An Ampulla of Saint Menas from Dara (Anastasiopolis)

Authors : Hüseyin Metin

Pages : 64-78

Doi:10.26650/artsanat.2025.23.0004

View : 6 | Download : 4

Publication Date : 2025-02-05

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Ampullae are small flasks produced from different materials during the Late Antiquity and were generally produced in centers considered sacred for Christians. The ampullae were purchased by pilgrims who went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land for the liquid they contained, which was believed to have healing properties, and were taken to their places of residence. Menas ampullae are small terracotta flasks with thin rims and a flattened oval body, produced so that pilgrims visiting this sacred center in Abu Mina could take holy water or oil with them on their return. Menas ampullae are characterized by a circular body and a narrow neck with two handles and are typically decorated with a standard depiction of Saint Menas standing between two kneeling camels. This type of ampulla was produced between 500 and 640 AD at Abu Mina, the main site of Saint Menas, one of the largest pilgrimage sites of Late Antiquity. Today, the connections of these ampullae, unearthed in excavations across various regions, with Egypt/ Abu Mina have been revealed. The Menas ampulla, which was discovered in the Agora excavations in Dara during the 2021 excavation season and is the subject of this study, is evidence of the city’s connection with Egypt. The ampulla of St. Menas in Dara was dated between 620 and 640 AD based on the excavation stratigraphy conducted in Agora.
Keywords : Ampulla, Aziz Menas, Hristiyanlık, Dara (Anastasiapolis), Yukarı Mezopotamya, Erken Bizans Dönemi