Crosses on Stone Pillars: Echoes of Georgian Memories of Jerusalem* Erga SHNEURSON
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ECA 11 (2017-2019), p. 55-72; doi: 10.2143/ECA.11.0.3288433 Crosses on Stone Pillars: Echoes of Georgian Memories of Jerusalem* Erga SHNEURSON INTRODUCTION in different sources4. The cross she erected height- ens the long and progressing process of cross ven- A multitude of cross ornaments in various forms eration, which, moreover, was entwined with the and compositions adorning church façades, icons, historical events in Jerusalem during the fourth stelae, stone pillars and more, can be found in century (discussed below). Nino’s legend and life Georgia, in particular on mountains in the Kart’li story became a formative event, not to say a foun- province (Central-Eastern Georgia; Fig. 1). One dation myth of Georgian Christianity. The written type of this vast repertoire of ornamented objects tradition presents her as a mediator on behalf of are embellished stone pillars, which became wide- the Georgian people. Her legend is deeply rooted spread serving as objects of veneration in the open in the Georgian belief from the early stage after air from around the fifth to the eighth century. Christianisation, not as an act of commemoration, Such pillars are adorned with reliefs on all four but rather as an expression of faith, confidence and sides and display crosses and biblical subjects such conviction. The abundant use of the Cross emblem as Daniel in the Lion’s Den, the Sacrifice of Isaac, in Georgian art stemmed from, and echoed Nino’s the Annunciation, Nativity, Baptism, and Crucifixion. legend and activities. The Cross symbol appears either as an individual In her study “Remarques sur l’iconographie de emblem or incorporated into one of the biblical la crucifixion sur les stèles géorgiennes du haut scenes. Such stone pillars reflect an extensive use of Moyen-Âge”, Machabeli argues that “The appear- the Cross in religious art and form a significant ance of the crosses and stone pillars was determined contribution to the Christian iconography idiosyn- by historical conditions, events, and daily life, and cratic to Georgian sacred topography and cult1. Both Kitty Machabeli and Nina Iamanidze labelled * I would like to express profound gratitude to Assaf Pinkus, the pillars as stone crosses, claiming that the stones from Tel Aviv University, for reading the final draft of the article and providing valuable remarks. My many thanks supported a cross in the open air. Material evidence are to Lado Mirianashvili from the Centre of Manuscripts and written sources related to the fourth to the sixth in Tbilisi, for the help he provided me, translating the centuries indicate that the veneration of the Cross ancient Georgian script, and to Nikoloz Zhgenti, also from became widespread in Georgia during that period, the Centre of Manuscripts, for his help in Georgian scripts and sources. Special thanks to Brigitta Schrade from Freie and continued ever since. University Berlin, for reading and commenting the final According to the legend, the first cross was erected draft of this article. Her remarks, information, and profound on a mountain overlooking the city of M’tskheta knowledge of Georgia are irreplaceable. 1 – the then capital of the Georgian Kingdom of In Armenia the material evidence also shows use of the cross in art, though artistically differing from the Georgian Iberia and situated to the north of Tbilisi – by the crosses, and not within the scope of this study. Cf Macha- female saint Nino, who is believed to have con- beli 2008b, 27. verted Kart’li to Christianity2. The chronicle of 2 For the Christianization of Kart’li, see: Salia 1983; Silogave the also incorporates other et al. 2007; Thomson 1996, 255-309; Toumanoff 1949; Conversion of Kartli idem 1963, 407-415. legends concerning Nino’s activities, such as of the 3 On the Nino legend and the chronicle: Horn 1998, 242- ‘life-giving pillar’, ‘Christ’s Holy Garment’, and 264; Lang 1956; idem 1976, 19-37; Philip 1997, 10.9-10; the ‘Fiery Cross’3. The legend of the Conversion Rapp 2003, 111-112, 165-166, 246-247; Thomson 1996, was spread in the Caucasus as an oral and written 84-184. 4 For written sources on the legend of St Nino and her con- tradition. From the fifth century on, there is evi- version, see Toumanoff 1949, 16-29. The earliest sources dence alluding to the circulation of Nino’s legend, are adapted Armenian and Greek translations. 