DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.32867#0225
CHURCHES
r93
ground plans. A sufficient number of them are dated to afford a trustworthy guide
as to their chronological sequence. We shall take up first those churches which do
not differ materially in plan from the fifth-century churches, namely, the basilical plan
with a semicircular apse ; second, those with a rectangular sanctuary; third, those in
which the nave is divided by widely spaced piers instead of ranges of columns, and
whose east ends may be either apsidal or rectangular ; and, fourth, the rectangular
chapels and the churches or baptisteries -of polygonal plan.
(i) Only four churches of the sixth century are to be found in all Northern Syria
that preserve the old plan of the apse together with the columnar division of the aisles.
Three of these were published by M. de Vogiie — one at Der Seta, the South Church
at Bankusa, and one at Termanin. In the first of these the apse is concealed on the
exterior; in the other two it appears between the projecting side chambers. In the
case of Der Termanin the apse was of polygonal plan, five sides of a dodecagon
showing on the outside. The plan of the church at Der Seta preserves the old pro-
portion of 3:2, while at Bankusa and Der Termanin we find the fourth-century ratio
of 4:3, the first and last having seven mtercolumniations, the other only six. The
ornamentof all of these churches shows a similarity with that of St. Simeon’s at Kal‘at
Sim'an. Molded string-courses are prominent in all three. The church at Der Seta
shows curved moldings between the windows and spirals, not only at the end of
secondary moldings, but even at the base of the jamb moldings of its portals, while
those of Bankusa and Der Termanm had orders of columns as the decoration of the ex-
terior of the apse ; though, being smaller churches, they have but one order of columns
instead of two. The columns of the nave arcades show considerable individuality;
the bell form is preserved, but the acanthus decoration is more on the order of Byzan-
tine carving than that at Kal'at Sim‘an, though it does not approach the lace-like
character of that seen in Hagia Sophia at Constantinople. The heavy ovolo is used
as the crowning molding of the portals of all three churches. At Der Seta and Der
Termanin this member is carved with a running acanthus design, but at Bankusa it
is plain ; here, too, the secondary moldings are incised. The curved moldings be-
tween the openings, and the spirals at the ends of moldings, are omitted, so that the
whole edifice gives the impression of being a little earlier than the other two.
Bankusa. south church. 1 The larger of the two churches at Bankusa is less
ruinous than many of the larger churches of Northern Central Syria. The north
wall is preserved almost intact, with its two portals and six large round-topped
windows. The prothesis is still complete, and the apse is preserved up to the level
of the semi-dome, with three large windows opening in the curved wall between the
projecting chambers. The eastern parts of the diaconicum are standing, but its south
'La Syrie Centrale, Pl. 118.
r93
ground plans. A sufficient number of them are dated to afford a trustworthy guide
as to their chronological sequence. We shall take up first those churches which do
not differ materially in plan from the fifth-century churches, namely, the basilical plan
with a semicircular apse ; second, those with a rectangular sanctuary; third, those in
which the nave is divided by widely spaced piers instead of ranges of columns, and
whose east ends may be either apsidal or rectangular ; and, fourth, the rectangular
chapels and the churches or baptisteries -of polygonal plan.
(i) Only four churches of the sixth century are to be found in all Northern Syria
that preserve the old plan of the apse together with the columnar division of the aisles.
Three of these were published by M. de Vogiie — one at Der Seta, the South Church
at Bankusa, and one at Termanin. In the first of these the apse is concealed on the
exterior; in the other two it appears between the projecting side chambers. In the
case of Der Termanin the apse was of polygonal plan, five sides of a dodecagon
showing on the outside. The plan of the church at Der Seta preserves the old pro-
portion of 3:2, while at Bankusa and Der Termanin we find the fourth-century ratio
of 4:3, the first and last having seven mtercolumniations, the other only six. The
ornamentof all of these churches shows a similarity with that of St. Simeon’s at Kal‘at
Sim'an. Molded string-courses are prominent in all three. The church at Der Seta
shows curved moldings between the windows and spirals, not only at the end of
secondary moldings, but even at the base of the jamb moldings of its portals, while
those of Bankusa and Der Termanm had orders of columns as the decoration of the ex-
terior of the apse ; though, being smaller churches, they have but one order of columns
instead of two. The columns of the nave arcades show considerable individuality;
the bell form is preserved, but the acanthus decoration is more on the order of Byzan-
tine carving than that at Kal'at Sim‘an, though it does not approach the lace-like
character of that seen in Hagia Sophia at Constantinople. The heavy ovolo is used
as the crowning molding of the portals of all three churches. At Der Seta and Der
Termanin this member is carved with a running acanthus design, but at Bankusa it
is plain ; here, too, the secondary moldings are incised. The curved moldings be-
tween the openings, and the spirals at the ends of moldings, are omitted, so that the
whole edifice gives the impression of being a little earlier than the other two.
Bankusa. south church. 1 The larger of the two churches at Bankusa is less
ruinous than many of the larger churches of Northern Central Syria. The north
wall is preserved almost intact, with its two portals and six large round-topped
windows. The prothesis is still complete, and the apse is preserved up to the level
of the semi-dome, with three large windows opening in the curved wall between the
projecting chambers. The eastern parts of the diaconicum are standing, but its south
'La Syrie Centrale, Pl. 118.