Geological Materials in Late Antique Archaeology: The Lithic Lectern Throne of the Christian Syrian Churches

Geological Materials in Late Antique Archaeology: The Lithic Lectern Throne of the Christian Syrian ChurchesHeritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in ArchaeologySyriaca.org: The Syriac Reference PortalThe National Endowment for the HumanitiesThe International Balzan Prize FoundationDavid A. Michelsoncbsc_adminRecord added to Zotero bycbsc_adminSyriaca.org: The Syriac Reference Portalhttp://syriaca.org/cbss/MJSJCQGE/tei

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2024-08-15-04:00

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CREATED: This bibl record was autogenerated from a Zotero record.GiovannaBucciGeological Materials in Late Antique Archaeology: The Lithic Lectern Throne of the Christian Syrian Churcheshttp://syriaca.org/cbss/MJSJCQGEhttps://www.zotero.org/groups/a_comprehensive_bibliography_on_syriac_studies/items/MJSJCQGEhttps://www.zotero.org/groups/4861694/items/MJSJCQGEHeritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology420211883-1898The geological materials used in early Christian Syrian churches involve a lithic furnishing element: the lectern throne of the Syriac bema, a stone device used as a support for the holy books. Some inscriptions found in Syria suggest an interpretation for this artifact, located in the middle of the Syriac bema hemicycle, fronting the altar zone. These elements were made of basalt or limestone, depending on the geographical–geological context of the building. In this work, an unedited classification of the main typologies of thrones is proposed with a collatio between geoarchaeological data, epigraphic texts, mosaic inscriptions, literary sources, and findings. The role of this uncommon piece of furniture, uncertain up to now, is explained with a new interpretation coming from archaeological–architectural data combined with ancient sources. The study thus locates this architectonical sculpture in the building stratigraphy and also describes decorations from the lecterns, thus contributing to chronology analysis of published and unedited Syrian sites. Bucci, Giovanna. “Geological Materials in Late Antique Archaeology: The Lithic Lectern Throne of the Christian Syrian Churches.” Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 4 (2021): 1883–98. Giovanna Bucci, Geological Materials in Late Antique Archaeology: The Lithic Lectern Throne of the Christian Syrian Churches, Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 4 (2021): 1883–98.BemaByzantine SyriaIV-VII CEarchaeologyarchitecturechurches