55 Fig. 1. Map of Georgia (after https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khashuri_Municipality). they have been integrated into the universal art of provide an important chapter in our understanding the Paleo-Christian period transmitted through of early Christian Art. Machabeli connects the the prism of popular traditions”5. She thereby stone pillars depicting the cross emblem and other emphasizes the importance of studying the stone biblical scenes to Christ’s earthly activities such as pillar phenomenon as a unique model in medieval his Baptism in the River Jordan and the large cross Georgian art, its contribution to our knowledge of erected on the spot where the event was believed the period, and no less so also from a broader per- to have occurred. At the same time, she posits the spective beyond that of Georgia alone. Machabeli’s possibility that the Georgian stone pillars with cross seminal book and articles provide some of the few ornaments imitated the large “votive cross that stood studies dedicated to the stone pillars to date. In her in Jerusalem between the Basilica of Constantine book, she presents a catalog of the extant objects and the Holy Sepulchre”7. including their original provenance, dates, and In “Toward a Detailed Typology: Four-Sided description, wherever available. Machabeli focuses Stelae in Early Christian South Caucasus”, Sipana mainly on analyzing the stylistic aspects of the Tchakerian addresses the stone pillars from a different reliefs and the meaning of the scenes, with photo- perspective, however8. She relates to Georgia and graphs of each pillar6. In her article “Early Medieval neighbouring Armenia as one unit, thus, presenting Stelae in Georgia in the Context of East Christian a strongly constructed typology of the structure and Art”, she outlines the framework of the subject ornamentation of stelae from both countries, scru- concerning the status of Georgian art within a tinizing the surviving examples by their visuality, study of medieval art in general. Early stone pillars demonstrating the commonalities and differences in the development of the four-sided stelae, but ignor- ing geographical borders and historical, religious 5 Machabeli 2000, 92. and other differences9. 6 Machabeli 1998a. This study aims to analyze the ‘four-sided 7 Machabeli 1998a, 86. 8 Tchakerian 2016. sculptured stelae,’ i.e., the stone pillars, from a 9 Tchakerian 2016, 126. different approach which comprises both local and 56 wide-ranging perspectives. The cross is the most and analyses the Usanet’i pillar as an eighth-century ubiquitous emblem on stone pillars, church façades, example of local Georgian style combined with icons, etc. Such an individual Christological symbol, Byzantine influences, which reflects the period of which over the course of many centuries continued departing from the antique sculptural forms toward to absorb and reflect various and flexible meanings, a dematerialized, abstract style14. Nodar Shoshi- reflects the particular religious situation of the sixth ashvili provided translations of the Georgian to the ninth centuries, and the human social desires inscriptions on it15. The pillar is decorated on all of the society in which it functioned10. Further- four sides with Christian scenes (directions are more, this study elaborates on the historical events according to Shoshiashvili; Pl. 1a-d): of the fourth century in Jerusalem and the way they are echoed and reflected in local art, combining Side 1 (Pl. 1a). The upper register displays Daniel in local perceptions and universal Christian theologi- the Lion’s Den (Pl. 2). The register below includes cal thoughts. I contend that these events engen- Sts Peter, Paul and Andrew with accompanying dered a transformation in the cross veneration and inscriptions (Pl. 3). The third register features subsequent appearance in art. three figures the left one of whom is St Cosmas, The focus of this study is the so-called Usanet’i whose name is given in a vertical inscription on the stone pillar and its decoration. In the first part, border (Pl. 4). The other two figures are unidenti- I will analyze the pillar and its reliefs as a case study fied, but the middle one should be St Damian, the connected to the shift in the status of the cross on usual companion on St Cosmas. The bottom part the one hand, and local perceptions on the other of the pillar may have originally featured reliefs, hand. The following part provides a brief glance but these can no longer be distinguished. All the into the fourth-century events in the Holy Land figures are rendered in frontal position and of sim- that led to the shift in the status and symbolism of ilar appearance. The three apostles are dressed in the cross, and focuses on later events that occurred belted robes, schematically depicted by vertical lines. in Georgia and led to perceiving its old capital, Their hands hold a book with a cross ornament in M’tskheta, as the New Jerusalem. This perception front of the upper part of their body. The figures in the has become anchored in Georgian thought ever second register are also portrayed frontally; two of since. The last part of the study is dedicated to the them hold a scroll-like object in the left hand while performative aspects derived from the possible the other hand is raised. The third figure seems to be function of the pillars in the relationship between a female saint with long hair and a beltless robe16.