Oshki
Encyclopedia
Oshki is a Georgian
monastery from the second half of the 10th century located in the historic province of Tao
, now in North-eastern Turkey
. The main church, dedicated to St John the Baptist, was built between 963 and 973.
Oshki monastery was a major centre of Georgian literature and enlightenment during the Middle Ages
.
Kings Bagrat eristavt-eristavi
(prince of princes) and David III Bagrationi Kuropalates
.
The blind arches are an important part of the whole decoration. In Oshki they stretch along the outer walls of the church in the south, east and north. It is an early example of the use of decorative blind arches on the facades. They divide the wall in line with the general architectural rhythm. The central part of the facade is mainly decorated with bas-reliefs.
Bas-reliefs, placed high above the central arch, are given the place of honour on the southern facade, which is the main facade of the church. They stand out from the flat surface. The eagle with an animal in his talons probably symbolises victory, and the whole sculptural composition the triumph of the heavenly forces represented by the archangels Michael
and Gabriel.
In the province of Tao
the power lay in the hands of the ruling dynasty of the Bagrationi, whose members Bagrat eristavt-eristavi and David Magistros are depicted lower down on the same facade, near the deesis
, to show that the heavenly forces were the family's patrons.
The figures are well proportioned, elegant in contour and form. The static postures of earlier donor portraits give way to free movement, and an equal attempt can be traced in the near three-dimensional renderings of the archangels and the deesis of the southern facade, as well as on a column in the southern gallery. The decorative system of the Oshki church also includes the low reliefs characteristic of the so-called transitional period in medieval Georgian art (8th - 10th centuries), when the old style had not yet given way completely, and new ways were evolving. Sculptors of the different generations must have worked on it. The church in Oshki already shows the tendencies that would eventually develop in the 11th century.
, a French orientalist who specialized in Georgian and Armenian studies. Later these inscriptions were researched by Ekvtime Takaishvili
and Wachtang Djobadze
. As noted by Wachtang Djobadze, the first inscription gives a lot of information about the temple. It mentions the names of Ktetors of the church - Georgian kings Bagrat Eristavt-Eristavi and David III Kuropalates. Also there is information about architect of the church - someone called Grigol.
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
monastery from the second half of the 10th century located in the historic province of Tao
Tao-Klarjeti
Tao-Klarjeti is the term conventionally used in modern history writing to describe the historic south-western Georgian principalities, now forming part of north-eastern Turkey and divided among the provinces of Erzurum, Artvin, Ardahan and Kars...
, now in North-eastern Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. The main church, dedicated to St John the Baptist, was built between 963 and 973.
Oshki monastery was a major centre of Georgian literature and enlightenment during the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
.
Architectural sculpture and figurative reliefs
The construction of the monastery at Osk/Oshki was sponsored by the GeorgianGeorgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
Kings Bagrat eristavt-eristavi
Bagrat II of Tao
Bagrat II was a Georgian prince of the Bagratid dynasty of Tao-Klarjeti and hereditary ruler of Upper Tao, with the title of eristavt-eristavi, "duke of dukes", from 961 to 966....
(prince of princes) and David III Bagrationi Kuropalates
David III of Tao
David III Kuropalates or David III the Great , also known as David II, was a Georgian prince of the Bagratid family of Tao/Tayk, a historic region in the Georgian–Armenian marchlands, from 966 until his murder in 1000...
.
The blind arches are an important part of the whole decoration. In Oshki they stretch along the outer walls of the church in the south, east and north. It is an early example of the use of decorative blind arches on the facades. They divide the wall in line with the general architectural rhythm. The central part of the facade is mainly decorated with bas-reliefs.
Bas-reliefs, placed high above the central arch, are given the place of honour on the southern facade, which is the main facade of the church. They stand out from the flat surface. The eagle with an animal in his talons probably symbolises victory, and the whole sculptural composition the triumph of the heavenly forces represented by the archangels Michael
Michael (archangel)
Michael , Micha'el or Mîkhā'ēl; , Mikhaḗl; or Míchaël; , Mīkhā'īl) is an archangel in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic teachings. Roman Catholics, Anglicans, and Lutherans refer to him as Saint Michael the Archangel and also simply as Saint Michael...
and Gabriel.
