DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.32867#0224
ig2
ARCHITECTURE OF THE SIXTH CENTURY
specimen of sixth-century design.
Its monolithic jambs and lintel are
adorned with deep moldings of not
unclassic profile. In the center of
the moldings of the lintel appears
a disk of intricate geometrical pat-
tern. Above is a high cavetto
door-cap carved with uprightacan-
thus leaves, graceful and well
wrought; in the center of this
door-cap is a symbolic disk, repre-
senting the within a conven-
tional wreath. The whole design
is reminiscent of Kal'at Sim'an.
In the southeast angle of the
courtyard stands a well-preserved
baptistery, a square building with
a doorway to the west and one to
the north. At two thirds of its
height, or just above the caps of
the two doorways, it is divided into two stories by a richly molded string-course. The
angles of the building are fluted, to represent pilasters, above and below the string-
course, but there are no pilaster-caps. In the middle of the east wall is another fluted
pilaster, which seems to have had a cap. But this pilaster was not carried through
the upper story, for a deeply molded window was placed directly above it. The
hollow portions of the moldings of this window are provided with widely spaced
rosettes. Adjoining the baptistery on the south is a large archway flanked by fluted
pilasters with molded caps. The face of the arch is also molded, the outer curve
being adorned with the cuspidate ornament that we have already seen at Kfer (page
150). The south side of the cloister is occupied by a two-story portico of plain rec-
tangular piers, those of the upper story having molded caps. At the west side was a
high retaining-wall with an open colonnade at the top.
This example of a sixth-century church, while it illustrates many of the character-
istics of the period, and while it shows an unmistakable relation to the Church of St.
Simeon Stylites, cannot be taken as a type for the churches of the century in this
region. There are other edifices with clefinite dates which show that the style of the
sixth century embraced all degrees of elaboration, all sizes of churches, and many
forms of ground plan and superstructure. In taking up this great variety of churches
we may, for the sake of convenience, divide them into categories according to their
Doorway of cloister court, West Church at Bakirha.
ARCHITECTURE OF THE SIXTH CENTURY
specimen of sixth-century design.
Its monolithic jambs and lintel are
adorned with deep moldings of not
unclassic profile. In the center of
the moldings of the lintel appears
a disk of intricate geometrical pat-
tern. Above is a high cavetto
door-cap carved with uprightacan-
thus leaves, graceful and well
wrought; in the center of this
door-cap is a symbolic disk, repre-
senting the within a conven-
tional wreath. The whole design
is reminiscent of Kal'at Sim'an.
In the southeast angle of the
courtyard stands a well-preserved
baptistery, a square building with
a doorway to the west and one to
the north. At two thirds of its
height, or just above the caps of
the two doorways, it is divided into two stories by a richly molded string-course. The
angles of the building are fluted, to represent pilasters, above and below the string-
course, but there are no pilaster-caps. In the middle of the east wall is another fluted
pilaster, which seems to have had a cap. But this pilaster was not carried through
the upper story, for a deeply molded window was placed directly above it. The
hollow portions of the moldings of this window are provided with widely spaced
rosettes. Adjoining the baptistery on the south is a large archway flanked by fluted
pilasters with molded caps. The face of the arch is also molded, the outer curve
being adorned with the cuspidate ornament that we have already seen at Kfer (page
150). The south side of the cloister is occupied by a two-story portico of plain rec-
tangular piers, those of the upper story having molded caps. At the west side was a
high retaining-wall with an open colonnade at the top.
This example of a sixth-century church, while it illustrates many of the character-
istics of the period, and while it shows an unmistakable relation to the Church of St.
Simeon Stylites, cannot be taken as a type for the churches of the century in this
region. There are other edifices with clefinite dates which show that the style of the
sixth century embraced all degrees of elaboration, all sizes of churches, and many
forms of ground plan and superstructure. In taking up this great variety of churches
we may, for the sake of convenience, divide them into categories according to their
Doorway of cloister court, West Church at Bakirha.