Arabella Cortese | Universität Regensburg (original) (raw)

Conference Presentations by Arabella Cortese

EABS Research Unit: Jews, Christians, and the Materiality of Mortuary Rituals in Late Antiquity

Studying material from Late Antiquity, it is nearly impossible to get past the attribution of a “... more Studying material from Late Antiquity, it is nearly impossible to get past the attribution of a “religious identity/category” to artifacts, especially artifacts retrieved from spaces for rituals such as funerary contexts. But, for many reasons, this systematic − but necessary? − use of religious classification can be a bit reductive. Our starting point here is to ask: is there potential for blurred lines? This session will consider funerary monuments for pagans, Jews, and Christians from multiple perspectives (e.g., epigraphic, iconographic, archaeological). This includes a wide variety of (portable) monuments, such as funerary reliefs (e.g. loculi), sarcophagi, gold glasses, lamps, and grave goods. We invite papers addressing especially, but not exclusively, the following questions: On which scholarly grounds do we assign certain types of monuments to pagans, Jews, or Christians, as opposed to their co-religionists? In which sense were these monuments embedded in their local cultures; in which sense could these take on distinctive features? How were patterns of commemoration inflected by overlapping categories of social organization, such as status, age, gender? In other words: how were epigraphic habits, iconographic codes, and display options appropriated, adapted, or even subverted on monuments for pagans, Jews, and Christians, to create suitable monuments for the diverse members of their communities? In which ways were these monuments widely comprehensible in their community, irrespective of one’s background, but potentially open to multiple perspectives, depending on one’s background? The session will serve as a platform for intellectual exchange and collaboration, allowing participants to present their research, engage in stimulating discussions, and foster links with colleagues. In order to establish an interdisciplinary forum, we would like to invite both theoretical/methodological papers and sample case studies from experts in various fields (e.g., Ancient History, Theology, Hebrew Bible Studies, Jewish Studies, New Testament Studies, Art History, Classical and Late Antique Archaeology). The abstract should clearly indicate the monuments presented and analyzed, the method(s) applied to this material, and how it contributes to our understanding of mortuary rituals in Late Antiquity. We particularly welcome papers on ongoing projects, dealing with multiple religious groups and perspectives. We plan to publish the outcomes of the research unit meetings in a format that suits the number of contributions and themes.

Investigating the Funerary Landscape in Late Antiquity: A Discussion of Theories and Methods The... more Investigating the Funerary Landscape in Late Antiquity: A Discussion of Theories and Methods

The aim of this session is to explore the plurality and diversity in mortuary material culture among Jews and Christians in Late Antiquity as embedded in their pagan context. The interdisciplinary approach and the discussion of theories and methods will bring together biblical studies and archaeological sources to investigate the funerary landscape of the Mediterranean. The planned session will serve as a platform for intellectual exchange and collaboration, allowing participants to present their research, engage in stimulating discussions, and foster connections with fellow academics. In order to establish an interdisciplinary forum, we would like to invite both theoretical/methodological papers and exemplifying case studies from experts in various fields (Ancient History, Hebrew Bible Studies, New Testament Studies, Classical and Late Antique Archaeology, Epigraphy). We encourage presenters to submit proposals that clearly state the material presented and analyzed in the paper, the method(s) applied to this material, and how this contributes to our understanding of mortuary ritual in Late Antiquity.

The aim of this interdisciplinary workshop is to analyze the elements of continuity, discontinuit... more The aim of this interdisciplinary workshop is to analyze the elements of continuity, discontinuity and change within cities of the Mediterranean basin between Roman times and Late Antiquity.
In this transition period, substantial changes can be perceived within the urban fabric and surrounding territory, which led to a transformation of the city, its buildings, land management, urban topography and the perception of its spaces. These processes are related to many aspects of the urban space: political institutions, economy, methods of exploitation of territory, religious contexts and society.
The transformation of urban space in different Mediterranean areas can be examined through two specific methodologies: the comparative study of literary sources and archaeological data (excavation and surveys) in order to reconstruct the urban space as space of social exchange and the observation of how spatial occupation and carrying capacity of urban territories develop over time and analysis of how all these factors have affected the growth of the cities.
The three sessions of our international workshop will focus on the following main questions: (1) What impact did the numerous afore-mentioned changes that occurred between Roman Age and Late Antiquity have on the urban development of western and Near Eastern cities? (2) How does religious buildings modify and craft already existing urban spaces or create new ones overtime?
The international workshop connects key aspects of the DFG-Graduiertenkolleg 2337 "Metropolität in der Vormoderne" of the University of Regensburg with that of Centre for Urban Network Evolutions of the Aarhus University. The multidisciplinarity of our approach is given by various contributions coming from different areas of study.

