Nave Barrier Arrangements and Flank Elements of Panel Implementation at the Olympos Episcopal Church

Abstract

The Olympos Episcopal Church is the most monumental building within the episkopeion (Episcopal palace) complex located in the north side of the city (Fig. 1). To its south is a reliquary chapel with a trikonchos plan, whereas to its north is a three-nave baptistery. Lacking an atrium, the entrance of the church is from the south side of the narthex near the entrance of the episkopeion. Featuring an abbreviated version of the cross transept plan, the church has three naves. The side naves open to the corner rooms with doors located on the east wall of the church. The corner rooms are connected by the corridor behind the apse. Access to the corridor running along the south side of the church is provided by the door in the south part of the southern corner room. This corridor reaches the entrance section that also provides access to the narthex at the west orientation.

Excavations have revealed that different architectural arrangements have been applied in the nave divisions. While a 1.35 m-high barrier whose purpose was only to obstruct the passage had been created in the northern arm of the transept, a higher type of barrier (height 1.95 m) obstructing both the view and the passage was used in the western part of the nave (Figs. 2-3, 8). When taken as a whole with the doors to the left of the naves, it appears that the western part of the nave was designated for the catechumens, whereas the eastern part was reserved for the Christians who had completed the baptismal ceremony.

Excavations conducted at the church identified panels, panel bases, and upper elements of panels used in the high nave barriers have been identified. Apart from these, the excavations have also yielded parts previously unidentified in the literature, which we have designated as "flank elements of panels" (Figs. 6 and 7). It is evident that the flank element pieces were designed along with the panel bases and the upper elements in terms of size, cross-section, motif, and composition. Hence, the panels are framed on all four sides by trapezoidal elements. The most distinctive feature distinguishing the flank elements of panels from the others is that their broad surfaces feature a concave profile in line with the body of the columns.

Architectural elements and small finds allow us to date the construction of the church to the second half of 5th century A.D. When the high nave barrier design featuring flank elements of panels is considered in relation with the planimetric structure, it becomes possible to say that this arrangement was present in the initial construction of the building.

Walls between the columns of stylobates and flank elements of panel applications at the Olympos Episcopal Church have facilitated the use of panels in nave divisions without leaving any marks on the column bases or panels. This particular implementation suggests that assessments on nave divisions at churches based solely on the marks found on column bases and panels may fall short and that churches with nave divisions may be increase in number.