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| dc.contributor.author | Aphrodisias Regional Survey | en_US |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2012-08-23T18:48:53Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2012-08-23T18:48:53Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2006-06-11 | en_US |
| dc.identifier.citation | Page reference: Christopher Ratté and Peter D. De Staebler (eds.). Aphrodisias V. The Aphrodisias Regional Survey (Verlag Philipp von Zabern: Darmstadt/Mainz, 2012), 371, 372, 373, 374, 375 - Book catalogue no.: Churches cat. 1. <http://hdl.handle.net/2027.42/92672> | en_US |
| dc.identifier.other | C037 | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/2027.42/92672 | |
| dc.description | Local Name: Aphrodisias, West Necropolis | en_US |
| dc.description | Local Information: Directly south of road to Geyre | en_US |
| dc.description | Latitude: 37.42.35.131 | en_US |
| dc.description | Longitude: 28.43.04.564 | en_US |
| dc.description | Elevation: 554m | en_US |
| dc.description | Dimensions: overall W: approx. 22 m ** overall L: approx. 35 m ** Narthex L: 22m; W: 4.3 m ** Nave L: 22.5m; W: 9.6m ** North aisle W: 4.3 m ** South aisle W: 2.6m ** Apse Diam: 8.3 m | en_US |
| dc.description | Description: The West Church is located about 50 m outside of the City Wall, on the south side of the road through the West Gate, within the extensive West Necropolis. As preserved, the church is a three-aisled basilica with a central dome and vaulted aisles dating most probably to the late ninth or early tenth century A.D. Preliminary analysis suggests, however, that the current remains may belong to a second phase of construction that replaced an Early Christian basilica. As with other Middle Byzantine structures at Aphrodisias, the West Church is very well preserved. Both sets of doorjambs at the western entrance are preserved, and those leading from the narthex to the nave are still standing. The walls that defined the outer shell of the structure are 0.75 m thick and built of irregularly coursed, heavily mortared masonry. The mortar is pale gray, and no tile or brick is used in the walls. The 1.65 m thick interior walls are more substantial than the exterior ones. They bond with four articulated piers, which supported a central dome 7.3 m in diameter. All four piers are visible at the corners of the central bay. The southwest pier is the best preserved and stands to approximately 2.0 m above present ground level at the middle of the nave. This height may correspond to nearly 3.5 m to 4.5 m above original floor level. The piers are constructed of mortared rubble faced with ashlar blocks probably all recycled from earlier Roman structures. These include an inscribed statue base used in the northwestern pier; and other reused architectural elements include marble columns, a monolithic doorjamb, and a capital. ** Narthex: A pair of in situ doorjambs at the center of the west wall stands up to 0.50 m above present ground level. This doorway marks the main entrance to the church and the narthex. The western wall of the narthex is poorly preserved and is only visible to 1.50 m north of the northern jamb. On axis with the first door, a second pair of doorjambs marks the entrance from the narthex to the nave. These doorjambs are preserved to their full original height and stand to 1.70 m above present ground level; a fallen door lintel, possibly for this door, lies ca. 10 m to the southwest. Only a small stretch of the wall between the narthex and the nave is preserved to the south of the southern jamb. Additional entrances between the narthex and the nave are not visible. A second entrance into the narthex from the outside, however, is preserved along the southern wall. ** Naos: In plan, the naos is divided into three parts: a central nave, and a northern and a southern side aisle. The nave itself is composed of three bays. The western bay, immediately east of the narthex, is separated from the side aisles by walls 1.65 m thick; the south wall is better preserved. The thickness of these walls suggests that the central nave was vaulted. The most prominent feature of the nave is the four massive piers, which mark the corners of the central bay. Pilaster-like elements project from the interior corners of the piers, making a square 7.3 m per side. These piers clearly carried massive arches, which spanned the nave and aisles and supported a large dome over the central bay of the nave. The eastern piers are connected to the walls that define the third bay of the nave. An opening visible in the northern wall indicates that there was direct access between the north side chapel and the eastern central bay. ** Apse: In the east, the church ends with the spacious central apse, which does not project outside the building but instead is inscribed within the regular rectangular shell of the church. Six pieces of curved marble cornice blocks with a molded inner profile, which could have defined the base of the central dome or perhaps of the semi-dome over the apse, are scattered through the eastern bay. ** Aisles: Two asymmetrical side aisles flank the central nave. In plan, the aisles appear to be continuous, yet each is divided into three bays by the outward projections of the dome piers. These projections suggest that arches spanned the side aisles; corresponding pilasters are not visible on the outer walls, but the outer walls in these areas are poorly preserved. The first and third bays may have had vaults parallel with the central nave, while the central bay may have had a higher vault perpendicular to the axis of the nave. The aisles terminate in square ends, which could have functioned as side chapels. While a doorway connects the northern chapel to the eastern bay of the nave, no opening is observed in the wall between the western bay of the north aisle and the nave, or between the eastern or western bays of the south aisle and the nave. Starting at the northeast corner of the church building, the north wall of the outer shell is visible for 15 m, then comes to a clear end, leaving a 5 m wide opening to the north of the central bay of the side aisle and nave before resuming and continuing to the west. This opening could indicate a wide doorway or broad window opposite the arch supporting the central dome. ** Other details. A composite capital (p. H: 0.55 m; W at top: 0.73 m) lies inside the naos directly in front of the entrance from the narthex. A fragmentary inscribed marble statue base remains in situ where it was reused in the inner projecting pilaster of the northwest pier of the dome. Fragments of columns and of double engaged colonettes and capitals from window mullions are dispersed around the site. | en_US |
| dc.description | Finds: Inscribed pedestal base | en_US |
| dc.subject | Sanctuaries and Churches | en_US |
| dc.subject | 5: Late Roman | en_US |
| dc.subject | 6: Byzantine | en_US |
| dc.title | C037: West Church | en_US |
| dc.type | Other | en_US |
| dc.subject.hlbsecondlevel | Archaeology | en_US |
| dc.subject.hlbtoplevel | Social Sciences | en_US |
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| dc.owningcollname | Aphrodisias Regional Survey |
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