The cross on the gorge: a sacralization of the landscape in
thirteenth-century Armenia?

k 2023

The cross on the gorge: a sacralization of the landscape in thirteenth-century Armenia?

MORASCHI, Annalisa

Basic information

Original name

The cross on the gorge: a sacralization of the landscape in thirteenth-century Armenia?

Authors

MORASCHI, Annalisa

Edition

Spaces, Landscapes and Social Lives of the Cross in Medieval Armenia and Georgia, 2023

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Prezentace na konferencích

Field of Study

60401 Arts, Art history

Country of publisher

Switzerland

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

References:

Conference Programme

Organization unit

Faculty of Arts

Keywords in English

Armenia; Architecture; Hovhannavank; Landscape; Saghmosavank; Vachutian

Abstract

V originále

The paper addresses the monastery of Hovhannavank’ in the Aragatsotn province of Armenia as the main topic. The building is located on the western edge of the K’asakh river’s gorge, on a plateau which extends from the slopes of Mount Aragats southward. Specifically, the presentation will aim to understand the possible meanings of the decorative reliefs of the Samtavisi-type composition with the cross, located on the eastern and southern sides of the church of St. John the Baptist, built between 1215 and 1221 under the patronage of Vatché Vachutian. The origin, style, and visibility of the crosses will be contextualized in the historical moment in which the area experienced a struggle of power between Armenia, Georgia, and external inputs – such as the Seljuks and later the Mongols – and had seen the Mkhargrdzeli-Zakarian family act as an intermediary. Therefore, the historical instances of the rise to power of the Vachutian family, patrons of the monastery and valiant defenders of the area under the Zakarians, will be also taken into account. The paper will also consider the monastery of Saghmosavank’ which is located roughly five kilometres from Hovhannavank’, as it was built under the same patronage around the same time and had, possibly, a visible cross on the dome. Moreover, the study will be conducted in light of the location of the monasteries, starting from the recent studies of the archaeologist Kathryn Franklin, who theorized that they were built following a different logic of approach and encounter than those of the travellers on the silk road and thus, were perhaps meant to return a different gaze. Therefore, the research wants to concentrate on the visibility of the monasteries and the crosses on the plateau and the relationship with the surrounding landscape. In particular, it will try to understand their role in the sacralization of the landscape, in relation to the political panorama of the 13th century.

Links

GF21-01706L, research and development project

Name: Kulturní dialogy v Jihokavkazském regionu ve středověku: historiografická a historicko-umělecká perspektiva (Acronym: CIMS)

Investor: Czech Science Foundation, Partner Agency (Switzerland)

Citovat

MORASCHI, Annalisa. The cross on the gorge: a sacralization of the landscape in thirteenth-century Armenia? In Spaces, Landscapes and Social Lives of the Cross in Medieval Armenia and Georgia. 2023.

@proceedings{2355117,
   author = {Moraschi, Annalisa},
   booktitle = {Spaces, Landscapes and Social Lives of the Cross in Medieval Armenia and Georgia},
   keywords = {Armenia; Architecture; Hovhannavank; Landscape; Saghmosavank; Vachutian},
   language = {eng},
   title = {The cross on the gorge: a sacralization of the landscape in thirteenth-century Armenia?},
   url = {https://www.academia.edu/109731202/Spaces_Landscapes_and_Social_Lives_of_the_Cross_in_Medieval_Armenia_and_Georgia},
   year = {2023}
}

TY  - CONF
ID  - 2355117
AU  - Moraschi, Annalisa
PY  - 2023
TI  - The cross on the gorge: a sacralization of the landscape in thirteenth-century Armenia?
KW  - Armenia
KW  - Architecture
KW  - Hovhannavank
KW  - Landscape
KW  - Saghmosavank
KW  - Vachutian
UR  - https://www.academia.edu/109731202/Spaces_Landscapes_and_Social_Lives_of_the_Cross_in_Medieval_Armenia_and_Georgia
N2  - The paper addresses the monastery of Hovhannavank’ in the Aragatsotn province of Armenia as the main topic. The building is located on the western edge of the K’asakh river’s gorge, on a plateau which extends from the slopes of Mount Aragats southward. Specifically, the presentation will aim to understand the possible meanings of the decorative reliefs of the Samtavisi-type composition with the cross, located on the eastern and southern sides of the church of St. John the Baptist, built between 1215 and 1221 under the patronage of Vatché Vachutian. The origin, style, and visibility of the crosses will be contextualized in the historical moment in which the area experienced a struggle of power between Armenia, Georgia, and external inputs – such as the Seljuks and later the Mongols – and had seen the Mkhargrdzeli-Zakarian family act as an intermediary. Therefore, the historical instances of the rise to power of the Vachutian family, patrons of the monastery and valiant defenders of the area under the Zakarians, will be also taken into account. The paper will also consider the monastery of Saghmosavank’ which is located roughly five kilometres from Hovhannavank’, as it was built under the same patronage around the same time and had, possibly, a visible cross on the dome. Moreover, the study will be conducted in light of the location of the monasteries, starting from the recent studies of the archaeologist Kathryn Franklin, who theorized that they were built following a different logic of approach and encounter than those of the travellers on the silk road and thus, were perhaps meant to return a different gaze. Therefore, the research wants to concentrate on the visibility of the monasteries and the crosses on the plateau and the relationship with the surrounding landscape. In particular, it will try to understand their role in the sacralization of the landscape, in relation to the political panorama of the 13th century.
ER  -

MORASCHI, Annalisa. The cross on the gorge: a sacralization of the landscape in thirteenth-century Armenia? In \textit{Spaces, Landscapes and Social Lives of the Cross in Medieval Armenia and Georgia}. 2023.

Detailed Information on Publication Record