ndert he Directorshipo f AnastasiosK . OrlandosW. armestt hanks
are here expressedo n behalf of the School to ProfessorO rlandosa nd his associate,E ustathiosS tikas,
for invaluablea ssistancet hrougha ll phaseso f the undertaking.
The projectw as madep ossibleb y generousg rantsf romt he SamuelH . KressF oundationo f New York
which met all the expenseso f the preliminaryw ork, the restorationa, nd the preparationo f the final
publicationI. n expressingo ur gratitudet o the Foundationi t is a pleasuret o recallt he personali nterest
shownb y the late Rush Kressw ho, with Mrs.K ress,v isitedA thenst wicew hilet he workw as in progress.
We are also indebtedt o Miss Mary Davis, Vice Presidento f the Kress Foundation,f or continuedi n-
teresta nd help, and to Mrs.M urrayD anforth,M rs.H enryS harpe,a nd Mrs.C . AlexanderR obinson,a ll
of ProvidenceR, hode Island,f or their assistancei n the landscapingo f the area.
Many scholarsv isitedt he churchd uringt he courseo f the work and gave the benefito f their expert
knowledge.I profitede speciallyf rom discussiono n the spot with GeorgeH . Forsyth,R ichardK raut-
heimer,A . H. S. Megaw,R ichardS tillwell,a nd the late Paul A. Underwood.
A numbero f colleaguesi n the Agorah ave helpedi n the publicationo f the church.N icholasR estakis
producedt he prints,s ometimesf rom negativesm ade underd isadvantageoucsi rcumstancesP. oly Dem-
oulini smoothedt he way in endlessm atterso f long-distancec ollaborationin the final stages.I am in-
debtedt o MargareCt rosbyf or her patiencei n allowinga n intrudert o encroacho n her own area of ex-
cavation,a nd for crowningh er kindnessb y makingp ossiblet he color plate for the frontispiece.
The restoredd rawingso f the church( Pls. 29-37, 40) are the ornamento f this book. Theya re the work
of WilliamB . Dinsmoor,J r., to whomI expressm y gratitudea nd admirationfo r his patiencea nd skill.
Specialt hanksa nd appreciationg o to HomerT hompsonc, lassicistp ar excellenceo, n whosei nitiativet he
studya nd restorationo f this mediaevaml onumentw ereu ndertakena nd completeda, nd who couldc on-
sidert he vagarieso f Byzantineb uildersw ith the same care that he bestowso n the precisiono f the archi-
tects of the 5th century B.C.
To recorda dequatelym y debt to JohnT ravlosw ouldr equirea n acknowledgemenotn everyp age. He
has generouslyg iven his counsel and sharedh is knowledge,a nd his mastery of both the practical
and the theoreticala spects of Byzantinea rchitectureh as facilitatedt he excavationa, ccomplishedth e
restorationa, nd enrichedt he publication.
To ProfessorA nastasiosO rlandosI offert his opusculumin token of affectionateg ratitudef or many
kindnesseso ver a quartero f a century,a nd in recognitiono f his incomparablceo ntributionto the study
of Byzantinea rchitecturien Greece.
ALISON FRANTZ
Princeton,N .J.
June2 0, 1971
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGES
PREFACE. ................................................................................... vii
LIST OF ILLUSTRATION..S. .... ... .... ... .. .. ...................................................
FIGURES .................................................................................. X
PLATES .............................................................................. ..... X
ABBREVIATIO.N..S... ....................................................................i... xiii
INTRODUCTION. ................... ...................................... ........ 1
THEE ARLIERRE MAINS.. .............................................................. ........ 3
THE FIRSTP ERIOD ........................................................................... 4
THEP LAN. ............ . ................................................... .4........... 4
THE FOUNDATION.S .... ................ ................. 5...........................
