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ECA 5 (2008), p. 75-85; doi: 10.2143 / ECA.5.0.2036220

A Feast of the ? A New Interpretation of a Mural Painting from Old Dongola

Magdalena ™APTAS

INTRODUCTION moneybag in his left hand and with his right hand he passes some money to his company. A young In 2004, while excavating the southwestern Annex man dressed only in a loincloth is seen standing of the monastery on Kom H in Old Dongola, behind the couch; he might be a servant assisting Sudan, the Polish archaeological mission working the two men. under the direction of Stefan Jakobielski discovered To the left of this scene, opposite the archangel, some very interesting murals. Among them there we can see a corral enclosing a flock of sheep. Below, are two scenes found in Rooms 5 and 6 of the on the ground a sitting servant kills a sheep (Pl. 5). southwestern Annex of the monastery, which the Above the corral, two figures in long, white robes are explorers date to the twelfth century1. approaching a man who is sitting cross-legged on a The first representation was found on the north pillow (Pl. 6). One of the persons is veiled, which wall of Room 5, and consists of two parts (Pl. 1). may suggest that this figure is a woman. The sitting To the right the figure of the Virgin is represented, man rests his left hand on his hip and raises his right surrounded by a rectangular painted frame. The hand towards these persons. To the left, at the same Virgin holds Christ in her left arm. Her head is level as the corral, a mounted man is approaching an slightly bent to her right, and she turns her eyes archangel on horseback (Pl. 7). The sequence of the towards the scene that takes place on her right-hand episodes is completed by the figure of a saint who is side, which depicts dancing men who play instru- featured below the scene with the couch (Pl. 8). All ments. They wear ample trousers and belted tunics. that remains of him are his haloed head and parts of Some of them have zoomorphic masks on their his hands raised in orant gesture. The saint is faces; others have scarves around their heads (Pl. 2). depicted frontally, and has the features of an elderly Ma¥gorzata Martens-Czarnecka suggests that this man, with sunken cheeks, a long grey beard and long part of the composition derives from local folklore2, hair combed with a knot on top of his head. There and points out that the scene presumably depicts a are several numerical cryptograms of the name of feast of the Virgin3. Since the inscriptions in the Archangel Michael painted on the vestment cover- Old Nubian language that accompany the represen- ing his left shoulder4. He is the second biggest tation have not been interpreted yet, this unique figure in the whole scene after the archangel. It representation is still awaiting further study. appears that the saint is linked with the representa- The second scene, being the subject of this study, tion of the two men sitting on the couch as the hair was found on the south wall of Room 6, and has a on top of his head almost reaches that image. Given layout similar to the previous one (Pl. 3). To the the fact that he is the second most important person right the huge figure of a standing archangel is in the whole composition and his link with the painted. The archangel holds a sphere in his left scenes taking place above, one may suggest that this hand and a sceptre with a spike pointing down- saint is the narrator of the events. wards in his right. A sword hanging over his back This mysterious image has drawn the attention is fastened with two straps which cross his chest. of researchers from the moment it was found. Near the right wing of the archangel a series of small scenes are shown. The first scene depicts two men sitting on a couch turned one to another, 1 Jakobielski 2006a, 30; Martens-Czarnecka 2006, 48, between curtains drawn aside (Pl. 4). The men Fig. 22. busily talk to each other. The right figure holds a 2 Martens-Czarnecka 2005, 281.