München For centuries Cilicia was a region of transition and of cultural exchange. Its rich herit... more München For centuries Cilicia was a region of transition and of cultural exchange. Its rich heritage is characterized by significant regional traditions, but also by influences from outside. In the last years, historians have reconsidered the vast quantity of written sources and epigraphical records, while remarkable progress has been made by archaeologists excavating in major cities but also in smaller settlements. Increasing attention is now paid to the rise of Christi-anity, especially to the development of the cult of saints. How were ideas from outside imported and adapted, and what role did travellers who crossed Cilicia on their way to the Near East play? What is the evidence for specific regional characteristics and Cilician identity, provided by archaeological research? What were the reasons for the emergence of the cult of local saints, and what made foreign saints attractive for veneration in Cilicia? The aim of this colloquium is to bring together scholars from various disciplines working on ancient Cilicia and to discuss recent results and future approaches.

Papers by Arabella Cortese

MiChA 30, 39-66, 2024

Sacred springs as places of pilgrimage in late antique and Byzantine Armenia: the case studies of... more Sacred springs as places of pilgrimage in late antique and Byzantine Armenia: the case studies of the monasteries of
Ayrivank/Geghard and Kobayr

Since the early centuries of the Christian era springs were considered natural elements with a life-giving function. Their water was
venerated as holymeans (sometimes associated with the figure of a saint, Christ or the Virgin Mary) and sanctified without door rituals
that took place annually. In Armenia, the cult of water had strong pre-Christian roots, archaeological evidence of which is provided
by stones called vishaps. With the emergence of Christianity in Late Antiquity, a growing devotion of water at specific natural places
spread and these spots became famous pilgrimage sites, often visited by foreign pilgrims attracted by its curative power. Moreover, the
sanctity of water also recalled for Armenians their conversion to Christianity, when St. Gregory the Illuminator blessed the water of the
river Aratsani to baptize King Tiridates III. Considering the fundamental role that water played for Armenia, the present article aims to
investigate the rise, development, and transformation of water cult in two different Armenian pilgrimage sites: Ayrivank/Geghard and
Kobayr. Through the analysis of their architectural features, the framing of water and its embedding within the monastic structures, a
particular emphasis will be given to understand how the cult of water was staged and what role the natural element might have had in
framing the liturgical and devotional space.

JMR BURSA ULUDaĞ UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF MOSAIC RESEARCH, 2024

English: This article examines a topic that has been only partially investigated to date, namely... more English:
This article examines a topic that has been only partially investigated to date, namely that of the iconic depiction
of the so-called “Peaceful Kingdom of Isaiah” on mosaics located in late antique church buildings in the region
of Cilicia (southeastern modern Turkey). These mosaics are sometimes accompanied by the verse of Isaiah 11:6
or 65:25. Many of these Cilician mosaics lie in a state of neglect or have suffered great damage in recent years.
Referring, therefore, to the excavation reports and to personal observations, I attempt a reconstruction of the
iconography and of the mosaics’ locations within their respective Christian buildings, where possible.
Starting with a short introduction on the meaning of the “Peaceful Kingdom” as described in Isaiah 11:6
and 65:25, the article presents a detailed analysis of the Cilician/Isaurian case studies. Similar examples
from neighbouring regions in the East and the only identifiable case study in the West (Corsica) are also
briefly discussed. Next, possible archetypes from which the representation of animals might have originated
and influenced the origin of the “Peaceful Kingdom” motif are considered. In conclusion, after briefly outlining
the different interpretations given by scholars on the meaning of the “Peaceful Kingdom” mosaics, an attempt
will be made to interpret the Cilician case studies in light of a combined analysis both of positioning within the
building and liturgical use.
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Öz:
Bu makale, bugüne kadar sadece kısmen araştırılmış bir konuyu, yani Kilikya bölgesindeki (modern
Türkiye’nin güneydoğusu) geç antik kilise yapılarında bulunan mozaiklerdeki “Yeşaya’nın Barışçıl Krallığı”
olarak adlandırılan ikonik (görüntüsel) tasviri incelemektedir. Bu mozaiklere bazen Yeşaya 11:6 veya 65:25
ayetlerinden alıntılar eşlik etmektedir. Bu Kilikya mozaiklerinin birçoğu bakımsız durumdadır ya da son yıllarda
büyük zarar görmüştür. Bu nedenle, kazı raporlarına ve kişisel gözlemlere atıfta bulunarak, ikonografinin ve
mozaiklerin ilgili Hıristiyan yapıları içindeki konumlarının mümkün olduğunca yeniden yapılandırılmasına
çalışıyorum.
Yeşaya 11:6 ve 65:25’te tarif edilen “Barışçıl Krallık”ın anlamı üzerine kısa bir girişle başlayan makale, Kilikya/
İsaurya örnek olaylarının detaylı bir analizini sunmaktadır. Doğu’daki komşu bölgelerden benzer örnekler ve
Batı’da tanımlanabilen tek örnek çalışması (Korsika) da kısaca ele alınmaktadır. Daha sonra, hayvanların
temsilinin kaynaklanmış olabileceği ve “Barışçıl Krallık” motifinin kökenini etkilemiş olan olası modeller ele
alınmaktadır. Sonuç olarak, araştırmacılar tarafından “Barışçıl Krallık” mozaiklerinin anlamı üzerine yapılan
farklı yorumlar kısaca özetlendikten sonra, Kilikya örnek çalışmaları hem yapı içindeki konumlandırma hem de
litürjik kullanımın birleşik bir analizi ışığında yorumlanmaya çalışılacaktır.