THE MA SONRY ............................................................................. 5
THE ORNAMENTABLR ICKWORK... ......................................................... 7
THE COLUMNS.. ........................................................................... 7
THE DOMEA ND VAULTS ............................... .................................. 9
THE ROOF ...................................................................... . ..... 10
THEW INDOWS. ............................................................................................. 10
THED OORS. ...................................... ...... .................................. 12
THEP AVING.. ...................................................... ... 12
THEW ALLD ECORATIO.N.. .................... ... ................... .......13
THE ARCOSOLIUM .. ....................................... 13
THE ICONOSTASI.S.. ............. .......................................... 14
THEF ONT ....................... ......................................... ... 17
ARCHITECTURTAYLP E .................. .... .... .... .......................................... 18
DATE ....................... .................. .24
THET OMBS.. ...27......... ......................................... .... .. 27
HUMAN SKELETALM ATERIALF ROMT HEC HURCH. .3.......0................. ........... 30
THEL ATERP ERIOD.S.. ....................................................................... 32
PERIODII ............................................................................ . .. 32
PERIODII I................................................................................. 35
PERIODIV ......................................................................... . . 38
CONSERVATIAONND R ESTORATIO..N... ......................................................... 40
INDEX .................................... 43
PLATES
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
FIGURES
1. Masonryo n East Side of East Apse (J. Travlos).
2. KufesqueD esignsi n Masonry( A. H. S. Megaw,p reparedb y H. Besi).
3. WindowD etails. A. East Apse. B. Dome, SoutheastF ace (W. B. Dinsmoor,J r.).
4. Windows. a. EastA pse. b. NorthA pse. c. Diaconicon. d. Dome, SoutheastF ace (W. B. Dinsmoor,J r.).
5. Door Frameo f PeriodI (J. Travlos).
6. SarcophagusF ront, RestoredD rawing( J. Travlos).
7. Iconostasis,R estoredD rawing( J. Travlos).
8. Churchesi n Greece. a. Methana, St. Nicholas. b. Platani, St. Nicholas. c. Kastoria, Koumbelidiki.
d. Varasova, St. Demetrios. e. Athens, Moni Petraki. f. Manolada,P alaiopanagia. g. Athens, Holy
Apostles. h. GavrolimniP, anaxiotissa. i. Arta, St. Nicholas 'PoSi&as.( 1:200)
9. Sectionst hroughC hurchP ropera nd Narthex,s howingT ombs( J. Travlos).
10. The Holy Apostles.P lan by A. Lenoir( 1836).
11. The Holy Apostles.P lan of 1854.
12. Positiono f Orthostatesin West Wall (J. Travlos).
PLATES
FRONTISPIETChEe Holy Apostles.
1. The Holy Apostlesb eforeR estoration( 1953).
a. East End.
b. West End.
c. North Side.
d. South Side.
2. a. Foundationso f Churcho n Floor Beddingo f Nymphaeum.
b. Foundationso f Mint (?) underW est Apse.
c. EarlyB yzantineH ouse Wallsu nderE ast Apse.
d. The Churchc a. 1890( Phot. G. Lambakis).
3. a. Foundationso f West Apse from East.
b. Crosswallo f PeriodsI -III, from West.
c. Junctiono f West Apse and AdjoiningW all.
d. OriginalS tep Block in Place.
4. Walls Strippedo f LaterM asonry.
a. North Side.
b. OriginalE nd of North Wall.
c. South Side.
5. a. Foundationso f NorthwestA ngle Chamberf, rom Southeast.
b. Brickw ith Sketchf or KufesqueD esign.
c. SouthwestC apital.
d. NorthwestC apital.
e. SouthwestC olumnB ase.
f. NortheastC olumn.
PLATES xi
6. a. Detail of Dome after Removalo f Stucco.
b. OriginalW indowA rchesi n Dome.
c. SoutheastF ace of Dome with OriginalM ullion.
d. SouthwestP endentive.
e. NortheastS egmento f Interioro f Dome.