In the province of Tao
Tao-Klarjeti
Tao-Klarjeti is the term conventionally used in modern history writing to describe the historic south-western Georgian principalities, now forming part of north-eastern Turkey and divided among the provinces of Erzurum, Artvin, Ardahan and Kars...
the power lay in the hands of the ruling dynasty of the Bagrationi, whose members Bagrat eristavt-eristavi and David Magistros are depicted lower down on the same facade, near the deesis
Deesis
In Byzantine art, and later Eastern Orthodox art generally, the Deësis or Deisis , is a traditional iconic representation of Christ in Majesty or Christ Pantocrator: enthroned, carrying a book, and flanked by the Virgin Mary and St. John the Baptist, and sometimes other saints and angels...
, to show that the heavenly forces were the family's patrons.
The figures are well proportioned, elegant in contour and form. The static postures of earlier donor portraits give way to free movement, and an equal attempt can be traced in the near three-dimensional renderings of the archangels and the deesis of the southern facade, as well as on a column in the southern gallery. The decorative system of the Oshki church also includes the low reliefs characteristic of the so-called transitional period in medieval Georgian art (8th - 10th centuries), when the old style had not yet given way completely, and new ways were evolving. Sculptors of the different generations must have worked on it. The church in Oshki already shows the tendencies that would eventually develop in the 11th century.
Inscription №1
The first inscription in Oshki temple is drawn with Sanguri color and is located over the southern main entrance to the temple. Nowadays 12 lines still exist. All inscriptions are written with Mrgvlovani, the earliest version of Georgian script. The original can be seen on the illustration in the right. The first scientist who explored this inscription was Marie-Félicité BrossetMarie-Félicité Brosset
Marie-Félicité Brosset was a French orientalist who specialized in Georgian and Armenian studies.He was born in Paris into the family of a poor merchant who died the same year that Brosset was born...
, a French orientalist who specialized in Georgian and Armenian studies. Later these inscriptions were researched by Ekvtime Takaishvili
Ekvtime Takaishvili
Ekvtime Takaishvili was a Georgian historian, archaeologist and public benefactor....
and Wachtang Djobadze
Wachtang Djobadze
Wachtang Djobadze was a Georgian art historian and Professor at the California State University, Los Angeles. During the Soviet Union, he lived as an émigré in the United States, and was the only Georgian scholar to have opportunity to travel to Turkey where a number of medieval Georgian churches...
. As noted by Wachtang Djobadze, the first inscription gives a lot of information about the temple. It mentions the names of Ktetors of the church - Georgian kings Bagrat Eristavt-Eristavi and David III Kuropalates. Also there is information about architect of the church - someone called Grigol.