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Henryk Pietras interpreted it as a cycle of virtues just an add-on to these two most important ones. and vices of monks5, whereas Jakobielski stated that In line with the interpretation of the scene in Room this composition is ‘possibly an allegory of the 5, this image should represent the feast of the temptations lying in wait for a monk who is tied depicted archangel. This hypothesis seems to be by his hair to a rock’6. During the 11th Inter- supported by the fact that two other walls in the national Conference of Nubian Studies in Warsaw same room also show images of . in 2006, Martens-Czarnecka presented an interpre- This brings us to the second point, namely the tation of this composition based on the Book of special veneration of archangels in Nubia and their Tobias, in which Archangel is the guide of prominent presence in decoration programmes. young Tobias7. The present paper aims at adding They acted as intermediaries between God and an alternative interpretation to the discussion, mankind, protectors of the faithful and guardians which is based on the striking analogies between of buildings, and also struggled against . the particular episodes of this cycle with the text of The faithful who brought gifts at the days of the the Coptic Encomium in Michaelem archangelum archangels’ feasts and lit lamps in front of their pic- attributed to Abba Theodosius, Archbishop of tures, could count on their help both during their Alexandria8. life on earth as well as after death10. Unfortunately, no complete synaxarion from Nubia has been found CHARACTERISTICS OF NUBIAN PAINTING yet, but one can presume that the feasts of archangels were widely celebrated11. For a better understanding of the representation, we A few instances will suffice to demonstrate the should first focus on two characteristics of Nubian importance of the cult of archangels in Nubia. church art. Firstly, Nubian painting, as is common Among the inscriptions coming from the Nubian in medieval art in general, follows the principles of territories, a graffito on the southern wall of the the ideological hierarchy, meaning that the most diakonikon from the Church of the Archangel important figure in a composition is the largest one. Raphael in Tamit has been preserved, which says A good example of this principle is the Nativity that the Deacon Philotheos, the son of Marianta scene from the Faras Cathedral, where the Virgin wrote this text on the occasion of the feast of resting on a bed is much bigger than the surround- Raphael on the third epagomenal day12. A painting ing figures (Pl. 9)9. Regarding the two previously of Archangel Raphael spearing a beast that swallows described compositions from Rooms 5 and 6 of the a man, including a model of a small church near Southwestern Annex, it is obvious that in the first the archangel’s left foot, was found in the south aisle case the Virgin is the most important figure, and of the same church13. The man coming out of the from this viewpoint it is logical to link the scene beast’s mouth raises his hands upward in orant ges- beside her with her feast. In the second case, the ture. This is probably a symbolic depiction of archangel is the biggest figure in the composition, Raphael’s protection over human souls and at the followed by the anonymous saint. Other figures are same time over the church dedicated to him. The painting is placed in a small niche, which differen- tiates it from other representations found in the 3 Martens-Czarnecka 2006, 46. church. Perhaps this is the kind of picture to which 4 Müller 2001, 323. the faithful prayed during the archangel’s feast ask- 5 This interpretation was presented during the Symposium on the Culture of the Late Antiquity and Early Christianity in ing him for protection. Kazimierz Dolny in 2004. The most important of the archangels in Nubia 6 Jakobielski 2006a, 31. was Michael, the commander of the 7 Martens-Czarnecka, forthcoming. (archistrategos). In some regions of Egypt he was cel- 8 Geerard 1979, 353-354, no. 7152. ebrated on the twelfth day of each month14. The 9 ™aptas 2003; Micha¥owski 1967, 143-147, Figs 64-65. 10 ™aptas, forthcoming. main feast was dedicated to the installation of the 11 I have raised this issue during my speech at the 11th Polish archangel in heaven after the expulsion of Mastema, Nubian Conference in Gdansk and Gniew in 2004, how- the fallen , and was celebrated in November ever, this presentation has not been published. 12 Donadoni 1967, 67; ™ajtar/van der Vliet 1998, 45. (12th Athôr). The faithful who on that day would 13 Baldassare 1967, 51-52, Fig. 18. burn incense or light oil lamps and pray to Michael 14 Cf. Papaconstantinou 2001, 158-159; Zanetti 1994, 347. could count on his special protection and help on

