#architectural artifacts

[indiatrendzs]

Stories of Antique Indian Doors, Rustic Carved Teak Doors

Antique Indian doors and rustic carved teak doors are truly captivating pieces that carry with them the rich tapestry of Indian craftsmanship and history. Each Antique door serves as a timeless portal to a bygone era, showcasing intricate carvings, vibrant hues, and a deep-rooted cultural significance. Facebook @mogulinteriorr Follow us on Instagram @mogulinterior  These majestic doors have…

[sertane-j0]

Home Bar Living Room

Inspiration for a small, timeless living room renovation with a bar, dark walls, and no television

[howamidrivinginlimbo]

The Stabian Baths in the ancient city of Pompeii

The thermae were constructed around 125 BC. Hundred years later, the baths were connected to Pompeii's aquaduct. They were damaged in the earthquake of 62 AD.

[elixir]

Skeleton praying, detail from the marble floor of Cornaro Chapel at the Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria in Rome. Italy, 17th century CE.

[artifacts-and-arthropods]

Medieval Hermitage atop Katskhi Pillar, in Georgia (South Caucasus), c. 800-900 CE: this church was built during the Middle Ages, and it sits atop an enormous limestone column that has been venerated as a "Pillar of Life" for thousands of years

Known as Katskhi Pillar (or Katskhis Sveti), this giant block of limestone is located in western Georgia (the country, not the state), about 10km from the town of Chiatura.

The church that stands atop Katskhi Pillar was originally constructed during the 9th-10th centuries CE. It was long used as a hermitage for Stylites, who are sometimes referred to as "Pillar Saints" -- Christian ascetics who lived, prayed, and fasted atop pillars, often in total isolation, in an effort to bring themselves closer to God. The Stylite tradition originated in Syria during the 5th century CE, when a hermit known as Simeon the Elder purportedly climbed up onto a pillar and then stayed there for nearly 40 years, giving rise (no pun intended) to Christian Stylitism.

Stylitism managed to survive for about 1,000 years after its inception, but it began to die out during the late Middle Ages, and by the end of the 16th century, it had essentially gone extinct.

Researchers don't really know how the monks who built this Medieval church originally gained access to the top of Katskhi Pillar, or how they were able to transport their building materials up to the top of the column. Evidence suggests that there were still monks/Stylites living atop Katskhi Pillar up until the 1400s, but the site was abandoned shortly thereafter. Georgia fell under Ottoman rule during the same period, but it's unclear whether or not that may have played a role in the abandonment of the site.

The hermitage at the top of Katskhi Pillar lay abandoned for nearly 500 years after that; no one was able to reach the top of the pillar, and very little was known about the ruins that lay scattered at the top, as knowledge of the site's origin/history was gradually lost over time. There are many local legends that ultimately arose in order to fill in those blanks.

The abandoned hermitage was not visited again until July 29th, 1944, when a mountaineer finally ascended to the top of the column with a small team of researchers, and the group was able to perform the first archaeological survey of the ruins. They found that the structure included three hermit cells, a chapel, a wine cellar, and a small crypt; within the crypt lay a single set of human remains, likely belonging to one of the monks who had inhabited the site during the Middle Ages.

A metal ladder (the "stairway to Heaven") was ultimately installed into the side of the pillar in order to make it easier for both researchers and tourists to gain access to the ruins.

The hermitage at the top of Katskhi Pillar actually became active again in the early 1990's, when a small group of monks attempted to revive the Stylite tradition. A Georgian Orthodox monk named Maxime Qavtaradze then lived alone at the top of Katskhi Pillar for almost 20 years, beginning in 1995 and ending with his death in 2014. He is now buried at the base of the pillar.

The hermitage is no longer accessible to the public, and it's currently uninhabited, but it is still visited by local monks, who regularly climb up to the church at the top of the pillar in order to pray. There is also an active monastery complex at the base of the pillar, where a temple known as the Church of the Simeon Stylites is located.

