DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.43337#0353
ChapterTwo.
The Iconographic
Programme
Originally almost the entire interior of the church was deco-
rated with frescoes. The only exception were the side chapels
in the chancel, the prothesis and diaconicon: in accordance
with the architectural traditions of the Christian Caucasus
these areas were left unpainted.
The paintings of Akhtala have reached us in compar-
atively good condition. The images on the north, south
and west walls and in the altar apse have all to a consid-
erable extent been preserved. The walls are framed by
protruding borders which protected the paintings when
part of the roof collapsed. Only insignificant fragments
survived, however, on the walls and and vaults in the
arms of the domed cross. The paintings on the west wall
of the southwest compartment have been well-preserved
but those that once adorned its vault and other walls have
been almost entirely obliterated. Nothing remains from
the northwest compartment. During renovation work the
walls were rebuilt and all the frescoes there irretrievably
lost. In the middle ages the cupola collapsed, perhaps as
the result of an earthquake, and only traces of plaster can
now be found on the scattered pieces of masonry. Among
serious damage to other parts of the church we must men-
tion the canon-hole in the conch of the altar apse which
destroyed the upper part of the depiction of the Virgin
Enthroned.
The Iconographic
Programme
Originally almost the entire interior of the church was deco-
rated with frescoes. The only exception were the side chapels
in the chancel, the prothesis and diaconicon: in accordance
with the architectural traditions of the Christian Caucasus
these areas were left unpainted.
The paintings of Akhtala have reached us in compar-
atively good condition. The images on the north, south
and west walls and in the altar apse have all to a consid-
erable extent been preserved. The walls are framed by
protruding borders which protected the paintings when
part of the roof collapsed. Only insignificant fragments
survived, however, on the walls and and vaults in the
arms of the domed cross. The paintings on the west wall
of the southwest compartment have been well-preserved
but those that once adorned its vault and other walls have
been almost entirely obliterated. Nothing remains from
the northwest compartment. During renovation work the
walls were rebuilt and all the frescoes there irretrievably
lost. In the middle ages the cupola collapsed, perhaps as
the result of an earthquake, and only traces of plaster can
now be found on the scattered pieces of masonry. Among
serious damage to other parts of the church we must men-
tion the canon-hole in the conch of the altar apse which
destroyed the upper part of the depiction of the Virgin
Enthroned.