The Mosaic Spolia in the Narthex of the Cathedral Basilica (No. 4) in Parthicopolis, Southwestern Bulgaria

Authors : Svetla Petrova-Dineva

Pages : 307-316

Doi:10.26658/jmr.1814192

View : 48 | Download : 182

Publication Date : 2025-11-11

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The Cathedral Basilica of Parthicopolis, also known as Basilica No. 4, the Episcopal one, is part of a complex in which in the period second quarter-middle of the 4th century and the end of the 5th century, a separate basilica has been built, supplied additionally by a narthex, a baptistery, an atrium, an Episcopaeion with chapel and scriptorium, a skeuophylakion (σκευοφυλάκιο), a kitchen and other premises. During the second building phase of the first building period, a two-armed ambo oriented along its long axis east-west has been installed in the southern part of the central nave. When it was dug into the mosaic carpet of the nave, the removed pieces and some of the red mortar with the tesserae were not thrown away. They were reused as spolia not for their original purpose, but to level out the rows of stones in the construction of the bench and the base of the staircase attached to it for the gallery on the second floor, which was built in the northern part of the narthex. Some of the fragments were also used for decoration – the base of the bench, which was plastered in height with mortar. This unusual use of the early Christian mosaic is observed for the first time among the monuments from the early Byzantine Period in Macedonia and Thrace (today on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria).
Keywords : Mozaik parçaları, sekiler, spolia, ambo.

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