Talk in Actual Problems of Theory and History of Art conference, 2020
In the second half of the 20th century, archaeological and restoration sciences took a significan... more In the second half of the 20th century, archaeological and restoration sciences took a significant step forward. Furthermore, the museum industry and the way in which monuments should be displayed was also changed. In recent decades, museums that mainly exhibit an immovable archaeological monument emerged. It seems that the creation of such exhibition spaces requires special approaches, methods and planning techniques that enable to display the monument in the most successful way, to ensure its preservation and to organize the immovable archaeology inside the building, the route of its examination and the rest of the exposition harmoniously. Today no special justification is required for the fact that any work with the monument must be carried out in accordance with the principles of the Venice Charter and modern restoration and archaeology. In this context, we consider a variety of techniques for reconstruction of the monument’s unfinished parts and for reconstruction of its three-dimensional characteristics, ranging from the widely known and used anastylosis to modern unique solutions, which are peculiar "scientific installations". Such techniques can, on the one hand, demonstrate the nature of the monument’s exterior image or interior space to the viewer without claiming historical authenticity, and, on the other hand, form an exposure’s route when it is possible to enter the interior of a preserved archaeological dig. However, the most interesting aspect of the topic under consideration is what the image of architectural space (against which an archaeological monument will be perceived) should be. We analyzed about 70 archaeological and historical museums built in the 19th-21st centuries and concluded that the main trends in the formation of their architectural patterns are not very different from those of the architecture of this period in general, but there are some peculiarities related to their historical specificities. The stylistics of the examined museums can be divided into four main directions: - Development of the heritage, when the archaeological museums’ architecture contains quotes from the cultures that are mainly exhibited inside. - Creation of neoclassical spaces unrelated to the national color of objects that are displayed in the museum. - Very simple and functional modernist architecture, which is essentially a neutral background for exhibits. - Images of the building, formed from postmodernist metaphors, which, in this case, are closely related to the informal redefinition of the museum’s specificities and cultural features. The main purpose of the report is to consider all the "pros" and "cons" of the approaches described above to the architectural solutions of archaeological museums. It seems that all directions are valid and the choice is always relatively subjective and depends on a variety of factors, including the specifics of the museum exposition, the volumetric-spatial characteristics of the monument, the context surrounding the museum building, etc.
Talk in Actual Problems of Theory and History of Art, 2020
There are many examples of city walls, fortresses and military camps' depictions in Roman art. Th... more There are many examples of city walls, fortresses and military camps' depictions in Roman art. The goals of the study are to classify examined depictions, to reveal peculiarities and architectural details of the fortresses' architecture, which are little-known on the ground of archaeological data, and to analyse features of studied depictions. They can be divided into several types. First of all, we single out the depictions on models and medals. Usually they are frontal images of gates or simplified axonometric views of whole cities. The depictions of cites from codices are very similar to the latter ones. Secondly, we review some models in form of Roman forts: ceramic incense burner from Egyptian museum in Turin and clay model of watch-tower from History museum in Regensburg. Furthermore there are several examples of rectangular bronze braziers. One of them looks like small square castellum with open courtyard, the other one is similar to round tower or Roman mausoleum. Thirdly, we examine many preserved examples of depictions on frescoes or mosaics. Mainly they are depictions of cities or gates close to those we can see on coins and in codices. However, there are peculiar floor mosaics with images of square wall enclosure. Often they are connected with labyrinth's depictions. In the fourth place there are rare examples of belts' buckles in form of the gates. One of them, which was found close to Abritus and had been produced in the middle of III century, is of particular interest. At last we know a lot of sculptural examples of fortifications' depictions. They are reliefs from the Trajan's Column and Column of Marcus Aurelius, so-called City-Gate Sarcophagi as well as early Christian ivory reliefs with depictions of cities' walls as architectural backgrounds. All the studied groups of architectural backgrounds depictions were examined in detail. For example they are studies on coins (T. Donaldson и N. Elkins) and reliefs from triumphal columns (I. Richmond, J. Coulston и E. Thill). However these studies mainly examines masterpieces of art in сomparison with the similar ones. The depiction of an city in Roman art and the fact that this motive in what follows came into Christian art were particularly studied in historiography (A. Grabar, E. Smith, S. Casartelli Novelli, F. Bisconti, M. David и M.C. Carile). Archaeological material on the numerous Roman military fortifications was classified and studied in detail. However we don't use all the presented above depictions in connection with archaeological data for the understanding how the fortresses could look like. One could suppose than both connection of these depictions with wide cultural context, and their general peculiarities, which connected all the groups of architectural backgrounds studied in this paper, demand further research. Furthermore several new monuments of particular interest were discovered last decades, for example we mean belts' buckle from Abritus. The examined examples give us more than a little considerable information about design of the Roman military architecture, including some elements and details of particular interest. We can see flat roofs that are comfortable for mounting of artillery in the main part of the Roman fortresses' hypothetical reconstruction, while antique depictions show considerable variations of towers' roofs form, for example, cone-shaped, small domes and the others, there are even rotundas on the towers' tops. In addition we know some depictions of galleries on the walls’ and gate's tops. One could suggest, that understanding of sacral importance of both city's border (pomerium) and city's territory on the whole can shed light on meanings of the depictions examined in this paper.