The Church of the Simeon Stylites: this church is located within an active monastery complex that has been built at the base of the pillar; several frescoes and religious icons decorate the walls of the church, and a small shrine containing a 6th century cross is located in the center

There are many lingering questions about the history of Katskhi Pillar, particularly during the pre-Christian era. There is at least some evidence suggesting that it was once the site of votive offerings to pagan deities, as a series of pre-Christian idols have been found buried in the areas that surround the pillar. According to local tradition, the pillar itself was once venerated by the pagan societies that inhabited the area, but it's difficult to determine whether or not those claims may simply be part of the mythos that surrounds Katskhi Pillar, particularly given its mysterious reputation.

Sources & More Info:

BBC: Georgia's Daring, Death-Defying Pilgrimage

CNN: Katskhi Pillar, the Extraordinary Church where Daring Monks Climb Closer to God

Radio Free Europe: Georgian Monk Renews Tradition, Lives Atop Pillar

Architecture and Asceticism (Ch. 4): Stylitism as a Cultural Trend Between Syria and Georgia

Research Publication from the Georgian National Museum: Katskhi Pillar

Journal of Nomads: Katskhi Pillar, the Most Incredible Cliff Church in the World

Georgian Journal: Georgia's Katskhi Pillar Among World's 20 Wonderfully Serene and Secluded Places

[artifacts-archive]

Dragon-Shaped Architectural Ornament

Indonesia, 13th/14th century

[helena-bottom-farter]

The oldest door in the UK. This oak door belongs to Westminster Abbey and is the oldest and only Anglo-Saxon door in Great Britain. The door has been standing for over 950 years, dating back to the reign of Edward the Confessor during the 1050s. The door was made from a single oak tree from the east of England in medieval times. The oak piece has 5 main boards, connected by iron strips and wooden beams, and is approximately two meters high. There are rumors that traces of human skin remain on the door, but it has been proven to be bovine leather: (it happens that many wooden artifacts were covered with leather to preserve the quality of the wood and to decorate the environment).

The door opens into the large octagonal room, where monks gathered daily for prayers in the 13th century and today serves as a storage place for important religious documents.

[thatsbutterbaby]

Fragmento de albanega de arco, de yesería, de época nazarí, con decoración vegetal en relieve y pintada. Procedente del fondo antiguo del Museo de la Alhambra.

De mediano tamaño, corresponde a parte del ángulo recto de la albanega y de una ancha moldura lisa y convexa, que podría ser la rosca del arco. La superficie aparece estucada en blanco y con pequeños restos de color rojo. Enmarca la albanega una moldura lisa en listel. La decoración del interior presenta parte de una composición vegetal, dispuesta con simetría respecto a la bisectriz del ángulo. Figuran dos finos tallos espirilíneos entrecruzados, de los que han brotado dos grandes palmas de doble hoja y pimientos de limbos lisos. Las palmas tienen una excrecencia, a modo de cresta, sobre la hoja superior. El fragmento muestra en el reverso mortero de yeso y, en la parte superior, un alambre curvado en forma de argolla, para colgarlo.

[paganimagevault]

Scythian mummy tomb (Fifth Pazyryk Kurgan), Pazyryk culture 3rd C. BCE. More pictures on my blog, link at bottom.

"The pair were buried alongside nine horses, a huge cache of cannabis and a stash of priceless treasures - including the world's oldest carpet and an ornate carriage.

The man had curly hair and was aged between 55 and 60 when he died, whilst the woman was about ten years younger.

It is believed he was a chieftain or king of the Pazyryk civilisation, which lived in Kazakhstan, Siberia and Mongolia from the 6th to 3rd centuries BC."

...

"The attractive log cabin was a prefabricated construction by the prehistoric Pazyryk culture to house an elite tomb - in which was buried a mummified curly-haired potentate and his younger wife or concubine.

The mound in the Altai Mountains was originally 42 metres in diameter, and this tattooed couple went to the next life alongside nine geldings, saddled and harnessed.

The house itself, recently reconstructed, was not built as a dwelling but nevertheless is seen by archeologists as showing the style of domestic architecture more than two millennia ago.

This structure was the outer of two wooden houses in the large burial mound in the valley of the River Bolshoy Ulagan at an altitude of around 1,600 metres above sea level.

The core of the mound including the ice-preserved bodies of the elite couple had been excavated by Soviet archeologists in 1949, and many of the finds are on on display in the world famous State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg.

