preface

Chapter 1 Cappadocia

1.
Geographical situation of Cappadocia
2.
A Brief History of Cappadocia

Chapter 2 Early Cappadocian Art

1.
The development of the iconography of the cross
2.
The Vision of Saint Eustachius

Chapter 3: Cappadocian Art after the Icon Controversy

1.
Macedonian Renaissance
2.
Majestas Domini
3.
Daysis
4.
Anastasis

Chapter 4: Cappadocia in Crisis

1.
The situation in the late 11th century
2.
Yirlan Kilise: Church No. 28 in Göreme
3.
Saint icons of Cappadocia

Chapter 5: Cultural Interaction between Byzantium and Islam: Cappadocian Art in the 13th Century

1.
Defending the Christian Tradition
2.
Tatlarn's New Iconography: The Moon Face
3.
Demons depicted on church murals: Karsh Kiliseh

List of Byzantine cathedrals in Cappadocia
annotation
References
Search

Cappadocia Art, a Treasure Trove of Byzantine Church Art
Examining the transition from the Byzantine Empire to the Macedonian Dynasty and the Islamic period

Cappadocia has been one of the main strongholds of the Church since the early Christian period.
Around the 4th century, it was a region renowned as a Christian holy place, where prominent church fathers such as Saint Basil of Caesarea, Saint Gregory of Nyssa, and Saint Gregory of Nazianzus were active.
Because so many hermits gathered and formed a densely populated area of ​​monasteries, Cappadocia, despite being a remote area of ​​the Byzantine Empire, was able to develop and develop church art more actively than other regions.


The Byzantine churches of Cappadocia were able to avoid destruction by later generations due to their architectural characteristics of being carved into the rocky mountains formed by volcanic activity and their geographical location far from major cities, and a considerable number of them remain to this day.
Also, thanks to the characteristic of the church being a dark cave with little light, the frescoes have been able to remain vivid to this day.
According to what is known to date, there are over 300 churches with interior decorations, and if we include simple churches without decorations, the number of churches is estimated to be over 1,000.

The history of Cappadocia during the Byzantine Empire can be broadly divided into three parts, reflecting changes in artistic styles.
The first is the period from the early Byzantine Empire to the iconographic controversy, especially from the early 7th century to the mid-9th century, which is called the 'Time of Transformation' or the 'Dark Ages'.
This period was a period of great stagnation in the arts, including architecture and painting, not only due to financial difficulties caused by the war but also due to the aftermath of iconoclasm.
Although only a small number of works were produced during this period, they remain as unique examples of the iconoclastic period, providing important clues to the impact of contemporary iconoclasm on the church and art.


The second was the period of the Macedonian dynasty, a time of such prosperity that contemporaries considered it a 'second Hellenism'.
Religious art activity reached its peak, with many monasteries and churches being built or renovated, and numerous works of art being produced that survive to this day.
Many of the rock-hewn churches of Cappadocia were built during this period.


The third period, which came under Islamic rule, was the period from the late 11th to the early 12th century, marked by the Turkish conquests and the cultural revival of Cappadocia during the 13th century.
As Byzantine power weakened, Cappadocia suffered the sack of Caesarea in 1082 and later became part of the Rum Islamic dynasty, undergoing great social and cultural changes.
The art of this period displays a complex blend of Cappadocian traditions, Turkic culture, and the influence of the Nicaean dynasty.

Cappadocia art reflecting the lifestyle and religion of the Byzantine Empire
The cultural convergence of Christianity and Islam left behind an unprecedented cultural heritage.

Cappadocia's frescoes are an important resource that can overcome the limitations of literary sources. They go beyond the simple function of decorating the interior of a church and provide clues to the building's purpose. They also reveal the role of sponsors, the political and economic situation of the time, and the religious beliefs and lifestyles of the Cappadocia people.
For example, the cross, an iconography popular in Cappadocia since the early Byzantine period, reflects the devotion and customs of the time to the veneration of the True Cross, and traces of it remain in many churches built at that time.
Especially during the iconoclastic period, large crosses were often painted on backgrounds filled with stylized vine patterns for church interior decoration, and decorative variations of classical motifs such as the cornucopia, grapevines, pomegranates, acanthus, laurel, and peacock feathers were often used.
Ultimately, it is the image of the cross that represents Jesus Christ.
The cathedrals built at that time were all small in size, and their interiors were decorated only with very simple and plain paintings, clearly showing the economic difficulties brought about by the political turmoil.

On the other hand, during the 9th and 10th centuries, known as the 'Macedonian Renaissance', Cappadocian art achieved unprecedented development, with the construction of numerous churches and their interiors becoming most ornately decorated.
This period is known as the peak of Byzantine culture and art, but the evidence supporting this is very scant.
However, Cappadocia is rich in works produced during this period, which play an important role in filling this gap in information.
During this period, the use of the cross as a symbol of Christ gradually declined after the 10th century, and the non-representational patterns that decorated the interior of churches with crosses were replaced by paintings themed on the life and teachings of Christ, leading to the production of numerous new works.
In particular, thanks to the expansionist foreign policy of the Macedonian dynasty, Cappadocia, which was on the border of the empire, gained not only religious status but also military and political importance. As a result, Cappadocian art became very rich in subject matter, depicting various stories from the Bible and saints, as well as portraits of the emperors and soldiers of the time.

In Cappadocia, a great number of churches were built until the mid-11th century, mainly monastic churches and private churches, and their patrons were mostly laypeople from various classes of Byzantine society.
Portraits of patrons remain in various churches throughout the Cappadocia region, sometimes with additional information such as their names or official positions, providing important information about the life and Christian devotion of the Cappadocia region at the time.
The interior decoration of the cathedral varied depending on the financial circumstances of the patron. Some adopted an iconographic system reflecting a sophisticated theological system, like the paintings of Constantinople, while others followed a simple iconographic system satisfied with a cross or a portrait of the patron.

In Cappadocia, which fell under the Islamic sphere of influence in the 12th century when the Byzantine Empire's power weakened, traditional Christian iconography underwent significant changes under the influence of Islamic culture.
The art of this period reflects a kind of cultural contact phenomenon that combines the influences of Cappadocian traditions, Turkic culture, and the Nicaean Empire, which succeeded Byzantium, with the fundamental transformation of all aspects of society through its incorporation into the Islamic political system.
In this way, the newly born art of Cappadocia acquired a unique aspect that could not be found anywhere else in the Christian world.

In the 12th century, when the city was occupied by the Seljuk Turks, traces of the erasure of Christ's iconography and its replacement with non-representational patterns can be found, and in paintings of the Byzantine warriors Saint George and Saint Theodore, the cloaks worn over their armor are decorated with fringes and their horse harnesses are decorated with Arabic script, revealing the growing influence of Turkic culture at the time.
Furthermore, reflecting the frequent contact with Islam after it was incorporated into the Islamic sphere of influence, decorative motifs imitating Islamic script were used in the interior decoration of the cathedral.