DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.45603#0011
154
II. B. 4.
that only two of them can be certainly assigned to the fourth century, the church of
Ba"udeh, dated 392 A.D. and the North Church at Bankusa 1 which is dated by com-
paring it with churches in the Djebel Sim"an that are dated in the fourth century, rather
than by comparison with the single church in the Djebel Barisha that belongs to that
century. Seven churches may be assigned to the fifth century, five of them are defi-
nitely dated, viz., the East Church of Babiska, dated 401 A.D., the East Church of
Ksedjbeh, 414 A.D., the Church of St. Paul and Moses at Dar Kita, 418 A.D., the church
at Kasr Iblisu, 431 A.D., the church at Khirbit il-Khatib, 473 A.D., and the East Church
at Kokanaya and the church of cAin Dilfeh which are not dated by inscriptions. Of
the rest, fifteen are to be assigned to the sixth century and one to the seventh.
Among the fifteen only five are dated by inscriptions, viz., the West Church of Bakirha,
dated 501 A.D., the church at Khirbit Hasan, 507 A.D., the Church of St. Sergius at
Dar Kita, 537 A.D., the East Church of Bakirha, 546 A.D., and the church at Khirbit
Tezin, 585 A.D. The seventh-century church is the church of St. Sergius at Babiska,
dated A.D. 609, - the latest of the dated monuments in Northern Syria. None of
the churches of the Djebel Barisha is of the first magnitude, i.e., of the dimensions of
the “Cathedral” of Brad3 in the Djebel Sim"an, or of the great churches of il-Anderin3
and Kerratin4 in the eastern strip of basalt country, or even of the Church of Bizzos
at Ruweha5, in the Djebel Riha; the smaller churches here are about 16 m. long over
all, the larger ones about 25 m. in length; while some of the great churches just men-
tioned are over 50 m. long. The plans of the churches of the fourth and fifth cen-
turies are of one type, having each a semi-circular apse between side chambers, and a
longitudinal system of narrow interior arches carried on columns. The churches of Baudeh,
Bankusa (North), Ksedjbeh (East)6, Dar Kita (St. Paul)', Khirbit il-Khatib, Kasr Iblisu
and "Ain Dilfeh, have a straight east wall concealing the curve of the apse ; the churches
of Babiska (East)8 and of Kokanaya 9 permit the curve of the apse to show between
the walls of the side chambers. Of the fifteen churches of the sixth century only
four have the semi-circular presbyterium: these are Bankusa (South) 10, D£r Seta, 11
"Arshin 13 and Djuwaniyeh.13 In Bankusa and "Arshin the curve of the apse is displayed;
in the other two it is concealed. All the others14 have the rectangular presbyterium
between side chambers. This form of presbyterium is unknown in the Djebel Riha,
except perhaps in one doubtful case — the church of Hass. In one or two of these
sixth-century churches the nave is almost square; in two others, Djuwaniyeh and Bash-
mishli15, piers and broad arches are substituted for columns and narrow arches, as in
the Bizzos Church at Ruweha and in many of the churches of the eastern basalt district.
The churches of the third century are almost devoid of ornament; in those of the
fourth century the ornament is confined to the portals, the columns of the nave arcades
and the arch and piers of the apse; in the sixth-century churches the ornamental de-
tails are greatly multiplied, and rich mouldings are used to frame every opening. It
is in this century that the return to Classical forms appeared in the accentuation of
horizontal lines by means of string mouldings, and in the use of flat pilasters to break
up the monotony of wall surfaces, as we have seen in the Bizzos Church at Ruweha.16
1 A.A.E.S. II, p. 88.
2 II, B. 6.
5 II B 3, p. 144.
« A.A.E.S. II, p. 135.
9 Ibid. p. 146.
10 Ibid. p. 193. S.C. Pl. 118.
13 Ibid. p. 229.
14 Ibid. pp. 199-218.
3 II, B. 2, p. 52. i II, B. 2, p. 73.
1 Ibid. p. 137. 8 Ibid. p. 131 —135.
” A.A.E.S. II. p. 195, S.C.P1. 116. A.A.E.S. II, p. 198.
,s Ibid. p. 229-231. 16 II. B. 3, p. 144.
