Abstract:

According to historical sources, known as “Tao-Klarjeti”; it is observed that, in the region, including the cities such as Artvin, Erzurum, Ardahan and Kars, especially the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantium), Iran (Persian- Sasanians) and then the Georgian Bagratid Dynasty (8-14th century) established dominance and caused the field of art visible. After the sperad of Christianity in the resion, the cultural texture of the area became apparent and the monumental structures built in Tao-Klarjeti during the Bagratis period has remained an important cultural heritage for today. Although many monasteries and churches dating to Bagratlı period are known by means of various researches and publications; it is seen that what are remarkable in these constructions and depicted in an original style have not been examined in detail up to now. In the program of the Tao-Klarjeti architecture, zoomorphic figures have an important place. This tradition, starting from the oldest Christian monuments (Bagcılar (Opiza, Hamamlı (Dolishana) in the region, was continued throughout the Middle Age. On the facades of the monastery churches, there are numerous plastic decorations of zoomorphic (lions, cattle, deer, peacock, eagle etc.) and mtyhological figures (dragon, griffon etc.) that can be seen by the visitors. In this study; the identified zoomorphic plastic decoration, found in Tao-Klarjeti and dated to Bagratlı period, on the religious architectures that have stood up so far; it has been tried to analyze the samples of the decorations, which are considered as significant, on these constructions have been tried to be analyzed.

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