- მოწყალებითა ღ(მრ)თისაჲთა რ(ომე)ლი სცავს ყ(ოვე)ლთა მოშ(ი)შთა მ(ი)სთა და წარმოჳმართ(ე)ბს მოყოჳარეთა სახელისა მისისათა ყ(ოვე)ლთა ს(ა)ქმ(ე)
- თა კ(ე)თ(ი)ლთა ამის წ(მი)დისა ს(ა)მ(ე)ბ(ი)სა სარწმოჳნოვებ(ი)თა და მ(ეო)ხ(ე)ბ(ი)თა წ(მი)დისა დ(ე)დოფლისა ჩ(უე)ნისა ღ(მრ)თ(ი)სმშობ(ე)ლისაჲთა მ(ა)დლითა წ(მი)დ(ა)ჲსა ძ(ე)ლისაცხოვრებისაჲ
- თა შეწ(ე)ვნითა და მეოხ(ე)ბ(ი)თა დიდებოჳლისა ნათლი[ს]მცემლისაჲთა და ყ(ოვე)ლთა წმიდაჲთაჲთა რ(ომელ)ნი საოჳკოჳნითგ(ა)ნ სათნო ეყ(უ)ნ(ე)ს ღ(მერ)თსა ამათ ყ(ოვე)ლთა
- წმიდათა სადიდებ(ე)ლ(ა)დ და საქებ(ე)ლ(ა) იწყ(ე)ს ღ(მრ)თივ გოჳრგოჳნოს(ა)ნთა მ(ე)ფ(თ)ა ჩ(უე)ნთა შ(ე)ნ(ე)ბ(ა)დ ამის წმიდისა ს(ა)ყდრისა რ(ა)თა ამას შ(ი)ნა აღესროჳლებოდიან დღესა
- სწაოჳლნი და შეიმკვებოდიან ჴსენებ(ა)ნი წმიდათანი ვ(ითარც)ა წერილ არს ჴსენებასაწმიდათასა ეზიარებოდ(ე)თ ამათ ყ(ოვე)ლთა წმიდათა სოჳრვილითა
- ამათ დიდეოჳ[ლ]თა მ(ე)ფ(ე)თა ჩ(უე)ნთა ოჳშოჳრვ(ე)ლ ყ(უ)ნენ საფას(ე)ნი წარმავ(ა)ლნი წარ[ო]ჳვალისა მ(ი)სთოჳის რ(ა)თა ყ(ოველ)ნი წმიდანი შემწ(ე)დ მოიგნენ და ღმერთმან შ(ეე)წ(იე)ნ ორთავე
- ცხოვრებ(ა)თა ძ(ე)თა ღ(მრ)თ(ი)ვ კოჳრთხეოჳლისა ადარნასე კოჳრაპალატისატა ბ(ა)გრ(ა)ტ ერისთავთა ერისთ(ა)ვმ(ა)ნ დავით მაგისტროსმ(ა)ნ სამებამ(ა)ნ წმიდამან
- სამნივე დაიფარენ მორჯოჳენითა თ(ჳ)სითა და ა(დი)დ(ე)ნ ორთავე ცხორებ(ა)თა და მე გრიგოლ ღირს მყო ღ(მრერთმა)ნ მსახოჳრებ(ა)სა ამას მ(ა)თსა ღ(მრ)თისა მიმართ და მე ვიყ
- ავ სა[ქ]მესა ზ(ედ)ა-მ[დ]გომი და არწმოჳნა ღ(მერთმა)ნ გონებასა მ(ა)თსა ერთ-გოჳლობაჲ ჩ(ე)მი მ(ო)ნისა მ(ა)თისაჲ ესე იყო გალატოზთა და მოქმედთა მიზდი და აზავერთა მექოჳიშე
- თაჲ რ(ომე)ელ წელიწადსა წარეგების დრამაჲ :კ: ათასი ღოჳინოჲ ფ(ისო)სი :ჭ: რკინაჲ ლიტრი :ნ: ხოჳარბალი გრივი :ს:მ:ი: გალატოზი და ხო[ჳ]როჲ და მჭედელი რ(ომე)[ლმა]რადის შ(უ)რებო
- და ჲ:ი: ჴ(ა)რი რ(ომ)ელ ქვასა კრ(ე)ბდა :ლ: ჯორი და სხ(უ)აჲ აზავერი რ(ომე)ლ გრიგოჳლ-წმიდით სპონდიკსა კრ(ე)ბდა :ლ: სხოჳაჲ აზავერი რ(ომე)ლ [-] [კრ(ე)]ბდა :ჲ: [-]
- ჲდა [-] [ყი]ერი და მოქმედი :პ:
External links
- Virtualtao-klarjeti.com - Oshki, Oshki scriptorium and refectory;
- Leila Khuskivadze, Georgian-Byzantine relations on the example of tao-Klarjeti relief sculptures, In Proceedings of the 21st International Congress of Byzantine StudiesProceedings of the 21st International Congress of Byzantine Studies, International Congress of Byzantine Studies, London, 21–26 August 2006, P. 300-301, ISBN 10075465740X., Google Books