Talk in Roman Frontier Studies XXIV (24. Limes Congress) held in Belgrade/Viminacium. September 2-10, 2018, 2018
This paper is dedicated to the virtual reconstruction of the Late Roman fortress of Babylon, loca... more This paper is dedicated to the virtual reconstruction of the Late Roman fortress of Babylon, located in the district now known as Old Cairo. The fortress is mentioned in the Déscription de l’Égypte, and has been explored and recorded since the end of the nineteenth century. From the 1990s onwards archaeological investigations have accompanied conservation work and the lowering of the groundwater level in the area, and the results of this work and its importance to the origins of the city of Cairo have been published. Babylon was a typical Diocletianic fortress for comitates; Legio tertiadecima gemina may have been quartered here. However, it displayed a number of unique features: • it was constructed over the earlier Trajanic-era stone harbour at Babylon where the Amnis Trajanus joined the Nile. The entrance to the canal was flanked by the massive round towers of the Diocletianic fortress. • archaeological and historical evidence indicates that a bridge over the Nile led to the western gate of the fortress. • the massive size and strength of the fortifications were much more solid than those of any other Diocletianic fortresses in Egypt, which might be explained by the strategically important position of Babylon at the apex of the Nile Delta. The recent archaeological work has shown that much of the southern part of fortress survives today below ground. Above ground the southern gatehouse is preserved largely intact, with the Coptic ‘Hanging Church’ (Al-Mu’allaqa) built over it. The two round towers also survive, one of them within the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George (Mari Girgis). The aim of the reconstruction is to show the architectural and constructional peculiarities of the southern gatehouse and of the round towers flanking the Amnis Trajanus, and also to present the possible view of the fortress from the Nile.
The main aim of the paper is to study the architectural features of late Roman fortresses in Egyp... more The main aim of the paper is to study the architectural features of late Roman fortresses in Egypt and to discuss several problems concerning their peculiarities on the examples of the authors’ 3D reconstructions. The preservation of the Roman fortresses in Egypt in whole is worse than in other provinces of the Empire. The most of them preserved only at the level of foundation and the large part of their territories is covered by modern Egyptian cities and villages. The best way to imagine how they could look is to carefully examine the ruins, to compare them with the better preserved fortresses in the other parts of the Roman world and to make their 3D reconstruction. The paper includes the authors' 3D reconstructions of several fortresses (or their structures) of different types: Luxor, Babylon, Nag el-Hagar, Dionysias and some smaller late forts at Kharga oasis. We think that these examples give the opportunity to discuss several important problems concerning their architecture and construction methods. One of them is a supposition about the walls height in the fortresses for comitates. The question is why some of them could have lower walls (Luxor, Nag el-Hagar) than others (Babylon) and than several smaller forts for auxiliary troops (for example Umm el-Dabadib). Another point is the search of analogies for some architectural elements (arrow slits, parapets) and fortress structures (walls, towers, barracks etc). Next interesting question concerns the gates construction and using the special courts and portcullis in them. Traces of such courts were found in many fortresses in Egypt, while portcullis for sure was used at Babylon fortress and possibly at the Nag el-Hagar western gate. The traces of different building stages with their own architectural peculiarities in some forts are also of particular interest. The discussion on these points and problems gives opportunity to understand the Roman military architecture in Egypt better.
The main aim of the report is to discuss some features of the Roman principia in Egypt from the a... more The main aim of the report is to discuss some features of the Roman principia in Egypt from the architectural point of view and to present my 3D-reconstruction of the Roman Imperial Cult’s temple at Luxor.
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Talks by Dmitry Karelin
Today no special justification is required for the fact that any work with the monument must be carried out in accordance with the principles of the Venice Charter and modern restoration and archaeology. In this context, we consider a variety of techniques for reconstruction of the monument’s unfinished parts and for reconstruction of its three-dimensional characteristics, ranging from the widely known and used anastylosis to modern unique solutions, which are peculiar "scientific installations". Such techniques can, on the one hand, demonstrate the nature of the monument’s exterior image or interior space to the viewer without claiming historical authenticity, and, on the other hand, form an exposure’s route when it is possible to enter the interior of a preserved archaeological dig.
However, the most interesting aspect of the topic under consideration is what the image of architectural space (against which an archaeological monument will be perceived) should be. We analyzed about 70 archaeological and historical museums built in the 19th-21st centuries and concluded that the main trends in the formation of their architectural patterns are not very different from those of the architecture of this period in general, but there are some peculiarities related to their historical specificities.
The stylistics of the examined museums can be divided into four main directions:
- Development of the heritage, when the archaeological museums’ architecture contains quotes from the cultures that are mainly exhibited inside.
- Creation of neoclassical spaces unrelated to the national color of objects that are displayed in the museum.
- Very simple and functional modernist architecture, which is essentially a neutral background for exhibits.