II. B. 4.
that only two of them can be certainly assigned to the fourth century, the church of
Ba"udeh, dated 392 A.D. and the North Church at Bankusa 1 which is dated by com-
paring it with churches in the Djebel Sim"an that are dated in the fourth century, rather
than by comparison with the single church in the Djebel Barisha that belongs to that
century. Seven churches may be assigned to the fifth century, five of them are defi-
nitely dated, viz., the East Church of Babiska, dated 401 A.D., the East Church of
Ksedjbeh, 414 A.D., the Church of St. Paul and Moses at Dar Kita, 418 A.D., the church
at Kasr Iblisu, 431 A.D., the church at Khirbit il-Khatib, 473 A.D., and the East Church
at Kokanaya and the church of cAin Dilfeh which are not dated by inscriptions. Of
the rest, fifteen are to be assigned to the sixth century and one to the seventh.
Among the fifteen only five are dated by inscriptions, viz., the West Church of Bakirha,
dated 501 A.D., the church at Khirbit Hasan, 507 A.D., the Church of St. Sergius at
Dar Kita, 537 A.D., the East Church of Bakirha, 546 A.D., and the church at Khirbit
Tezin, 585 A.D. The seventh-century church is the church of St. Sergius at Babiska,
dated A.D. 609, - the latest of the dated monuments in Northern Syria. None of
the churches of the Djebel Barisha is of the first magnitude, i.e., of the dimensions of
the “Cathedral” of Brad3 in the Djebel Sim"an, or of the great churches of il-Anderin3
and Kerratin4 in the eastern strip of basalt country, or even of the Church of Bizzos
at Ruweha5, in the Djebel Riha; the smaller churches here are about 16 m. long over
all, the larger ones about 25 m. in length; while some of the great churches just men-
tioned are over 50 m. long. The plans of the churches of the fourth and fifth cen-
turies are of one type, having each a semi-circular apse between side chambers, and a
longitudinal system of narrow interior arches carried on columns. The churches of Baudeh,
Bankusa (North), Ksedjbeh (East)6, Dar Kita (St. Paul)', Khirbit il-Khatib, Kasr Iblisu
and "Ain Dilfeh, have a straight east wall concealing the curve of the apse ; the churches
of Babiska (East)8 and of Kokanaya 9 permit the curve of the apse to show between
the walls of the side chambers. Of the fifteen churches of the sixth century only
four have the semi-circular presbyterium: these are Bankusa (South) 10, D£r Seta, 11
"Arshin 13 and Djuwaniyeh.13 In Bankusa and "Arshin the curve of the apse is displayed;
in the other two it is concealed. All the others14 have the rectangular presbyterium
between side chambers. This form of presbyterium is unknown in the Djebel Riha,
except perhaps in one doubtful case — the church of Hass. In one or two of these
sixth-century churches the nave is almost square; in two others, Djuwaniyeh and Bash-
mishli15, piers and broad arches are substituted for columns and narrow arches, as in
the Bizzos Church at Ruweha and in many of the churches of the eastern basalt district.
The churches of the third century are almost devoid of ornament; in those of the
fourth century the ornament is confined to the portals, the columns of the nave arcades
and the arch and piers of the apse; in the sixth-century churches the ornamental de-
tails are greatly multiplied, and rich mouldings are used to frame every opening. It
is in this century that the return to Classical forms appeared in the accentuation of
horizontal lines by means of string mouldings, and in the use of flat pilasters to break
up the monotony of wall surfaces, as we have seen in the Bizzos Church at Ruweha.16
1 A.A.E.S. II, p. 88.
2 II, B. 6.
5 II B 3, p. 144.
« A.A.E.S. II, p. 135.
9 Ibid. p. 146.
10 Ibid. p. 193. S.C. Pl. 118.
13 Ibid. p. 229.
14 Ibid. pp. 199-218.
3 II, B. 2, p. 52. i II, B. 2, p. 73.
1 Ibid. p. 137. 8 Ibid. p. 131 —135.
” A.A.E.S. II. p. 195, S.C.P1. 116. A.A.E.S. II, p. 198.
,s Ibid. p. 229-231. 16 II. B. 3, p. 144.