7. a. West Vault before Repairs.
b. Semi-domeo f SouthwestA ngle Chamber.
c. Vaultingo f SouthwestA ngle Chamber.
d. TriangularV ault of SouthwestA ngle Chamber.
8. Dome and Roofs after Restoration.
9. a. PumiceP ackingo ver East Vault.
b. PlasterB eddingf or Roof Tiles.
c. Junctiono f East Apse and BarrelV ault.
d. KufesqueB rickworki n South Apse.
e. Windowso f East Apse and Diaconicon.
f. RestoredW indowo f Narthex.
10. a. OriginalP avingi n NorthwestA ngle Chamberf, rom South.
b. Arcosolium,f rom North.
c. Restoringt he Omphalos.
d. Font in ByzantineM useum( photographb y EugeneV anderpoolJ, r.).
e. SarcophagusF ront.
11. Fragmentso f Iconostasiso f Holy Apostles.
a. EpistyleB lock D, Front.
b. EpistyleB lock D, Underside.
c. EpistyleB lock E, Front.
d. EpistyleB lock E, Underside.
e. ClosureP anel.
f. ColumnB .
B. Epistyle Block in Byzantine Museum.
h. EpistyleB lock found in Asklepieion.
i. ClosureP anel from Moni Petraki.
j. ClosureP aneli n ByzantineM useum.
12. a. Manolada,P alaiopanagiaf,r om Northwest.
b. Manolada,P alaiopanagiaf,r om Southeast.
c. Manolada,P alaiopanagiaN, arthex,N orth End.
d. Hosios Loukas,I conostasisi n Katholikon( CourtesyE . Stikas).
13. a. Athens, Moni Petraki,f rom East (CourtesyM . Sotiriou).
b. GavrolimniP, anaxiotissaf, rom Northeast.
c. Hosios Loukas,K atholikona nd Theotokos,f rom East.
d. Hosios Loukas,K atholikon,f rom Southwest( CourtesyE . Stikas).
14. a. Holy Apostles,W est End before Restoration.
b. From Northwest,R estorationC ompleted.
15. a. Tombs 1-4.
b,c,d. Jugs from Tomb 2.
e. Glass Bottle from Tomb 3.
f. Lintel of SmallD oor of PeriodI .
g. Tombs in Narthex.
16. a. Tombs 12 and 13.
b. Tombs 14 and 13.
c. Tomb 11.
d. Cornero f Arcosoliumw ith Late XcovEurrpilov.
e,f. South Wall of Narthexi n PeriodI I.
17. Wall Paintingso f PeriodI I.
a. Angel of Trinitya nd Sacrificeo f Isaac in Prothesis.
b. Aaron in Dome.
c,d. Saintsi n West Angle Chambers.
xii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
18. a. Gable of Later Periods.
b. Window of Period II in North Wall.
c. Altar and Floor of Period IV.
d. Pantokrator in Dome, Period II.
e. Pantokrator in Dome, Period IV.
f. Blocked Doorway in North Apse, from Outside.
19. a. Narthex, with Threshold Adjusted for Period III, from East.
b. West Wall, Orthostates Replaced in Original Positions.
c. Interior, Period IV, Looking East.
d. Interior, Period IV, Looking West.
20. a,b. Interior Bracing.
c,d. Piers of West Arch after Destruction of Apse.
e. Inner Face of Wall before Restoration.
21. Replacing Columns.
a. Southeast Column in Process of Removal.
b. Reinforcing Rods in Place.
c. Cement Bases for New Columns.
d. Half of Mould for Shaft.
e. Mould for Core of Capital.
f. Mould for Column in Place.
22. Reconstruction of Narthex.
a. Centering.
b. Reinforcing Rods.
c. Roof Half Finished.
d. Rebuilding the Fagade.
23. a. Laying the Roof Tiles.
b. Carving the Lunette.
24. After Restoration, from Southeast
25. After Restoration and Landscaping, from Southeast (1959).
26. The Interior, Restored.
a. Looking East.
b. Looking Southeast.