The reader of this book will make an imaginary journey through late antique Cilicia to discover t... more The reader of this book will make an imaginary journey through late antique Cilicia to discover the most significant features of its sacred landscape. This region enjoys the advantage of a strategic position located on the main land road connecting Asia Minor with the provinces of Syria and Palestina, which has facilitated a fusion of cultures and a constant exchange of artistic and religious ideas from the earliest time. The efficient and well-equipped network of small, protected ports and roads, lined with mansiones and stationes as resting places for long-distance travelers, made the region a favourable transit route for both pilgrims headed to Jerusalem and merchants trading with the numerous cities of the Mediterranean Basin during the Roman period and Late Antiquity. Consequently, at least until the end of the Byzantine era, Cilicia was traversed by foreign visitors (traders, conquerors, migrants), who enriched it with their customs, ideas, artistic knowledge, 1 and religious beliefs. The importance of Cilicia lies not only in its position but also in its landscape, which is characterized mainly by the ruggedness of its western area (Kilikia Tracheia) and the smoothness of its eastern part (Kilikia Pedias). The mountainous landscape and an impenetrable brushwood offered protection to its inhabitants, but it was also a favorable place for the development of banditry, which, together with piracy, was one of the great plagues on the whole territory. The rugged limestone topography, fragmented by deep river valleys, includes spectacular natural phenomena, such as canyons, sinkholes, and deep caves, which contribute to the uniqueness of the area. In light of these regional features, the aim of this project is to trace a "sacral landscape" of Cilicia in Late Antiquity through both archaeological analysis of some significant church buildings dedicated to local and international saints and also the study of the literary sources testifying to the presence of a cult in a particular place and its spread abroad. The late antique Cilician churches show specific, unique features that substantially differentiate them from those of neighbouring regions. Some of these buildings reveal active use by late antique pilgrims; many were developed out of older structures and do not hide the previous fabric. Moreover, numerous buildings integrate natural formations (living rock) into the architecture or were erected in particularly spectacular locations. The concept of "sacral landscape" is used in this project to define a network of sacred places in late antique Cilicia, in which a saint or martyr was venerated. It is composed of both major pilgrimage centers of internationally renowned saints and minor sites linked to local figures, mainly known to a restricted number of people living in the neighbourhood. The literary sources employed are mainly hagiographic texts, travel accounts, and religious and historical texts, that are joined to and supplemented by analysis of the architecture and complementary information provided by archaeological surveys (excavation reports, recent archaeological studies, and inscriptions mentioning a saint's name). 1 Significant for Late Antiquity is the influence on many Cilician churches of their neighbouring Syrian religious buildings. As we will see, in many basilicas there are recognizable artistic features that are akin (to a greater or lesser degree) to fifth-century Syrian archetypes: e. g. a projecting apse, mouldings that framed the external architectural elements (Korykos, Akören, Mazılık), an important south entrance, east side-chambers flanking the apse. Moreover, a number of early Byzantine capitals (Akkale, Çatıören, Korykos) and their architectural planning reflects styles familiar to the workshops of Constantinople. For this last aspect, see: Mietke 2006, 371-389.