- Images of the building, formed from postmodernist metaphors, which, in this case, are closely related to the informal redefinition of the museum’s specificities and cultural features.
The main purpose of the report is to consider all the "pros" and "cons" of the approaches described above to the architectural solutions of archaeological museums. It seems that all directions are valid and the choice is always relatively subjective and depends on a variety of factors, including the specifics of the museum exposition, the volumetric-spatial characteristics of the monument, the context surrounding the museum building, etc.
First of all, we single out the depictions on models and medals. Usually they are frontal images of gates or simplified axonometric views of whole cities. The depictions of cites from codices are very similar to the latter ones.
Secondly, we review some models in form of Roman forts: ceramic incense burner from Egyptian museum in Turin and clay model of watch-tower from History museum in Regensburg. Furthermore there are several examples of rectangular bronze braziers. One of them looks like small square castellum with open courtyard, the other one is similar to round tower or Roman mausoleum.
Thirdly, we examine many preserved examples of depictions on frescoes or mosaics. Mainly they are depictions of cities or gates close to those we can see on coins and in codices. However, there are peculiar floor mosaics with images of square wall enclosure. Often they are connected with labyrinth's depictions.
In the fourth place there are rare examples of belts' buckles in form of the gates. One of them, which was found close to Abritus and had been produced in the middle of III century, is of particular interest.
At last we know a lot of sculptural examples of fortifications' depictions. They are reliefs from the Trajan's Column and Column of Marcus Aurelius, so-called City-Gate Sarcophagi as well as early Christian ivory reliefs with depictions of cities' walls as architectural backgrounds.
All the studied groups of architectural backgrounds depictions were examined in detail. For example they are studies on coins (T. Donaldson и N. Elkins) and reliefs from triumphal columns (I. Richmond, J. Coulston и E. Thill). However these studies mainly examines masterpieces of art in сomparison with the similar ones.
The depiction of an city in Roman art and the fact that this motive in what follows came into Christian art were particularly studied in historiography (A. Grabar, E. Smith, S. Casartelli Novelli, F. Bisconti, M. David и M.C. Carile).
Archaeological material on the numerous Roman military fortifications was classified and studied in detail. However we don't use all the presented above depictions in connection with archaeological data for the understanding how the fortresses could look like.
One could suppose than both connection of these depictions with wide cultural context, and their general peculiarities, which connected all the groups of architectural backgrounds studied in this paper, demand further research. Furthermore several new monuments of particular interest were discovered last decades, for example we mean belts' buckle from Abritus.
The examined examples give us more than a little considerable information about design of the Roman military architecture, including some elements and details of particular interest. We can see flat roofs that are comfortable for mounting of artillery in the main part of the Roman fortresses' hypothetical reconstruction, while antique depictions show considerable variations of towers' roofs form, for example, cone-shaped, small domes and the others, there are even rotundas on the towers' tops. In addition we know some depictions of galleries on the walls’ and gate's tops.
One could suggest, that understanding of sacral importance of both city's border (pomerium) and city's territory on the whole can shed light on meanings of the depictions examined in this paper.
Babylon was a typical Diocletianic fortress for comitates; Legio tertiadecima gemina may have been quartered here. However, it displayed a number of unique features:
• it was constructed over the earlier Trajanic-era stone harbour at Babylon where the Amnis Trajanus joined the Nile. The entrance to the canal was flanked by the massive round towers of the Diocletianic fortress.
• archaeological and historical evidence indicates that a bridge over the Nile led to the western gate of the fortress.
• the massive size and strength of the fortifications were much more solid than those of any other Diocletianic fortresses in Egypt, which might be explained by the strategically important position of Babylon at the apex of the Nile Delta.
The recent archaeological work has shown that much of the southern part of fortress survives today below ground. Above ground the southern gatehouse is preserved largely intact, with the Coptic ‘Hanging Church’ (Al-Mu’allaqa) built over it. The two round towers also survive, one of them within the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George (Mari Girgis).
The aim of the reconstruction is to show the architectural and constructional peculiarities of the southern gatehouse and of the round towers flanking the Amnis Trajanus, and also to present the possible view of the fortress from the Nile.
The paper includes the authors' 3D reconstructions of several fortresses (or their structures) of different types: Luxor, Babylon, Nag el-Hagar, Dionysias and some smaller late forts at Kharga oasis. We think that these examples give the opportunity to discuss several important problems concerning their architecture and construction methods. One of them is a supposition about the walls height in the fortresses for comitates. The question is why some of them could have lower walls (Luxor, Nag el-Hagar) than others (Babylon) and than several smaller forts for auxiliary troops (for example Umm el-Dabadib). Another point is the search of analogies for some architectural elements (arrow slits, parapets) and fortress structures (walls, towers, barracks etc). Next interesting question concerns the gates construction and using the special courts and portcullis in them. Traces of such courts were found in many fortresses in Egypt, while portcullis for sure was used at Babylon fortress and possibly at the Nag el-Hagar western gate. The traces of different building stages with their own architectural peculiarities in some forts are also of particular interest. The discussion on these points and problems gives opportunity to understand the Roman military architecture in Egypt better.