Stones &amp; Symbolism: An analysis of ecclesiastical architectural  elements from the Byzantine church of Udhruh  from 5th to 13th century AD in Southern Jordan

In 2009 during the excavation of Udhruh, a Byzantine church in southern Jordan, an ensemble of fifteen limestone blocks were found, out of situ. They featured symbols, which have yet to be researched. It is important to pin-point the original locations of the blocks as this will enlarge our understanding of the church and because the location of the blocks could also assist in understanding the engraved symbols, which could be other than Christian in nature. The church and attached town maintained an autonomous Christian community while being controlled by multiple Islamic powers for at least six centuries. This raises questions relating to the presupposed tenuous Muslim-Christian relations in the region. The Levant and Middle East as a whole have long been described as historically unstable as a result of religious tension, but the existence of the church provides a counterargument against this notion. The pin-pointing of the location of the blocks has been done through 3D-analysis...Show moreIn 2009 during the excavation of Udhruh, a Byzantine church in southern Jordan, an ensemble of fifteen limestone blocks were found, out of situ. They featured symbols, which have yet to be researched. It is important to pin-point the original locations of the blocks as this will enlarge our understanding of the church and because the location of the blocks could also assist in understanding the engraved symbols, which could be other than Christian in nature. The church and attached town maintained an autonomous Christian community while being controlled by multiple Islamic powers for at least six centuries. This raises questions relating to the presupposed tenuous Muslim-Christian relations in the region. The Levant and Middle East as a whole have long been described as historically unstable as a result of religious tension, but the existence of the church provides a counterargument against this notion. The pin-pointing of the location of the blocks has been done through 3D-analysis, in which the surface condition, the orientation and the curvature of the blocks were determined. The symbols have been analysed by method of 3D analysis and a literature study, focussing on early Christian symbolism. The research concludes that the blocks are divided into a more homogeneous group, the “true” blocks, and three miscellaneous blocks. The true blocks have similar dimensions and attributes. Analysis points to an elevated, semi-suspended original location within a straight wall, probably in the aisles or nave of the core basilica, which is the oldest part of the church. Another object displayed clear curvature and was determined to be part of an archway. The symbols on the blocks are without a doubt Christian in nature, but not all early Christian. The geometrical pattern have been determined to likely be decorative, instead of symbolic. Whereas the shell and the crosses hold symbolic meaning. Out of the three types of crosses, two are also linked to the Crusader period. This could provide evidence for the continued use of the church during the Abbasid, Fatimid and Ayyubid periods, an epoch of which still not much is known concerning Udhruh.Show less

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Stones & Symbolism: An analysis of ecclesiastical architectural elements from the Byzantine church of Udhruh from 5th to 13th century AD in Southern Jordan