THE BOOK OF AHTAMAR RELIEFS
ISBN 978-975-7199-98-4
Takeko Harada (editor), 94 pp, 23 x 21 cm,
80 colour pictures, black and white drawings,
available in English,
retail price in Turkey € 30.00.
This book covers almost all of the surviving narrative relief sculpture of the former Church of the Holy Cross built on the island of Ahtamar or Akdamar in Lake Van, eastern Turkey. Its objective is visual and descriptive. The subjects of the relief sculpture of Ahtamar is the result of a definite programme, probably the joint work of the architect Manuel and Gagik himself. This programme was shaped by the established church decoration of the time whose origins went back to early Christianity, and by the established decorative iconography of the Armenian churches.
Gagik (908-936) was a clever and good ruler and during his reign the lands of Vaspurakan prospered. The information about the king’s works and the Church of the Holy Cross mostly comes from his family history written by the court historian Thomas Artsruni. The historian dwells on the secular buildings and churches that Gagik built in various parts of his kingdom at length.
ISBN 978-975-7199-98-4
Takeko Harada (editor), 94 pp, 23 x 21 cm,
80 colour pictures, black and white drawings,
available in English,
retail price in Turkey € 30.00.
This book covers almost all of the surviving narrative relief sculpture of the former Church of the Holy Cross built on the island of Ahtamar or Akdamar in Lake Van, eastern Turkey. Its objective is visual and descriptive. The subjects of the relief sculpture of Ahtamar is the result of a definite programme, probably the joint work of the architect Manuel and Gagik himself. This programme was shaped by the established church decoration of the time whose origins went back to early Christianity, and by the established decorative iconography of the Armenian churches.
Gagik (908-936) was a clever and good ruler and during his reign the lands of Vaspurakan prospered. The information about the king’s works and the Church of the Holy Cross mostly comes from his family history written by the court historian Thomas Artsruni. The historian dwells on the secular buildings and churches that Gagik built in various parts of his kingdom at length.