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Diana Kosseva Toteva
Historical Museum, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria;
diana_toteva@abv.bg
Constantinople Chapitels from Excavations in Veliko Tarnovо
In Bulgaria there are not so many chapiters with figural images of saints. Our attention is
focused on some of them from the Late Byzantium period. They are made from marble and found
during archaeological excavations in the medieval capital city of Bulgaria – Tarnovo (1185-1393).
The study of different in nature sculptural monuments or architectural details, found during
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archaeological expeditions, is difficult mostly because it does not always involve reliable information
about their overall appearance and in many cases their exact place in the church or secular interior
remain unknown.
The first chapiter is tetrahedral, with multi figure composition and origin from the Palace of
Tsarevets Fortress. What is interesting about it is its iconography. In the place of the angular edges
between the walls are arranged figures of archangels in full height. In his right hand the archangel
hold sphere and in his left – probably labarium. In the middle, over one of the chapiter’s walls is
situated considerably bigger half-length figure of saint-martyr. In his right hand he holds a cross in
front of his chests and the left palm is facing forward in prayer gesture. On the neighboring wall,
between the wings of the two archangels, situated in the angular edges, there is a medallion in a
round frame. The disposition of the saint–martyr is identical to several images of warrior saints
from similar chapiters in Cluny Museum and the Archaeological Museum in Istanbul. They are all
represented with one hand turned in prayer gesture with the palm facing forward and the other
holding sword.
A Chapiter with similar form and decoration is discovered during the excavations of the Great
Lavra “St. 40 Martyrs “in Veliko Tarnovo. The presented image is of a half-length young warrior
saint wearing a scaly cuirass and cloak. He is holding a spear in his right hand, leaning on his left
shoulder, and with his left hand clutching a sword handle in front of his chests. The images on the
chapiter are located on adjacent walls while on the other two walls are situated medallions with
ornamental decoration or crosses
Another small tetrahedral chapiter with an image of a warrior is discovered during excavations
of the Patriarchal Church “Ascension of Christ”. Only the bottom part of a half-length figure of a
warrior is preserved. He is wearing scaly cuirass, holding sword handle in his left hand and in his
right – a spear, leaning on his left shoulder.
The reviewed chapiters with figural images of saints are made in Constantinople atelier in the 14
th
century which production is preserved in one of the most significant churches in Byzantine capital city
– Church of the Holy Savior in Chora, the church “Pammakaristos”, Church “Theotokos Kyriotissa”
and the monastery of Constantine Lipps alongside with chapiters stored in the Cluny Abbey.
But the question how these chapiters actually reached Tarnovo still stands. The fact that
the chapiters are discovered in architectural complexes suggest that the most probable scenario
are specific orders, executed in Constantinople and delivered to the Bulgarian capital city in the
early decades of the 14
th
century for the construction of secular and church buildings. Another
possibility of gaining such works of a monumental sculpture to Tarnovo is that they were brought as
trophies from demolished, abandoned or looted buildings in the territory of Byzantine settlement
network (in contemporary borders of South Bulgaria or The Black Sea coast). Of course the specific
dating associated with the atelier, which has provided services in Constantinople in the beginning
of the 14
th
century, rather supports the first possibility. Their function should be connected with
the decoration of certain interior parts, ordered by their donors, such as annexes, tombs, entrances,
galleries and etc.
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