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ANCIENT CHURCH FOUND IN TURKEY'S WESTERN PROVINCE
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2013/08/13/turkey-church/
10:08 13.08.13
A church found in the ancient city of Tripolis in the Aegean province
of Denizli's Buldan district dates back 1,500 years and will open to
visitors at the end of the year.
Hurriyet Daily news reports that the construction will be covered
with a wooden material.
The archaeological excavations have been carried out for two years by
Pamukkale University in the Lycian city of Tripolis, which was located
at the junction point of Phrygia, Karia and Lydia in the Hellenistic
period. The city was surrounded with walls in the early Roman period.
In last year's excavations, georadar work revealed a marketplace in
good condition. This year during excavations next to the marketplace,
a church, which is in very good condition until its roof level, was
found. The earth in the church has been cleaned and its roof will be
covered with a wooden material just like the original before being
opened to visitors.
The head of the Tripolis ancient city excavations, Professor Bahadır
Duman, said the history of the first settlement place in the ancient
city dated back to the Hellenistic period in the 3rd century BC.
"One of our most important findings in 2013 excavations is this church
from the early Byzantium period in the 6th century. But the frescos
and icons on the walls of the church show us that worship continued
here until the 10th century. The church is in 21 by five meters in
size and seven meters in height. Local stones of the region were
used in the construction of the church, mostly travertine. The floor
covering is made up of marble and travertine. It has three sections,
which are the narthex, naos and atrium. We are currently working on
the restoration of the church. At the end of this season, we plan to
open it," said Duman.
He said the church remained original aside from its roof. "As roofs
were generally wooden in the ancient era, it was unprotected against
natural conditions such as erosion and earthquakes, and it collapsed.
But we will finish its restoration and revive it. Another significance
of the church is that worship continued for 400 years between the 6th
and 10th centuries. When compared to other churches in the region,
it is a small church but better protected."
Duman said the walls of the church had figures of Jesus Christ, the
Virgin Mary and the 12 apostles. "Iconoclasm existed in Christianity
in the 8th and 9th centuries. This structure consists of frescos made
in 10th century after the iconoclasm period."
The church is located on an important route, Duman said. "The ancient
city of Philadelphia in Manisa AlaÅ~_ehir is in the northwest of
Tripolis. It is one of the seven churches mentioned in the Bible. One
of these churches is also located in Laodicea in 40 kilometer south
of our ancient city. Therefore, Tripolis is on the pilgrimage route
between these two holy cities. We have found four churches in two
years, and this church is one of them. Pilgrims will visit it since
it is on the pilgrimage route."
From: A. Papazian
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2013/08/13/turkey-church/
10:08 13.08.13
A church found in the ancient city of Tripolis in the Aegean province
of Denizli's Buldan district dates back 1,500 years and will open to
visitors at the end of the year.
Hurriyet Daily news reports that the construction will be covered
with a wooden material.
The archaeological excavations have been carried out for two years by
Pamukkale University in the Lycian city of Tripolis, which was located
at the junction point of Phrygia, Karia and Lydia in the Hellenistic
period. The city was surrounded with walls in the early Roman period.
In last year's excavations, georadar work revealed a marketplace in
good condition. This year during excavations next to the marketplace,
a church, which is in very good condition until its roof level, was
found. The earth in the church has been cleaned and its roof will be
covered with a wooden material just like the original before being
opened to visitors.
The head of the Tripolis ancient city excavations, Professor Bahadır
Duman, said the history of the first settlement place in the ancient
city dated back to the Hellenistic period in the 3rd century BC.
"One of our most important findings in 2013 excavations is this church
from the early Byzantium period in the 6th century. But the frescos
and icons on the walls of the church show us that worship continued
here until the 10th century. The church is in 21 by five meters in
size and seven meters in height. Local stones of the region were
used in the construction of the church, mostly travertine. The floor
covering is made up of marble and travertine. It has three sections,
which are the narthex, naos and atrium. We are currently working on
the restoration of the church. At the end of this season, we plan to
open it," said Duman.
He said the church remained original aside from its roof. "As roofs
were generally wooden in the ancient era, it was unprotected against
natural conditions such as erosion and earthquakes, and it collapsed.
But we will finish its restoration and revive it. Another significance
of the church is that worship continued for 400 years between the 6th
and 10th centuries. When compared to other churches in the region,
it is a small church but better protected."
Duman said the walls of the church had figures of Jesus Christ, the
Virgin Mary and the 12 apostles. "Iconoclasm existed in Christianity
in the 8th and 9th centuries. This structure consists of frescos made
in 10th century after the iconoclasm period."
The church is located on an important route, Duman said. "The ancient
city of Philadelphia in Manisa AlaÅ~_ehir is in the northwest of
Tripolis. It is one of the seven churches mentioned in the Bible. One
of these churches is also located in Laodicea in 40 kilometer south
of our ancient city. Therefore, Tripolis is on the pilgrimage route
between these two holy cities. We have found four churches in two
years, and this church is one of them. Pilgrims will visit it since
it is on the pilgrimage route."
From: A. Papazian