Motifs with Sacred and Apotropaic Meanings on the Wall Paintings of Cappadocia Region
In early Christian society, the continuation of pagan beliefs and apotropaic elements derived from the Roman culture can be observed in the reflections of artistic production. Apotropaic themes bearing the traces of paganism, such as the Medusa head and the mask were used continuously for decorative purposes by Christian artists. These motifs also show apotropaic features aligning with the Christian faith in the decoration of the new Byzantine art. We can see that the majority of artists who drew the wall paintings in the region were local artists socialized within Hellenistic traditions and with Christian knowledge. While painting the motifs with sacred meanings and apotropaic effects in the church, Byzantine artists focused on the harmony of these motifs with the Byzantine aesthetic. In this sense, it should not be forgotten how effective it is from a viewer’s point of view to add a sacred meaning and apotropaic effects to these motifs in the Cappadocian wall paintings in the mid or late Byzantine era. In our study, we will emphasize the motifs we have encountered in the wall paintings of churches, especially in the Cappadocia region, dating back to the middle and late Byzantine periods, such as leaf mask, moon, sun, eight-pointed rosette, rotating disk and medallion, guilloche, interlace, zigzag, three-dimensional folded plate, precious stones and their location within the church, their use of color, and their sacred apotropaic meaning. Moreover, an evaluation of the effects of the doctrines of Cappadocian church fathers on this situation in Byzantine art, especially about the manuscripts and wall paintings of the period, will be conducted by comparing the art within the material historical framework.
Kapadokya Bölgesi Duvar Resimlerinde Kutsal Anlam Taşıyan ve Apotropaik Etkili Motifler
Roma kültüründen devam eden Pagan inançlı ve apotropaik anlamlı unsurların erken Hristiyan toplumunda devamlılık göstermesinin sanatsal üretime yansıdığı gözlemlenmektedir. Pagan inancının izlerini taşıyan Medusa başı, mask gibi temalar Hristiyan ustalar tarafından dekoratif amaçlı kullanılmaya devam ettirilmiştir. Bunun yanında, yeni Bizans sanatının kendine ait bezeme dekorasyonu içerisinde Hristiyan inancına uygun şekilde aynı anlam taşıyan motiflerin kullanımı da görmek mümkündür. Bölgede duvar resimlerini yapan sanatçıların çoğunluğunun Helenistik gelenekler ve Hristiyan bilgilerine sahip yerli ustalar olduğu anlaşılmaktadır. Bizanslı sanatçılar kutsal anlam taşıyan ve apotropaik etkiye sahip motifleri kilise içerisinde resmederken, Bizans estetiği ile de uyum içerisinde olmalarına önem vermişlerdir. Bu anlamda, Kapadokya bölgesi duvar resimlerinde orta ve geç Bizans dönemi duvar resimlerinde bazı anikonik motiflere kutsal anlam ve apotropaik etki eklendiği zaman izleyici açısından aslında ne kadar etkili olduğunu da unutmamak gerekmektedir. Bu çalışmada özellikle Kapadokya bölgesinde orta ve geç Bizans dönemlerine tarihlendirilen kiliselerin duvar resimlerinde karşılaşılan yaprak mask, ay, güneş, sekiz kollu rozet, dönen disk ve madalyon, antrolak, üç boyutlu zikzak, değerli taşlar, rozet, gibi motiflerin kilise içerisinde konumları, renk kullanımları ile birlikte kutsal apotropaik anlamları üzerinde durulacaktır. Ayrıca, Kapadokyalı Kilise Babalarının doktrinlerinin bu duruma etkileri, dönemin el yazmaları ve duvar resimleri başta olmak üzere Bizans sanatı içerisinde sanat tarihsel çerçevede karşılaştırmalı bir değerlendirme yapılacaktır.