As we have previously written, the pair - who owned perhaps the world’s oldest carpets - are currently undergoing an ultra modern medical scan to establish the cause of death, and reconstruct the appearance of the ancient pair, and to study the techniques of mummification in more detail.

Yet in 1949 this fascinating house was left in the permafrost ground - and only retrieved now from the so-called Fifth Pazyryk Barrow, to the excitement of archeologists.

Head of the excavation Dr Nikita Konstantinov from Gorno-Altaisk State University, was full of admiration about the skills of the ancient craftsmen.

‘We took out the log house and reassembled it right next to the mound,’ he said.

‘We made kind of express reconstruction, which made it possible to study the log house in detail.

‘Notches were made on each of its logs - building marks…’.

This was like IKEA instructions today for building their products, telling modern day excavation volunteers how to correctly construct the prehistoric building kit.

The result is seen in the pictures shown here.

‘This log house was first built somewhere away from the mound, then it was dismantled, brought and reassembled in the pit,’ said Dr Konstantinov.

‘Today we build in similar way, using Roman numerals, as a rule.

‘In those times they simply made different numbers of notches.’

The archeological team followed the code left by the ancient craftsmen and reassembled the house without problems.

‘The Pazyryks knitted the corners of the building in a masterly way and chopped the attachment points of these logs.

‘They fitted very cleanly….

‘When we built the log house and began to measure the height, it turned out that the height difference in the angles is only one centimetre.’

In modern constructions, a difference of 7 cm is allowed which showed how skilful were the ancient craftsmen.

He said: ‘This is a funerary structure, but we can say with a high degree of probability that the log cabin was created in the image and likeness of the houses in which the Pazyryks lived."

-taken from siberiantimes and thesun

[wandering-italy]

Carbonized wooden bed.

Casa del Tramezzo di Legno, Herculaneum

March 2024

[unique-pieces]

Stained Glass Deer Jigsaw puzzle

Discover the perfect blend of art and nature with our Stained Glass Deer puzzle. This enchanting design captures the spirit of the forest, bringing a touch of natural elegance to your puzzle collection.

Discover the beauty of nature with our "Stained Glass Deer" jigsaw puzzle. Featuring a majestic deer in a vibrant, stained glass forest, this puzzle combines art and challenge. Perfect for puzzle enthusiasts and art lovers alike.

Designed and sold by Unique-Pieces

[indiatrendzs]

Old World Architectural Furniture & Decor

If you’re looking for unique old-world architectural furniture and decor, you’re in for a treat! Here are some exquisite options to consider: Visit Our Online Store:-ETSY MOGULGALLERY Antique Armoire: Crafted with intricate detailing and ornate carvings, this magnificent accent armoire is the perfect statement piece for your home. It offers ample storage space while adding a touch of…

[anastasiamaru]

The Museum of Architecture in Zaporizhzhia

The museum boasts a large collection of exhibits that represent architectural styles and building technologies from various periods. Here you can find models and mock-ups of buildings, drawings, photographs, and other materials illustrating the evolution of architecture in the region.

The museum's permanent exhibitions cover a wide range of topics, including traditional Ukrainian architecture, soviet architecture, modernism, and contemporary trends in construction. The exhibits also highlight the impact of industrial development on the city's architecture.

Museum History: The Architecture Museum in Zaporizhzhia was founded to preserve and promote the architectural heritage of the city and the region. Zaporizhzhia, being an important industrial center, has a rich history of architectural development, spanning from the Cossack era to the present day.

Restoration and Preservation: One of the museum's main tasks is the restoration and preservation of historical buildings and architectural landmarks. The museum collaborates with architects, historians, and restorers to conserve architectural objects of historical significance.

Exhibition Halls: The museum features several exhibition halls, each dedicated to different epochs and architectural styles. Visitors can explore exhibits that narrate the development of architecture from the Cossack era to the soviet period and modern construction technologies

The curators and experts of the project have captured the history of Zaporizhzhia in vivid and captivating images of urban architecture, which can both impress and inspire new ideas.

[howamidrivinginlimbo]

Palatine Chapel in the Aachener Dom, Aachen

It was built between 792 and 805 under Charlemagne. The building combined elements of Classical, Byzantine and Pre-Romanesque architecture. The architect was Odo of Metz.