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the day of the Last Judgement15. That this feast was A plausible solution is to link these two scenes known in Nubia is demonstrated not only from the with a story from the aforementioned encomium preserved fragments of Liber Institutionis Michaelis attributed to Abba Theodosius, which was created at in Old-Nubian and Greek versions16, but also by the occasion of the feast of Archangel Michael on a wall painting found in Room 13 of the north- the 12th Athôr26. This encomium exists in Sahidic western Annex of the monastery in Old Dongola Coptic, Bohairic Coptic and Arabic versions27. The (Pl. 10)17. The eastern wall of that room contains a text recounts an event that happened to a certain monumental image of the standing figure of pious couple, Dorotheos and his wife Theopiste28. Archangel Michael. He wears a ceremonial dress, a They were rich people who always celebrated the loros and a crown on the top of his head. Three fig- feast of Archangel Michael on the twelfth day of each ures, each with a cross nimbus and therefore identi- month. Unfortunately, one day, luck turned away fied as the Holy Trinity, appear from behind his from them as many of their cattle perished. This head, touching his crown. The crowning by the Holy misfortune lasted for two years and in the end the Trinity surely symbolizes the installation of couple was left with only one sheep, which they Archangel Michael after the defeat of Mastema18. decided to devote to Archangel Michael. The next The same room contains several more images of month, when another feast of Archangel Michael archangels, including a cycle connected with Balaam, was approaching, the couple had nothing left but which was found on the north wall19. In one of the their clothes. They decided to sell a garment of scenes Balaam kneels in front of the archangel. This Theopiste to buy a sheep. The shepherd, however, scene corresponds to the revelation of the archangel didn’t want to buy this garment. On his way back that according to the Ethiopian synaxarion was cel- home, Dorotheos met Archangel Michael, who was ebrated in March (12th Mâgâbit)20. riding a white horse and had taken the appearance Another feast connected with Archangel Michael of a chief imperial nobleman. The archangel asked was related to the celebration of the saving of the Dorotheos where he was going and why he was car- Three Youths in the Fiery Furnace21, celebrated in rying his wife’s robes. After Dorotheos had explained December (12th Tâkhshâsh)22. The scene of the the situation, Michael asked him whether he would Three Youths in the Fiery Furnace was often repre- accept a guest in his house if he would bring a sheep sented on the walls of Nubian churches, for exam- with him. Dorotheos gladly agreed to this proposal ple in the cathedral of Faras (three times)23. Two and Michael sent one of the who were with suchlike scenes and fragments of a third have also him to get the sheep. Then the archangel asked been found in the monastery of Old Dongola24. As Dorotheos to get fish as he explained that he did not appears from the soot that covers some paintings of archangels in Room 9 of the church in Banganarti, lamps were burnt in front of these pictures; several 15 Cf. Müller 1959, 15. of such lamps were found in the structural debris. 16 Published in Plumley/Browne 1988, no. 11, 48-51; Browne Some fragments of three archangels were found on 1988; idem 1990; idem 1996. 17 Martens-Czarnecka 2001, 264. the walls of this room, which was perhaps a chapel 18 Van der Helm 1990, 486. 25 dedicated to them . 19 Martens-Czarnecka 2001, 272. 20 Wallis Budge 1928, III, 689. The Nubian used the Egyptian THE STORY OF DOROTHEOS AND THEOPISTE calendar (van der Vliet 2003, 211-212). Some Ethiopian feasts corresponded to the Coptic ones, however the names of months are different (Zanetti 1994, 347, n. 83). Returning to the representation in Room 6 in the 21 In Nubian painting, the savior of the Three Youths was southwestern Annex on Kom H in Old Dongola, identified as Archangel Michael. Cf. ™aptas/Jakobielski the most often discussed episode out of the compo- 2001, 76, n. 5; Micha¥owski 1967, 138-140, Figs 60-61. 22 sition is the conversation between the two men sit- Wallis Budge 1928, II, 365. 23 ™aptas/Jakobielski 2001, 75. ting on the couch. It is usually labelled as a ‘com- 24 Martens-Czarnecka 2001, 265. mercial transaction’. However, it seems that two 25 ™aptas 2004. other episodes can be used as the key to understand 26 Cf. ‘The Encomium by Abba Theodosius, Archbishop of Alexandria’, in Wallis Budge 1894, 1-59, and idem 1915, the meaning of the whole image: the servant killing 321-431 (Sahidic version); 893-947 (transl.). a sheep, and the meeting between the rider and the 27 Müller 1959, 162-163. mounted archangel. 28 Wallis Budge 1915, 919-935.