Seleucia XII - Olba Kazısı Serisi, 2022

The article investigates the power of holy water as a healing remedy at the shrine of Saint Thekl... more The article investigates the power of holy water as a healing remedy at the shrine of Saint Thekla
in Meryemlik (Isauria). Although the site has recalled the attention of numerous scholars in the
last years, who focused on the way the site might have been perceived by a late antique pilgrim
or on the reconstruction of the architectural features, the importance of water has only ever been
mentioned or vaguely hypothesised. The following contribution, therefore, is aimed at examining
all the aspects that might underline the strong relationship with water through three main parts.
In an introductory section, the importance of water as a healing means in Late Antiquity is
presented. The second section is focused on those literary sources related to Saint Thekla (the
apocryphal dated to the second century and the written by an anonymous author in the fifth
century), where the importance of water is stressed. The third section takes into consideration
the old archaeological studies of Herzfeld and Guyer to add, through a careful observation of
the dislocation of the structures connected to water, their characteristics and decorations, a new
functional interpretation. Finally, in the conclusion, all the data from the previous sections are
summarized to answer the central question of the contribution: what significance did water have
for Thekla’s pilgrimage site?

Öz
Bu makalede Meryemlik’teki (Isauria) Azize Thekla Kilisesi’ndeki kutsal suyun bir ilaç
niteliğindeki şifa verici gücü araştırılmaktadır. Son yıllarda alan Geç Antik Çağ’da bir hacı
tarafından nasıl algılandığına veya mimari özelliklerin rekonstrüksiyonuna odaklanan çok
sayıda araştırmacının dikkatini çekmiş olsa da, suyun bu hac merkezindeki öneminden sadece bahsedilmiş veya konu hakkında genel bir varsayımda bulunulmuştur. Bu nedenle aşağıdaki, alan
ile su arasındaki güçlü ilişkinin vurgulanmasını farklı yönleriyle ele almakta ve konuyu üç ana
bölüm üzerinden incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Giriş bölümünde, Geç Antik Çağ’da bir şifa aracı
olarak suyun öneminden bahsedilmektedir. İkinci bölümde, suyun öneminin vurgulandığı, Azize
Thekla ile ilgili yazılı kaynaklar (ikinci yüzyıla tarihlenen Thekla ve Paulus’un İşleri adlı Apokrif
eser ve beşinci yüzyılda anonim bir yazar tarafından yazılmış olan Azize Thekla’nın Yaşamı ve
Mucizeleri) üzerinde durulmaktadır. Üçüncü bölümde ise Herzfeld ve Guyer’in eski arkeolojik
çalışmaları göz önünde bulundurularak, su ile bağlantılı yapıların karakteristik özelliklerinin ve
süslemelerinin dikkatli bir şekilde incelenmesi yoluyla yeni bir işlevsel yorum eklenmektedir.
Son olarak, sonuç bölümünde, önceki bölümlerdeki tüm veriler birayaya toplanarak, makalenin
‘Thekla’nın hac merkezinde su ne gibi bir önem taşımaktaydı?’ ana sorusuna cevap verilmeye
çalışılmaktadır.

Im Vorwort zu seinem nachhaltigsten Werk Geschichten der romanischen und germanischen Völker (182... more Im Vorwort zu seinem nachhaltigsten Werk Geschichten der romanischen und germanischen Völker (1824) schrieb Leopold von Ranke den berühmten Satz: »Man hat der Historie das Amt, die Vergangenheit zu richten, die Mitwelt zum Nutzen zukünftiger Jahre zu belehren, beigemessen: so hoher Ämter unterwindet sich gegenwärtiger Versuch nicht: er will bloß zeigen, wie es eigentlich gewesen.« Trotz früher ernsthafter Kritik fand von Rankes Formulierung der Aufgabe der Geschichte als Aufdecken und Erzählen von dem, was »eigentlich gewesen« ist, festen Platz in populärer Vorstellung, und noch heute streben viele Historikerinnen und Historiker – sowohl Laien als auch professionelle – danach, jenen hehren Traum der objektiven Darstellung der Vergangenheit, wie sie wirklich geschah, zu realisieren.