[artifacts-and-arthropods]

Vardzia, a Medieval Cave City in Georgia (South Caucasus), c.1150-1200 CE: Vardzia was built as a fortress/monastery, and it was accessible only through hidden passageways; it contained more than 6,000 caves, 15 chapels, 25 wine cellars, an apothecary, a forge, a bakery, farming terraces, and an irrigation system

The monastic caves at Vardzia cover an area of about 500 meters. They are carved into the cliffs along the Erusheti mountains, which are located in Javakheti (a southern province near the borders between Georgia, Turkey, and Armenia).

Vardzia was originally meant to serve as a fortress, particularly in the event of a Mongol Invasion. It was protected by defensive walls, and the cave system itself was largely concealed within the mountain (though much of it is now exposed); it also contained a secret escape tunnel and several dead-end tunnels that were designed to delay/confuse enemy forces. The cave city could only be accessed through a series of hidden passageways that began near the banks of the Mtkvari River (which runs through the valley below the cave complex). Water was supplied through an irrigation system that was connected to the river, providing the inhabitants with both drinking water and agricultural irrigation, as the site contained its own terraced farmland.

The cave complex also functioned as a monastery, with a large collection of manuscripts and relics ultimately being housed at the site.

In its prime, the complex at Vardzia was inhabited by tens of thousands of residents.

Unfortunately, most of the original structures at Vardzia were destroyed by an earthquake that struck the region in 1283 CE, just a century after its construction; the earthquake sheared away the outer layer of the cliffside, exposed many of the caves, and demolished almost two-thirds of the site. The surviving structures represent only a fraction of the cave complex that once existed at Vardzia, with only about 500 caves still intact.

When the earthquake tore through the site in 1283, much of the fortress and many of its defenses were also destroyed, and Vardzia lost most of its military/defensive purposes. Still, it continued to operate as a Georgian Orthodox monastery for several hundred years after that. It narrowly escaped the Mongol Invasions of the 1290s, but it was raided by the Persians during the 16th century; the invading forces burned many of the manuscripts, relics, and other items that were stored within the cave system, leaving permanent scorch marks along the walls of the inner chambers. The site was abandoned shortly thereafter.

Medieval portrait of Queen/King Tamar: this portrait is one of the Medieval frescoes that still decorate the inner chambers of Vardzia; Tamar was the first queen regnant to rule over Georgia, meaning that she possessed the same power/authority as a king and, as a result, some Medieval sources even refer to her as "King Tamar"

Vardzia is often associated with the reign of Queen Tamar the Great, who ruled over the Kingdom of Georgia from 1184 to 1213 CE, during a particularly successful period that is often known as the "Golden Age" of Georgian history. Queen Tamar was also recognized as the Georgian King, with Medieval sources often referring to her as King Tamar. She possessed the powers of a sovereign leader/queen regnant, and was the first female monarch to be given that title in Georgia.

The initial phases of construction at Vardzia began under the command of King George III, but most of the complex was later built at the behest of his daughter, Queen Tamar, who owned several dedicated rooms at Vardzia and frequently visited the cave city. Due to her relationship with the cave complex at Vardzia, Queen Tamar is sometimes also referred to as the "Mountain Queen."

Despite the damage that the site has sustained throughout its history, many of the caves, tunnels, frescoes, and other structures have survived. The site currently functions as a monastery once more, with Georgian monks living in various chambers throughout the cave system.

I visited Vardzia back in 2011, during my first trip to Georgia. It's an incredible site, though some of the tunnels are very narrow, very dark, and very steep, which can get a bit claustrophobic.

Sources & More Info:

Atlas Obscura: Vardzia Cave Monastery

CNN: Exploring Vardzia, Georgia's Mysterious Rock-Hewed Cave City

Lonely Planet: Vardzia

Globonaut: 5 Facts about Vardzia, Georgia's Hidden Cave City

Wander Lush: Vardzia Cave Monastery (complete visitor's guide)

[artifacts-archive]

Rafter finial in the shape of a dragon’s head and wind chime

Korea, 10th century

This finial in the shape of a dragon’s head would originally have been attached to a corner rafter of a royal hall or a Buddhist temple building.