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eat sheep. When Dorotheos came back home as he is an eyewitness who can testify that the mir- Theopiste informed him that the servant who was acle had happened. sent to the cellar found seven jars filled with oil. The main problem in the interpretation of the When Dorotheos and Theopiste entered the bed- scene is the identification of the elderly saint who room, they discovered a chest filled with splendid is represented at the bottom of the composition (Pl. apparels. Realizing that a miracle had happened, they 9). As mentioned above, Jakobielski suggested that dressed in festive attire and went to church to pray this is ‘a monk tied by his hair to a rock’29. It makes, to the archangel. After thankful prayers, they however, more sense to suppose that his hair just returned home and expected the nobleman. When overlaps the scene shown above. Suchlike composi- Michael arrived at their house with his heavenly tions can also be found in other Nubian paintings, companions, Dorotheos and Theopiste greeted him e.g. in Chapel XX of the Upper Church in cheerfully and declared their happiness on the cele- Banganarti. Here, the crown of a depicted ruler was bration of the feast of Archangel Michael. So the painted against the background with a leg in a stir- archangel asked Dorotheos to bring him the fish, rup of a horseman30. Both representations are which he ordered to be cut in two. When the host applied on the same layer of plaster, and judging did that, he saw a sealed bundle inside. Michael from the stylistic features one can assume that they ordered Dorotheos to open it. The bundle turned are contemporary. out to be filled with golden coins. Next, Archangel In case of the mural from Old Dongola, it Michael called the couple and explained that since seems that by overlapping of the two images, the they were pious and hospitable and took the effort painter had the intention to underline the relation to host him, God repaid them with money. between the saint and the scenes that took place Dorotheos and Theopiste fell to their knees. So the above. One may suggest that the saint is the nar- archangel explained to them that he had visited them rator who tells the story and prays to Archangel every month. As the couple wanted him to explain Michael, or simply the supposed author of the who he was, he revealed his true identity, and listed encomium himself: St Theodosius31, whose rela- the functions he held at the heavenly court and tionship with Nubia is ascertained by the conse- deeds that he made in the name of God. cration of Longinus, a missionary to Nubia32. In It seems that the scene shown in Room 6 corre- the introduction to the Bohairic version of the sponds with the succeeding sequences of episodes encomium the patriarch is described as ‘the mighty of the story of Dorotheos and Theopiste. The in all blessings, the most holy and blessed man, the sequence may start from the upper left corner when man filled with the Holy Spirit, and perfect in all Dorotheos, coming back from the shepherd, meets virtues, Abba Theodosius, the son of the Apostolic the archangel mounted on a white horse (Pl. 7). Fathers, and friend of angels, the Archbishop of Then Dorotheos and Theopiste talk to their guest, the city of Alexandria’33. It should, however, be the nobleman who in fact is Archangel Michael (Pl. noticed that present-day scholars call Theodosius’ 6), whereas the servant depicted below kills a sheep authorship of the encomium in question34. (Pl. 5). Finally, the miracle happens; Dorotheos who sits on the couch with his guest discovers the sealed CONCLUSION bundle full of golden coins (Pl. 4). The attending servant is a very characteristic figure in that scene Although several questions remain unanswered, for example the absence of any fish in the scene of the men on the couch, one can assume that the mural 29 Jakobielski 2008, 297. This interpretation seems to contra- in Room 6 of the monastery on Kom H in Old dict Jakobielski’s second conclusion that this part of the Dongola illustrates the story of Dorotheos and monastery could have been a woman’s section of xen- odocheion. If so, a temptation of a nun would be more Theopiste. It is, however, impossible to determine appropriate here than that of a monk. whether the painting represents a creative interpre- 30 ™aptas 2004, 249, Fig. 5. tation of the encomium text or had been inspired 31 Davis 2004, 101-107. from some other text recounting this event. In the- 32 Hardy 1991. 33 Wallis Budge 1894, 1. ory, the Nubian painters could have used a manu- 34 For doubts about the authorship of Theodosius, see Orlandi script containing the text of the enconium and 1971, 179-180 miniatures corresponding to particular episodes of

