Oshki

Georgian Orthodox monastery in Erzurum, Turkey

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Oshki

Oshki (963-973), church of St John the Baptist, from the east

Religion
Affiliation| Georgian Orthodox Church[1][2][3][4][5][6]
Location
Location| Çamlıyamaç, Uzundere district, Erzurum Province,  Turkey

Shown within Turkey

Geographic coordinates| 40°36′49″N 41°32′32″E﻿ / ﻿40.613712°N 41.542111°E﻿ / 40.613712; 41.542111
Architecture
Architect(s)| Grigol
Style| Georgian[7]
Groundbreaking| 963
Completed| 973
Monastery of Oshki

Oshki[8][9][10] (Georgian: ოშკი Oshki, Turkish: Öşkvank Manastırı or Oşki Manastırı) is a Georgian Eastern Orthodox monastery[1][2][3][4][5][6][11][12][13][excessive citations] from the second half of the 10th century located in the historic province of Tao, now part of the territory of Turkey. The main church, dedicated to St John the Baptist, was built between 963 and 973. The monastery is located in the village of Çamlıyamaç, in northeastern Erzurum Province, bordering Artvin Province.

Oshki monastery was a major centre of Georgian literature and enlightenment during the Middle Ages.[14] The monastery is considered "one of the largest and architecturally most complex buildings produced anywhere in the Eastern Christian world."[15]

It is considered one of the four Great Cathedrals of the Georgian Orthodox world.

## Architectural sculpture and figurative reliefs[edit]

The construction of the monastery at Oshki was sponsored by the Grand duke/King Bagrat II of Tao and David III of Tao.

The blind arches are an important part of the whole decoration. In Oshki they stretch along the outer walls of the church in the south, east and north. It is an early example of the use of decorative blind arches on the facades. They divide the wall in line with the general architectural rhythm. The central part of the facade is mainly decorated with bas-reliefs.

Bas-reliefs, placed high above the central arch, are given the place of honour on the southern facade, which is the main facade of the church. They stand out from the flat surface. The eagle with an animal in his talons probably symbolises victory, and the whole sculptural composition the triumph of the heavenly forces represented by the archangels Michael and Gabriel.

* Engravings from Le Tour du Monde based on drawing by Théophile Deyrolle, who traveled in Turkey and Georgia in the 1870s, documenting, among other things, medieval Georgian monuments on the territory of the Ottoman Empire.

* The Refectory of the Georgian church, Oshki

* Engravings from Le Tour du Monde based on drawing by Théophile Deyrolle, who traveled in Turkey and Georgia in the 1870s, documenting, among other things, medieval Georgian monuments on the territory of the Ottoman Empire.

* The six-pointed star (Star of David) and Borjgali in Oshki

In the province of Tao the power lay in the hands of the ruling dynasty of the Bagrationi, whose members Bagrat eristavt-eristavi and David Magistros are depicted lower down on the same facade, near the deesis, to show that the heavenly forces were the family's patrons. The figures are well proportioned, elegant in contour and form. The static postures of earlier donor portraits give way to free movement, and an equal attempt can be traced in the near three-dimensional renderings of the archangels and the deesis of the southern facade, as well as on a column in the southern gallery. The decorative system of the Oshki church also includes the low reliefs characteristic of the so-called transitional period in medieval Georgian art (8th – 10th centuries), when the old style had not yet given way completely, and new ways were evolving. Sculptors of the different generations must have worked on it. The church in Oshki already shows the tendencies that would eventually develop in the 11th century.

## Name and Etymology[edit]

There are two different views regarding the etymology of the place name ოშკი (ošḳi; IPA: ɔʃkʼi): according to Kakha Shengelia and Valeri Silogava the word ოშკი (ošḳi) derives from Megrelian word შქა (shka), meaning "being in the middle";[16] according to Merab Chukhua, is Laz word and means "dog rose" (rosa canina), which corresponds to Georgian ასკილი (asḳili) and Kartvelian *ასკილ- (*asḳil-).[17] In Armenian and Turkish languages this monastery is named "Oshk vank" (from Armenian language "vank" – "cathedral").[citation needed]

## Inscriptions[edit]

### Inscription №1[edit]

Inscription in Georgian language, telling who were builders of Oshki.

The first inscription in Oshki temple is drawn with Sanguri (Georgian: სანგური) color and is located over the southern main entrance to the temple. Nowadays 12 lines still exist. All inscriptions are written with Mrgvlovani, the earliest version of Georgian script. The original can be seen on the illustration in the right. The first scientist who explored this inscription was Marie-Félicité Brosset, a French orientalist who specialized in Georgian and Armenian studies.[18] Later these inscriptions were researched by Ekvtime Takaishvili and Wachtang Djobadze. As noted by Wachtang Djobadze, the first inscription gives a lot of information about the temple. It mentions the names of Ktetors of the church – Georgian kings Bagrat Eristavt-Eristavi and David III of Tao. Also there is information about architect of the church – someone called Grigol.[19]

