Medieval History
The Küçükyal? Arkeopark, a large archaeological area on the Asian side of Istanbul, hosts the only surviving Byzantine monastic complex in the city, the head of the excavation team says. The 9th-century complex contains gorgeous marble floors, valuable mosaics and beautiful art objects that she hopes to see in a museum someday.
The only surviving Byzantine monastic complex from 9th-century Constantinople has been uncovered in the Küçükyal? Arkeopark, located on the Anatolian side of Istanbul, the Italian head of the excavation team said Thursday.
?People started out thinking this was a 9th-century Islamic place. When I started doing research here, it became clear that this identification had no good grounding,? said team leader Alessandra Ricci, who noted that some travelers? accounts dating from the early 19th century mentioned the existence of a Byzantine monastery in the area.
The rich monastic complex, built between 867 and 877, encompasses the church and burial place of Patriarch Ignatios, a prominent figure in Byzantine history who is depicted in the mosaics inside Hagia Sophia.
?There is nothing from the Ottoman period here, not even a piece of pottery. Underneath the modern layers, we?re going directly to Byzantium,? Ricci said, adding that the discovery is a wonderful opportunity for her since she has a great passion for the Byzantine period and it is very rare to find wall paintings from that era in Istanbul.We found beautifully decorated marble floors, golden mosaics, wonderful coins and beautiful art objects that deserve to be displayed in a museum.?
Click here to read the article from Hürriyet Daily News
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Medieval History
Archaeologists discover Byzantine monastic complex in Istanbul
The Küçükyal? Arkeopark, a large archaeological area on the Asian side of Istanbul, hosts the only surviving Byzantine monastic complex in the city, the head of the excavation team says. The 9th-century complex contains gorgeous marble floors, valuable mosaics and beautiful art objects that she hopes to see in a museum someday.
The only surviving Byzantine monastic complex from 9th-century Constantinople has been uncovered in the Küçükyal? Arkeopark, located on the Anatolian side of Istanbul, the Italian head of the excavation team said Thursday.
?People started out thinking this was a 9th-century Islamic place. When I started doing research here, it became clear that this identification had no good grounding,? said team leader Alessandra Ricci, who noted that some travelers? accounts dating from the early 19th century mentioned the existence of a Byzantine monastery in the area.
The rich monastic complex, built between 867 and 877, encompasses the church and burial place of Patriarch Ignatios, a prominent figure in Byzantine history who is depicted in the mosaics inside Hagia Sophia.
?There is nothing from the Ottoman period here, not even a piece of pottery. Underneath the modern layers, we?re going directly to Byzantium,? Ricci said, adding that the discovery is a wonderful opportunity for her since she has a great passion for the Byzantine period and it is very rare to find wall paintings from that era in Istanbul.We found beautifully decorated marble floors, golden mosaics, wonderful coins and beautiful art objects that deserve to be displayed in a museum.?
Click here to read the article from Hürriyet Daily News
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A historic baptistery structure has been unearthed at one of the most important ancient sites in Kosovo by Turkish archaeologists. It is the first such excavation to be carried out by Turkish archaeologists in Europe. At an excavation site in Kosovo?s...
- Newly Unearthed Baptismal Font At Hagia Sophia To Open In Spring
A baptismal font unearthed during restoration of Hagia Sophia has been revealed to the press. The baptismal font dates back to the sixth century and was used in mass baptism ceremonies. The pool, which shows the cultural and architectural style of the...
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Exploring how Byzantium is represented, revised and resisted in Istanbul?s past, present, and future is the maiden mission for the recently established Istanbul Studies Center. The center is set to host an international symposium that will bring together...
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