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the event. This would explain why the composition ™ajtar, A., J. van der Vliet 1998, ‘Rich Ladies of Meinarti and consists of a cycle of minor scenes. Be that as it may, their Churches’, JJP 28, 35-53. the wall painting under discussion seems to be the ™aptas, M. 2003, ‘Representation of the Angelic Hierarchy in a Nativity Scene from Faras Cathedral’, Gdansk only image of the story of Dorotheos and Theopiste Archaeological Museum Reports 2, 137-143. that has come down to us; it perfectly illustrates the ™aptas, M. 2004, ‘Banganarti 2003. The Wall Paintings’, PAM coherence between church decoration and the cult 16, 244-252. of archangels. Moreover, together with the scene of ™aptas, M., ‘Archangels as Protectors and Guardians in the Investiture of Archangel Michael in Room 13, the Nubian Painting’, in: W. Godlewski, A. ™ajtar (eds), this mural also demonstrates that Coptic texts forthcoming. devoted to Michael were sources of inspiration for ™aptas, M., S. Jakobielski 2001, ‘“Unknown” Mural of the the embellishment of Nubian churches. Three Youths in a Fiery Furnace from the Faras Cathedral’, in: W. Bulsza, L. Sadko (eds), Ars Graeca – Ars Latina, Studia dedykowane Profesor Annie Rózyckiej Bryzek, Kraków, BIBLIOGRAPHY 75-85. Martens-Czarnecka, M. 2001, ‘Wall Paintings discovered in Baldassare, I. 1967, ‘Le Pitture’, in: S. Bosticco et al. (eds), Old Dongola’, in: S. Jakobielski, P. Scholz (eds), 253-284. 39-60. Martens-Czarnecka, M. 2005, ‘Wall Paintings Discovered in Bosticco, S. et al. (eds) 1967, Tamit (1964), Roma. Dongola in the 2004 Season’, PAM 16, 273-284. Browne, G.M. 1988, ‘A Revision of the Old Nubian Version Martens-Czarnecka, M. 2006, ‘Wall Paintings from the of the Institutio Michaelis’, BzS 3, 17-24. Dongola Monastery’, in: S. Jakobielski 2006, 33-48. Browne, G.M. 1990, ‘An Old Nubian Version of the Liber Martens-Czarnecka, M., ‘Two Unique Paintings in the Institutionis Michaelis’, in: W. Godlewski (ed.), 75-79. Monastery on Kom H in Old Dongola’, in: W. Godlewski, Browne, G.M. 1996, ‘Ad Librum Institutionis Michaelis A. ™ajtar (eds), forthcoming. Archangeli’, Orientalia 65, 131-135. Micha¥owski, K. 1967, Faras, die Kathedrale aus dem Davis, S.J. 2004, The Early Coptic Papacy. The Egyptian Church Wüstensand, Zürich. and Its Leadership in Late Antiquity, Cairo/New York. Müller, C.D.G. 1959, Die Engellehre der Koptischen Kirche, Donadoni, S. 1967, ‘Le Iscrizioni’ in: S. Bosticco et al. (eds), Wiesbaden. 61-74. Müller, C.D.G. 2001, ‘Schutzinschriften einer Grablege in Alt- Geerard, M. (ed.) 1979, Clavis Patrum Graecorum, Vol. III: A Dongola. Zu nubischen Geheimwissenschaften’, in: Cyrillo Alexandrino ad Iohannem Damascenum, Turnhout. S. Jakobielski, P. Scholz (eds), 320-326. Godlewski, W. (ed.) 1990, Coptic Studies. Acts of the third Orlandi, T. 1971, ‘Teodosio di Alessandria nella letteratura International Congress of Coptic Studies, Warsaw 20-25 copta’, Giornale italiano di filologia n.s. II [XXIII] 2, 175- August 1984, Warsaw. 