1. მოწყალებითა ღ(მრ)თისაჲთა რ(ომე)ლი სცავს ყ(ოვე)ლთა მოშ(ი)შთა მ(ი)სთა და წარმოჳმართ(ე)ბს მოყოჳარეთა სახელისა მისისათა ყ(ოვე)ლთა ს(ა)ქმ(ე)
2. თა კ(ე)თ(ი)ლთა ამის წ(მი)დისა ს(ა)მ(ე)ბ(ი)სა სარწმოჳნოვებ(ი)თა და მ(ეო)ხ(ე)ბ(ი)თა წ(მი)დისა დ(ე)დოფლისა ჩ(უე)ნისა ღ(მრ)თ(ი)სმშობ(ე)ლისაჲთა მ(ა)დლითა წ(მი)დ(ა)ჲსა ძ(ე)ლისაცხოვრებისაჲ
3. თა შეწ(ე)ვნითა და მეოხ(ე)ბ(ი)თა დიდებოჳლისა ნათლი[ს]მცემლისაჲთა და ყ(ოვე)ლთა წმიდაჲთაჲთა რ(ომელ)ნი საოჳკოჳნითგ(ა)ნ სათნო ეყ(უ)ნ(ე)ს ღ(მერ)თსა ამათ ყ(ოვე)ლთა
4. წმიდათა სადიდებ(ე)ლ(ა)დ და საქებ(ე)ლ(ა) იწყ(ე)ს ღ(მრ)თივ გოჳრგოჳნოს(ა)ნთა მ(ე)ფ(თ)ა ჩ(უე)ნთა შ(ე)ნ(ე)ბ(ა)დ ამის წმიდისა ს(ა)ყდრისა რ(ა)თა ამას შ(ი)ნა აღესროჳლებოდიან დღესა
5. სწაოჳლნი და შეიმკვებოდიან ჴსენებ(ა)ნი წმიდათანი ვ(ითარც)ა წერილ არს ჴსენებასაწმიდათასა ეზიარებოდ(ე)თ ამათ ყ(ოვე)ლთა წმიდათა სოჳრვილითა
6. ამათ დიდეოჳ[ლ]თა მ(ე)ფ(ე)თა ჩ(უე)ნთა ოჳშოჳრვ(ე)ლ ყ(უ)ნენ საფას(ე)ნი წარმავ(ა)ლნი წარ[ო]ჳვალისა მ(ი)სთოჳის რ(ა)თა ყ(ოველ)ნი წმიდანი შემწ(ე)დ მოიგნენ და ღმერთმან შ(ეე)წ(იე)ნ ორთავე
7. ცხოვრებ(ა)თა ძ(ე)თა ღ(მრ)თ(ი)ვ კოჳრთხეოჳლისა ადარნასე კოჳრაპალატისატა ბ(ა)გრ(ა)ტ ერისთავთა ერისთ(ა)ვმ(ა)ნ დავით მაგისტროსმ(ა)ნ სამებამ(ა)ნ წმიდამან
8. სამნივე დაიფარენ მორჯოჳენითა თ(ჳ)სითა და ა(დი)დ(ე)ნ ორთავე ცხორებ(ა)თა და მე გრიგოლ ღირს მყო ღ(მრერთმა)ნ მსახოჳრებ(ა)სა ამას მ(ა)თსა ღ(მრ)თისა მიმართ და მე ვიყ
9. ავ სა[ქ]მესა ზ(ედ)ა-მ[დ]გომი და არწმოჳნა ღ(მერთმა)ნ გონებასა მ(ა)თსა ერთ-გოჳლობაჲ ჩ(ე)მი მ(ო)ნისა მ(ა)თისაჲ ესე იყო გალატოზთა და მოქმედთა მიზდი და აზავერთა მექოჳიშე
10. თაჲ რ(ომე)ელ წელიწადსა წარეგების დრამაჲ :კ: ათასი ღოჳინოჲ ფ(ისო)სი :ჭ: რკინაჲ ლიტრი :ნ: ხოჳარბალი გრივი :ს:მ:ი: გალატოზი და ხო[ჳ]როჲ და მჭედელი რ(ომე)[ლმა]რადის შ(უ)რებო
11. და ჲ:ი: ჴ(ა)რი რ(ომ)ელ ქვასა კრ(ე)ბდა :ლ: ჯორი და სხ(უ)აჲ აზავერი რ(ომე)ლ გრიგოჳლ-წმიდით სპონდიკსა კრ(ე)ბდა :ლ: სხოჳაჲ აზავერი რ(ომე)ლ [-] [კრ(ე)]ბდა :ჲ: [-]
12. ჲდა [-] [ყი]ერი და მოქმედი :პ:[18]

