Journal Phasis - Greek and Roman Studies

Wolff, Etienne

English

Les jeux de mots chez Ausone

Viscardi, Giuseppina Paola

Sacerdotesse dalle denominazioni animali: lessico animale e ruolo del femminile nella divinazione (Dodona e Delfi: due studi di caso)

Miziur, Maja

Exotic Animals as a Manifestation of Royal "luxuria". Rulers and Their Menageris: From the Pompe of Ptolemy II Philadelphus to Aurelian

Riedel, Volker

Literatur und Altertumswissenschaft in Deutschland um 1800

Sosyedka, Natalia

Το θέατρο: από το ιστορικό βάθος της αρχαίας Ελλάδος, πνευματικό κεφάλαιο της οικουμένης

Nadibaidze, Dali

Phasis 15-16, 2012-2013 
 
Dali Nadibaidze (Tbilisi) 
Old Georgian Christian and Byzantine Art 
in the Light of European Culture 
The earliest surviving Georgian literary work, The Martyrdom of Shushanik, 
describes the spiritual and physical struggle Georgia had to undergo when 
making a choice between the West and the East, Christianity and Islam. It 
lasted till the 18th century, when Erekle II took a decision that had likewise 
deplorable consequences for Georgia. In the 19th century Georgia lost its 
independence but escaped the threat of conversion to Islam. However, in 
the 20th century atheism created an absolutely new reality for Georgia and 
Western Europe, which, fortunately, was temporary and the orientation 
towards Christian culture and thought, which was so natural for Georgian 
identity and linked it to the rest of the civilized world, was restored. 
     In terms of location, Christianity originated within the Roman Empire. 
The Lord preached in Palestine, which was then part of the Empire. 
Painting must have been the first to develop among Christian arts. As 
until the 4th century the Christians were persecuted and were unable to 
build temples in the literary sense, architecture was relatively late to 
develop. Naturally, first Christian art works were created secretly, on the 
walls of catacombs. According to the Holy tradition, there were several 
Vernicle Images of the Savior, icons created by Apostle Luke. However, 
architecture needed to be legalized to a greater extent as it was impossible 
to build temples secretly. At first, houses served as churches where 
Christians could gather and officiate a service. After Christianity was 
legalized, Chriatian architecture started to develop. 
     The most widespread types of Christian church architecture are basilica 
and cruciform design (including the cruciform-domed type). Basilica is 
defined as the ’house of the King’ (βασιλική στοά). It is a rectangular 
Dali Nadibaidze 188 
building divided into 3 or 5 naves by colonnades. The middle nave, which 
culminates in an apse is wider and higher. A basilica is covered with a 
double pitched roof.1 In Ancient Greece and Rome basilica was a public 
building and after the legalization of Christianity was etsablished as one of 
the main forms of Chistian church architecture. 
     Part of early Georgian churches are basilicas – the Anchiskhati, St. 
Nino’s Church in Samtavro, Bolnisi Zion (a three-nave basilica), the earlier 
church of Svetitskoveli is believed to have been a basilica, etc. Another 
part of Georgian churches are of cruciform-domed type. Among them are 
the Cross Monastery of Mtskheta, a classical cruciform church reapeating 
the shape of cross from all sides, Ateni Zion, etc. Byzantine churches too 
are designed to the two mentioned patterns. Saint Peter’s Church in Rome 
is a basilica, like many other churches of an early period found in Europe 
or the Holy Land. Georgian basilica does not have a cupola. In his study of 
Old Georgian basilicas, Vaktang Beridze describes them as a rectangular 
structures without a cupola,2 while in the West domed basilicas are quite 
common, the most important of them being Saint Peter’s basilica and the 
Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Paris.  
Basilica and cruciform (cruciform-domed) design are the two most 
widely reported types of Christian church architecture. However, there 
are other types as well: for example, rotunda – the Georgian Bana Cathe-
dral in Tao-Klarjeti was a circular structure, which is obvious from the 
ruins. The Chapel of the Ascension in Jerusalem is a rotunda too. Thus, 
Georgian and Byzantine churches, as well as early and the most renowned 
European Christian temples, prominent for their architectural, historical 
and spiritual value, have common architectural properties – basically, the 
basilica and cruciform designs. They were afterwards enriched with 
national and cultural traits of a particular nation. For instance, Russian 
churches are characterized by the plurality of domes. Some even see 
symbolic implications in the number of domes3: 1 – The Single Deity, 2 – 
The two Natures of Jesus, 3 – The Holy Trinity, 5 – The Christ and the 4 
Evangelists, 7 – 7 Sacraments; some interpret seven domes as the symbol 
of the 7 Ecumenical Councils, 13 – Christ and his 12 Disciples. These 
shared architectural properties stem from common conceptual groun-
dings. They are 1. The religious grounding (the Church was initially single 
                                                 