185. Godlewski, W., A. ™ajtar (eds) 2008, Between the Cataracts. Papaconstantinou, A. 2001, Le culte des saints en Égypte des Proceedings of the 11th Conference for Nubian Studies. Warsaw Byzantins aux Abbassides, Paris. University 27 August-2 September 2006, Part one, Main Plumley, J., G.M. Browne 1988, Old Nubian Texts from Qasr Papers, Warsaw. Ibrim, Vol. I, London. Godlewski, W., A. ™ajtar (eds), Between the Cataracts. Vliet, J. van der 2003, Catalogue of the Coptic Inscriptions in the Proceedings of the 11th Conference for Nubian Studies. Sudan National Museum at Khartoum (I. Khartoum Copt.), Warsaw University 27 August - 2 September 2006, Part two, Leuven/Paris/Dudley, MA (OLA 121). Session Papers, Warsaw, forthcoming. Wallis Budge, E.A. 1894, Saint Michael the Archangel: Three Hardy, E.R. 1991, ‘Theodosius I’, CE VII, 2241. Encomiums, London. Helm, M. van der 1990, ‘Some Iconographical Remarks Wallis Budge, E.A. 1915, Miscellaneous Texts in the Dialect of on St. Michael in Sonqi Tino’, in: W. Godlewski, 485-486. Upper Egypt, London. Jakobielski, S. (ed.) 2006, Polish Excavations at Old Dongola. Wallis Budge, E.A. 1928, The Book of the Saints of the Ethiopian 45 years of the archaeological co-operation with the Sudan, Church. A translation of the Ethiopic Synaxarium made from Warsaw. the manuscripts Oriental 660 and 661 in the British Museum, Jakobielski, S. 2006a, ‘The Holy Trinity Monastery’, in: 4 vols, Cambridge. S. Jakobielski 2006, 17-32. Zanetti, U. 1994, ‘Fêtes des anges dans les calendriers et synax- Jakobielski, S. 2008, ‘The Holy Trinity Monastery in Old aires orientaux’, in: C. Carletti, G. Otrando (eds), Culto e Dongola’, in: W. Godlewski, A. ™ajtar (eds) 2008, 283-302. insediamenti micaelici nell’ Italia meridionale fra tarda anti- Jakobielski, S., P.O. Scholz (eds) 2001, Dongola – Studien. chità e medioevo. Atti del Convegno Internazionale. Monte 35 Jahre polnischer Forschungen im Zentrum des makuritis- Sant’Angelo 18 – 21 novembre 1992, Bari, 323-349. chen Reiches, Warschau (Bibliotheca nubica et aethiopica 7).

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Pl. 1. Celebration of a feast of the Virgin; Room 5, southwestern Annex of the monastery on Kom H, Old Dongola (photograph T. Jakobielski)

Pl. 2. Two dancing men; detail of Pl. 1 (photograph T. Jakobielski)

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Pl. 3. The Feast of Archangel Michael(?); Room 6, southwestern Annex of the monastery on Kom H, Old Dongola (photograph T. Jakobielski)

Pl. 4. The scene of the miracle(?); detail of Pl. 3 (photograph H. Pietras)

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Pl. 5. A servant killing the sheep; detail of Pl. 3 (photograph H. Pietras)

Pl. 6. Two figures approaching a seated man; detail of Pl. 3 (photograph H. Pietras)

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Pl. 7. Meeting of a horsemen and the archangel riding a horse; detail of Pl. 3 (photograph H. Pietras)

Pl. 8. St Theodosius (?); detail of Pl. 3 (photograph H. Pietras)

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Pl. 9. Nativity; Cathedral of Faras (after Micha¥owski 1967, Pls 64, 65)

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Pl. 10. The investiture of Archangel Michael; Room 13, northwestern Annex of the monastery on Kom H, Old Dongola (photograph T. Jakobielski)

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