## Gallery[edit]

* Oshki (963-973), interior, looking east into the main apse

* Oshki (963-973), south porch

* Oshki (963-973), church of St John the Baptist, south facade

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b Ошки — грузинский средневековый монастырь (ныне на северо востоке Турции), один из духовно религиозных и культурных центров Грузии. Грандиозный собор (окончен между 958 и 961) трёхапсидное купольное здание, украшенное аркатурой, резными… (Encyclopaedic Dictionary)
2. ^ a b The real and ideal Jerusalem in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic art: studies in honor of Bezalel Narkiss on the occasion of his seventieth birthday; Bianca Kühnel, Bezalel Narkiss
3. ^ a b The Encyclopedia Americana. Grolier. January 21, 1985. ISBN 9780717201167.
4. ^ a b Eastmond, Antony (January 21, 2004). Art and Identity in Thirteenth-century Byzantium: Hagia Sophia and the Empire of Trebizond. Ashgate/Variorum. ISBN 9780754635758.
5. ^ a b Bread and ashes:a walk through the mount ains of Georgia Tony Anderson
6. ^ a b OSHKI, World Monument Fund
7. ^ Proceedings of the 21st International Congress of Byzantine Studies: London, 21-26 August, 2006, Volume 1 page.301
8. ^ Art of the medieval world: architecture, sculpture, - Page 155, by George Zarnecki – 1975
9. ^ Jones, Lynn (January 1, 2007). Between Islam and Byzantium: Aght'amar and the Visual Construction of Medieval Armenian Rulership. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 9780754638520.
10. ^ Навстречу Пушкину через Эрзурум, Vokrug sveta geographic magazine, 2009
11. ^ ОШКИ — грузинский средневековый монастырь (на территории Турции). Грандиозный собор (окончен между 958 и 961) с рельефным декором и росписью (1036). … (Modern Encyclopaedia)
12. ^ ОШКИ — - грузинский средневековый монастырь (ныне на территории Турции), один из культурных центров Грузии. Грандиозный собор (окончен между 958 и 961); трехапсидное купольное здание, украшенное аркатурой, резными наличниками, рельефными… (Big Encyclopaedic Dictionary)
13. ^ Ошки — грузинский средневековый монастырь (ныне на северо востоке Турции); один из культурных центров феодальной Грузии. Грандиозный собор (окончен между 958 и 961, архитектор Григол): в плане триконх с капеллами по сторонам каждой конхи;… (Encyclopaedia of art)
14. ^ Levan Menabde, Centres of ancient Georgian culture, 1968.
15. ^ Rapp, Stephen H. (2012). Caucasia and the second Byzantine Commonwealth : Byzantinization in the context of regional coherence. National Council for Eurasian and East European Research. OCLC 860797903.
16. ^ V.Silogava, K.Shengelia, Tao-Klarjeti, Caucasus University, Tbilisi 2006, p. 186, ISBN 999 40-861-7-0
17. ^ Merab Chukhua, Georgin-Circassian-Abkhaz Etymological Researches [მერაბ ჩუხუა, ქართულ-ჩერქეზულ-აფხაზური ეტიმოლოგიური ძიებანი] — Tbilisi, 2017. — p. 101, ISBN 9789941461743
18. ^ a b M. Brosset, Inscriptions géorgiennes et autres recueillies par le P. Nerses Sargisian, Mékhitariste de S.Lazare, et expliquées par M.Brosset; Mémoires de l'Académie impériale des sciences de St.Pétersbourg, VII ser., t. VIII, no.10 (S.-Petersbourg, 1864), стр.1-24
19. ^ Wachtang Djobadze – Georgian monasteries of early medieval period in historical Tao, Klarjeti and Shavsheti = ადრეული შუა საუკუნეების ქართული მონასტრები ისტორიულ ტაოში, კლარჯეთსა და შავშეთში / Editor – M.Lordkipanidze. — Tb.:Universal, 2007. — 346 p. — ISBN 978-99940-61-11-2

## External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Oshki.

* Virtualtao-klarjeti.com – Oshki, Oshki scriptorium and refectory;
* Leila Khuskivadze, Georgian-Byzantine relations on the example of tao-Klarjeti relief sculptures, In Proceedings of the 21st International Congress of Byzantine StudiesProceedings of the 21st International Congress of Byzantine Studies, International Congress of Byzantine Studies, London, 21–26 August 2006, P. 300-301, ISBN 0-7546-5740-X., Google Books
* Speaking Monuments: Oshkavank, Armenian Public TV

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* Metekhi
* Nabakhtevi
* Niabi
* Noste
* Pavnisi
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* Samtsevrisi
* Saorbisi
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* Tsirkoli
* Tskhinvali
* Tsromi
* Urbnisi
* Urtkhva
* Usaneti
* Vaka
* Vere
* Zemo Nikozi (Archangel, Deity)

Tbilisi

* Anchiskhati
* Betania
* Betlehemi
* Kldisubani
* Lurji
* Metekhi
* Narikala
* Tbilisi Sioni

Armenia|

* List of churches

Azerbaijan|

* List of churches

Bulgaria|

* Petritsoni

Cyprus|

* Gialia

Greece|

* Iviron

Israel|

* Monastery of the Cross

North Caucasus|

* Alby-Yerdy
* Datuna Church
* Tkhaba-Yerdy

Turkey|

* List of churches

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