Books by Arabella Cortese

The present volume is concerned with the study of the medieval church of St. Andrew in Foriporta ... more The present volume is concerned with the study of the medieval church of St. Andrew in Foriporta in Pisa (Tuscany) through the historical study of the sources that attested to its birth and development (Ch. 1), an archaeological analysis of its masonry (Ch. 2), a topographical survey and mapping of the east facade using photogrammetry (Ch. 3), and an art historical study of its exterior decorations ("ceramic basins" imported from the Mediterranean Basin).
In addition, in a final chapter, this paper shows the restoration projects of architect A. Baldassari. All this is accompanied by CAD-produced tables and high-resolution images of the building pre- and post-restoration.

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Quale storia ci racconta la Chiesa di Sant‘Andrea in Foriporta a Pisa attraverso le sue modalità costruttive? In che modo essa si inseriva nel contesto topografico cittadino e costituiva un punto di riferimento per i viaggiatori stranieri? Un‘accurata analisi delle fonti storiche delle peculiarità dei suoi elevati tecnologie costruttive, metodi tecniche e strumenti di lavorazione) e dei bacini ceramici provenienti da diversi paesi del Mediterraneo hanno permesso di individuare le principali trasformazioni subite dall‘edificio dalla sua prima attestazione nel XII secolo sino all‘età contemporanea.
Inoltre un ricco apparato fotografico consente un viaggio visivo attraverso la storia della chiesa sino al 2011 anno in cui è stato terminato il restauro dell‘edificio ad opera dell‘architetto Alessandro Baldassari.

Reichert Verlag, 2022

Cilicia as Sacred Landscape in Late Antiquity is a journey of discovery of the rich religious lan... more Cilicia as Sacred Landscape in Late Antiquity is a journey of discovery of the rich religious landscape of late antique Cilicia in Asia Minor, with its contrasting and fascinating natural landscapes. Famous and prosperous cities of Cilicia Pedias such as Tarsos and Anazarbos welcomed pilgrims from distant western lands on their way to Jerusalem, attracted by famous stories about their saints and especially the Apostle Paul. The rugged mountains that characterized the western part of Cilicia (so-called Isauria) concealed places of worship associated mainly with the memory of Saint Thekla, whose place of pilgrimage was located a few kilometres south of the city of Seleukeia on the Kalykadnos, and of local martyrs, like Saint Konon, who were sometimes venerated internationally.
The present book examines all the archaeological and architectural evidence (building remains, inscriptions, decorations, mosaics, coins) that testify to the veneration of saints in Cilicia and Isauria, and integrates them with hagiographic evidence that tells us, above all, about the places where the saints stayed, performed their miracles, and died. Particular attention is paid both to the physical characteristics of the region, which strongly influenced the construction of religious structures in certain places and shaped their form (often integrated into the landscape), and to the historicity of the sites. Indeed, numerous churches were built on earlier pagan structures (temples, thermae, agora, rock or water sanctuaries). The central questions of the book are concerned with how martyria and pilgrimage sites affected the spatial planning (roads, accessibility, buildings) of the region, how the worship of a saint was organized in its pilgrimage sites, how existing structures contributed to the sacrality of a site and offered a continuity with the past, and, finally, how the particular relationship between sacrality and nature was enacted architecturally.
This volume is an archaeological work that focuses on the late antique process of creating sacred space in a marginal but extensively travelled region of Asia Minor. Combining the architectural and archaeological analysis of Christian church buildings and martyria with literary sources attesting the cult of a saint, it aims to reconstruct the sacred landscape of an underestimated region through the lens of a pilgrim and contributes towards the understanding of the pilgrim networks on the way to Jerusalem.

This book—the proceedings of a workshop held in February 2020 at the University of Regensburg (DF... more This book—the proceedings of a workshop held in February 2020 at the University of Regensburg (DFG-Graduiertenkolleg 2337 “Metropolität in der Vormoderne”) —investigates the substantial changes that can be perceived within the urban fabric and its surrounding territory in the transition period between the second century and the sixth century AD in several areas of the Mediterranean Basin that have remained unexplored until now.
https://www.schnell-und-steiner.de/artikel_10504.ahtml

Mitteilungen zur Spätantiken Archäologie und Byzantinischen Kunstgeschichte 7 , 2020

Results of the International Workshop held between 18.–19. May 2018 in Munich. Update on the rece... more Results of the International Workshop held between 18.–19. May 2018 in Munich. Update on the recent contributions, excavation projects and researches in Cilicia.
Herausgegeben von Johannes G. Deckers, Franz Alto Bauer, Alexis Oepen und Markus Löx

Events, seminars, talks by Arabella Cortese