Pagan beliefs and apotropaic elements from the Roman culture are observed in the artistic productions of the early Christian community. Some elements of paganism, such as the Medusa head and the mask were used with apotropaic themes for decoration by Christian artists. The new Byzantine art itself shows these apotropaic features combined with the Christian faith within the decorative motifs. The Cappadocia region is one of the few regions, which has the majority of the middle and late Byzantine period wall paintings that are still intact over time. As of the second half of the 11th century, even though the Christians could not show artistic development in the region under Turkish domination, they continued their artistic production. Studies have revealed that despite the Turkish domination, there is no isolated art perception in the region in line with both architectural and painterly data due to the overt connection with the other Christian regions such as the areas that are populated by Armenian artists, the capital of Byzantine, and even Seljuk art movements. Therefore, the Byzantine decoration and repertoire of the period were reflected in the wall paintings of Cappadocia. In our study, we will emphasize the motifs we have encountered on the wall paintings of churches, especially in the Cappadocia region, dating back to the middle and late Byzantine periods, such as the leaf mask, moon, sun, eight-pointed rosette, rotating disk and medallion, guilloche, interlace, zigzag, three-dimensional folded plate, precious stones and their location within the church, their use of color, and their sacred apotropaic meaning. Moreover, an evaluation of the effects of the doctrines of Cappadocian church fathers on this situation in the Byzantine art, especially around the manuscripts and wall paintings of the period, will be conducted by comparing the art within the material historical framework.
It is known that the symmetrical placement of circular patterns, rosettes, and cabochons on both sides of an arch is often considered a sign of holiness in both the Christian and Islamic worlds. The disk motif in Byzantine wall paintings that is connected with holiness often appeared on monumental icon frames in proskynetaria, architectural sculptures, manuscripts and canon tables of the Gospels, and on the architectural facades of eastern Christian buildings. Studies show that, in particular, rotating disk-shaped motifs, which were seen in the twelfth-century Byzantine wall paintings, gained popularity in the 13th and 14th centuries. The circle shapes symbolize infinity and perfection, and the rotating disk symbolizes sacred energy. It is often emphasized by researchers that this sign of holiness also has a protective function. Some motifs indicate unique features in the region as on the arch paddings on the east facade of Bezirana Church (the end of the 13th century and the beginning of the 14th century). The red disk in the north direction of the east wall represents the Sun, and the gray–blue disk in the south direction represents the Moon. It is known that Saint Basil, one of the Cappadocian Church Fathers, used these expressions in this respect in his sermons. In addition, these disk motifs consist of three centers and move with rotating lines of different hues in their interior-creating the impression of a rotating motif. The tricentricity of the disks can be thought of as a reference to the trinity; in fact, the higher positioning of the disks gives us more precise results in terms of their divine character. As a different variation of the rotating disk motifs, we encounter wheel of fortune motifs in the Kızılçukur Yohakim and Anna Church (9th century) and the Ihlara Yılanlı Church (9th – 10th century). As with the rotating disk motifs, this motif can also be considered to have the same theological and apotropaic effects. Considering all this information, it is understood that divine light and sacred energy have an important reality in eastern Christianity. Therefore, we can also think of these motifs as symbols of sacred energy and tools that radiate sacred energy in temples. In some of the columned churches -the Karanlık Church (11th century), the Elmalı Church (11th century), and the Çarıklı Church (11th century)- the acanthus motif, which we examined in the category of floral motif, is painted. Based on the special little thorns of this sacred herbaceous plant, Christianity attributes to this sacred herbaceous plant as a symbolic meaning ascribed to human suffering regarding sin and repentance in line with the biblical texts and descriptions of the church fathers. Unlike the other churches in the Cappadocia region, the acanthus motifs in the aforementioned three churches are spiral and cover large surfaces, and it is obvious that they are preferred to be used in the upper cover units by the artists. In this sense, except for the areas reserved for iconographic scenes, the use of the motif on top cover surfaces raises a question: “Was there a relationship between its semantic function and architecture?” However, altogether, it is understood that the artists have the idea and desire to decorate the large surfaces with the most appropriate acanthus tendril and in eye-catching (aesthetic) ways.
We can see that the majority of artists who drew the wall paintings in the region were local artists socialized within Hellenistic traditions and Christian knowledge. While Byzantine artists gave the sacred meaning and apotropaic motifs (as mentioned above) in the church, they also gave importance to the need to be in harmony with Byzantine aesthetics. In this sense, we can understand the effectiveness from a viewer’s perspective of adding a sacred meaning and apotropaic effect to some aniconic motifs in the Cappadocian wall paintings in the middle and late Byzantine period.