27. The Interior, Restored.
a Looking Southwest into Narthex.
b. Southeast Bay Narthex, looking into Church Proper.
28. Development of Plan (J. Travlos).
29. Restored Plan, Period I (W. B. Dinsmoor, Jr.).
30. East Elevation (W. B. Dinsmoor, Jr.)
31. West Elevation (W. B. Dinsmoor, Jr.)
32. North Elevation (W. B. Dinsmoor, Jr.)
33. South Elevation (W. B. Dinsmoor, Jr.).
34. Transverse Section, Church Proper (W. B. Dinsmoor, Jr.).
35. Longitudinal Section (W. B. Dinsmoor, Jr.).
36. Transverse Section, East End (W. B. Dinsmoor, Jr.).
37. Transverse Section, Narthex (W. B. Dinsmoor, Jr.).
38. Plan, Period III (J. Travlos).
39. Floor Plan, Period IV (J. Travlos).
40. Plan of Roof (W. B. Dinsmoor, Jr.).
ABBREVIATIONS
ABME A. K. Orlandos, 'ApXEiovr COvB uLavrTv~$v MvriaEkco-vr is 'E?a&8os, Athens
'ApX.' Eq. 'ApXatoXoyu<'E~q :,rIEpisA, thens
B.N.J. Byzantinisch-neugriechisJcahher biicherA, thens
Bouras,M anolada Ch. Bouras,' H TTaaioi-rravayiM'a avoX&Sos'E, 'mrralMovvK'E'' rrelp'S- riq Ho\Xv-
-rExvuIIS2 XOXs t'oAop orooTEXdov l'laveirloriou esE*aaoov[nrS, IV, 1969,
Salonica,p p. 233-266
AIEE AE?J'iov- rfs 'Ic-ropudiiSn al' ESvoAoyKij'SE T-rapEiaASt,h ens
D.O.P. DumbartonO aksP apers,W ashington
AXAE AEX-rTov" rfSX plc-riavtKis 'ApxatoXoyt<is 'E'ratpEaS,A thens
Ebersolt J. Ebersolt,M onumentds 'architecturbey zantineP, aris, 1934
EEBX 'E-relpis 'E-racpeiasB vLav-rtvwAXvT rovuS&Av,t hens
EMME E'VpEsTlpto-rv& vM EcatcoviK&M$vv r1PEco0Tv rq 'E?Na'?oSA, thens
Kambouroglou, '1o'-ropioaD . Kambouroglou, '!aTrop[a -rGv 'A.9i[vaicov. ToupKoxpa-ria, -[EpioSos TrpcTrj,
1458-1687,I I, Athens, 1889
Krautheimer R. KrautheimerE, arly Christiana nd ByzantineA rchitectureP, elicanH istory of Art,
1965
Lambakis,M gmoire G. Lambakis,M 6moires ur les antiquitisc hrftienneds e la Grace,A thens, 1902
Lenoir,L 'architecture A. Lenoir,L 'architecturme onastiqueI,, Paris, 1852
Megaw,C hronology H. Megaw," The Chronologyo f some Middle-ByzantinCe hurches,"A nnualo f the
BritishS choola t Athens,X XXII, 1931-32,p p. 90-130
Millet, L'ecoleg recque GabrielM illet, L'ecoleg recqued ansl 'architecturbe yzantineP, aris, 1916
Sotiriou,P etraki M. Sotiriou,T 6 KaSoX7K6'rvi isM ovfs VTETrp'aA<SKqrv $-vvA, XAE,1 961,p p. 101-129
Stikas,H .L. E. Stikas, T6 0tKoSoOKI6. v XpoviK6v- rfj5M ovij TroJ 'Oai'ov AoVKa $COKi?oSA, thens,
1970
Travlos, 1O?'EoX8oPK'1 J. Travlos, 7OAEOA5OIIK'EQI EXt~ts' rLv 'A$rivov, Athens, 1960