1  Beridze V., Old Georgian Architecture, Tbilisi 1974, 197. 
2  Ibid. 
3  Православный Храм, Устройство православного храма, Википедия. See also 
www.missionbookrussia.com, Устройство православного храма, автор проекта и 
составитель – Александр Петров. 
Old Georgian Christian and Byzantine Art in the Light of European Culture 189 
and integral, while schisms took place later); 2. Ancient culture, Greek and 
Roman art, which played an important role in the development of 
Christian art. However, the contribution of each nation converted to 
Christianity is unique and this individuality was reflected in the common 
Christian cultural thought. It should also be added that the prototype of 
basilica is ancient temple, Parthenon being the most brilliant example of it.  
At the conference session, Mr. Kekis of the Hellenic Republic stated 
that Byzantium never lost its ties with ancient Greece and was always 
rooted in ancient culture. On its part, Byzantium fostered Europe 
including Georgia (like any other Christian nation, especially, European), 
which wonderfully combined the new, Christian art with its own rich old 
cultural tradition. Although, Georgian pagan temples, unlike Greek, did 
not survive, archeological excavations in Vani, Armazi, Zhinvali, Dmanisi 
and other sites attest to the rich cultural tradition. Especially noteworthy is 
Uplistsikhe (started in the 1st half of the 1st millennium BC), with surviving 
remains of a pagan shrine. 
      It is common knowledge that when a country was converted to the 
Christian faith, i. e. when its king and queen adopted Christianity and 
proclaimed it the state religion, architects and artists were invited from 
Byzantium. The paleologian frescos of Ubisi, which are the continuation of the 
Byzantine school of painting, the wonderful frescos of Svetitskhoveli, loaded 
with mystic symbolism, the famous Vladimir icon of the Holy Virgin, which is 
a masterpiece of the Byzantine school, and many other have their artistic roots 
in ancient Greece – the Frescos of Knossos and the Etruscan paintings. When 
you look at the fresco of Hora (Primavera) at Pompeii, you think that she is as 
perfect as the Blue Bird. This painting tradition was filled with the Christian 
faith and thus spiritualized, developed into the style of Christian iconography, 
represented by numerous beautiful and holy frescos, whether Byzantine or 
Georgian, European or Asian. Thus were created Rublyov’s Holy Trinity and 
the fresco of the angel of Kintsvisi – an angel bearing the news of the Holy 
Resurrection, painted at the sublime of Christian iconography. These works 
are perfectly beautiful and at the same time holy, featuring episodes from the 
Holy Scripture. The rich painting tradition is harmoniously combined with the 
Christian outlook and perfection is rendered from the divine perspective, 
conveying the Christian spirit. What before was worldly beautiful, now 
became divine, reflecting communion with the Lord. Now beauty not only 
appeals to a physical eye, but is grace-giving and holy, unworldly. These 
qualities are endowed upon an icon or a church by the Holy Spirit, through 
the power of consecration. Naturally, this concerns Georgian as well as 
Byzantine, Russian or western European art. 
Dali Nadibaidze 190 
     Churches as well as some frescos are filled with the Georgian spirit, e. 
g. the frescos of Vardzia and Betania. This is also caused by the fact that 
the frescos feature Georgian kings and princes, Georgian apparel and 
ornaments. On the other hand, the Kintsvisi Angel stands above countries 
and nationalities by his beauty and perfection, like The Knight in the Tiger’s 
Skin, which at the same time fully conveys the splendor and beauty of the 
Georgian language. 
      By this I wanted to say that all nations – Georgia, Greece or the entire 
European Christian civilization – are united as they all have the same 
grounds – Christianity, which was integral when the majority of these 
states confessed it. Each nation contributes to Christian architecture and 
