Data on construction and architechture of cult objects in Drino's valley

• Author: Melsi Labi
• Position: Director of National Historical Museum - Albania
• Pages: 141-145

ISSN 2410-3918

Acces online at www.iipccl.org

141

IIPCCL Publishing, Tirana-Albania

Academic Journal of Business, Administration, Law and Social Sciences Vol. 2 No. 1

March 2016

Data on construction and architechture

of cult objects in Drino’s valley

Ph.D (C.) Melsi Labi

Director of National Historical Museum – Albania

Abstract

Drino’s valley is one of the richest areas with cult objects, which are a valuable treasure of our

cultural heritage. The first early Christian churches date back to the 4-th century. Their

construction is related to the spread of Christianity in the Albanian territory. In the first half

of the 5-th century construction has been limited because of the barbarian invasions, and

during the second half of the 5-th century and the beginning of the 6-th century Early Christian

churches had a wide extension. Early Christian churches were built not only through early

Episcopal centres but also in rural settlements. Archaeological discoveries have brought to

light a large number of early Christian churches, out of which we can judge the architectural

development of that period. A wide use during the early Christian period had the three-nave

basilicas and one-nave churches. From what can be judged from the ruins left, the architectonic-

decorative treatment of early Christian churches has been very simple. Decorative ornaments

were mainly inside the churches (Chalkiá, 1997, 10-11).

Early Christian monuments of the IV-VI centuries, being considered in typological terms are

divided into: one-nave basilicas and churches. Early Christian churches were built with simple

walls and raw stones, which were related to each other with lime mortar, using a number of

bricks. Early Christian builders knew very well physical laws on balance of the columns and

arcades. From the chronological aspect, the early Christian churches are constructions of the

second half of the 5-th century and the first half of 4-th century.

Keywords: Drino’s valley, data, construction, architecture.

Introduction

A special phenomenon of Drino’s valley is the flooring of early Christian churches

with polychromatic (multi-coloured) mosaics. Most of the early Christian mosaics

contain simple geometric motifs, vegetables and animal motifs from the world. Only

in two cases in Mesaplik and Antigone are presented anthropomorphic and

zoomorphic motifs (Budina, 1975, 225-228). The vegetable motifs consisted of

strawberries, grape vines and leaves, which were symbols of the divine Eucharist.

The environmental organization paved with mosaics suit the early Christian church

architecture. Early Christian mosaics in that period reached a high level, while the

mural paintings have been somewhat limited. Fragments of frescoes were found in

Antigone and Paleokastra.

Architectural sculptures are represented by the remains of columns, or pilasters from

the iconostasis of the wall elements, etc. In the Early Christian churches around the

capitals it are used Korinthos cosmopolitan styles, but we also note the early forms of

Byzantine architecture. Besides capitals for columns we also have capitals for pilasters.

The iconostases occupied an important place in the architectural structure of early