THE USE OF ROCK-CUT CHURCHES AS BURIAL PLACES OF IHLARA AND BELİSIRMA IN PERISTREMMA VALLEY (original) (raw)

Abstract

The use of churches and chapels as burial places is common in Byzantine architecture. In particular, it is observed that parts of churches that have secondary liturgical importance, such as porchs, narthex or side naves, are used as burial places. There can also be seen burial chambers, burial chapels, parakklesia and arcosolia type graves adjacent to the church. The churches of the Belisırma and Ihlara, which are the settlements with the highest density of churches in the Peristremma Valley, with different plan types have similar burial places, as well as a large number of graves carved into the floor of the naos and narthex. Differences are observed in the locations and directions of burial places and pavement graves according to church plan types, but nevertheless, it can be said that the Byzantine burial tradition was maintained, albeit with minor differences, in a provincial area. Using the Peristremma Valley churches as burial places is also clearly expressed in the donor portraits and inscriptions, which are an indication of the expectations of prayer after death. In this respect, Peristremma Valley has been considered and evaluated as a settlement reflecting the Byzantine burial tradition thanks to the burial sites, wall paintings and inscriptions in churches and places of worship carved into the rock.