paintings by its individual character. Like a person, a nation, a state and 
its population, as well as its neighborhood, even if ethically different, has 
its distinct properties. The common geographical area may also be the 
reason for two nations’ affinity, common character traits and inclinations. 
However, when a masterpiece is created, it stands above all, as God is 
perfection and all that is elevated and perfect transcends the worldly 
limits and merges with the divine perfection. 
      Thus, the main message of the present paper is the following: 
Georgian, Byzantine and, in general, European Christian cultures have 
their roots in their respective national traditions as well as in ancient 
culture, which was succeeded by Christian culture, as Christ was born and 
lived on the territory on the Roman Empire (Palestine was occupied by 
Rome), and Greece, together with its colonies in Asia Minor, also formed a 
part of Rome. Christianity imparted its divine spirit to what had been 
materially perfect and what is called ancient art. Since then, each nation 
has been contributing its artistic potential to this new art, creating 
nationality-wise original Christian culture, which would bridge it with its 
past, its character, its future and contemporaneity. At the same time, 
Christianity and its preceding ancient art unites every art with the rest of 
Christian Europe and its art. 
      Ancient art is so perfect that nothing else needs to be added to it. At 
each stage of human existence, God has been granting men what they 
have been able to accept. When men was able to receive physical beauty, 
they were given it – the aesthetic ancient art, while when men were 
prepared for receiving the beauty filled with the divine spirit, Christian art 
was created. Men, whether pagan or faithful, are granted every talent and 
faculty by God. Hora (Primavera) of Pompeii is perfect and nothing needs 
to be added to it. It only lacked the divine spirit, which was granted to the 
Old Georgian Christian and Byzantine Art in the Light of European Culture 191 
Christian fresco – the image of the Kintsvisi Angel is perfect and, being a 
fresco, it also has the divine spirit.  
       We could remember the image of Nefertiti for comparison. Though 
not a wall painting, it is nevertheless a piece of painting, but conveys a 
different kind of aesthetics, different strokes and contours; it represents a 
different school rooted in a different culture. Ancient painting is the 
foundation on which Georgian Christian, Byzantine and European arts are 
based (Italian Renaissance is the direct revival of the ancient school. 
Georgian and Byzantine frescos do not have the delightfulness but are 
invested with the ascetic spirit. This spirit is absent in the Italian 
Renaissance art. This is where the Renaissance parts from what are known 
as the Christian fresco and icon). Thus, there is one line, one channel of 
thought, united by Christianity. At the same time, all bear their respective 
national identities and specific properties, and this is how it should be; 
otherwise, the divine seed, present in every person and nation and 
imparting individuality and divinity (granted to every creature, every 
nation, the earth and the universe on the whole by the grace of the Holy 
Spirit and through the creative acts of God), will not manifest itself. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Bolnisi Zion - The 5th c. Three-Nave Basilica 
 
 
 
  
Mtskheta Cross Monastery - The 6th c. Cruciform Domed Basilica 
 
 
 
 
St. John the Baptist’s Church at Kaneo 
The Middle Byzantine Period. A Typical Cruciform Domed Church 
 
 
Saint Peter’s Balisica in Rome, Vatican 
 
 
 
 
Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris 
 
 
The Chapel of the Ascension in Jerusalem. An Octagonal Rotunda 
 
 
 
 
 
Bana - Historical Tao. Built in the 7th c. 
Redesigned in the 9th-10th cc. under the Reign of Adarnase II 
 
 
 
Parthenon, Athens. The 5th c. BC 


Old Georgian Christian and Byzantine Art in the Light of European Culture

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