106
Substructure under the Northern Building of Former Pantokrator Church: Another
Restoration work in the city yielded an important substructure under
the north building of the
Famous Pantokrator of Istanbul. This substructure is in basilical form and has some burials in it.
Church at Ayvansaray on the ruins of so-called Anemas Dungeon: A Small and only a little part
left church ruin was discovered in 2009 on the ruins of Anemas Dungeon in the ancient Blakherna
Region of Istanbul. It must have been made after 1100 which was the construction date of Anemas.
Cross-in Square Church Substructure at K. M. Paşa: It was discovered by H. F. Yılmaz and
briefly mentioned in a journal of Vakıflar in Istanbul.This late Byzantine Substructure was used as a
cistern and its discovery become a big contribution to the Archaeology of Byzantine İstanbul.
Middle Byzantine Structure in the District of Eminönü: Located on the Alay Köşkü
Caddesi(Avenue) near Sultanahmet next to a Hotel called Albion. Three
horse-shoe shaped arches
resting on three in situ columns probably date to Middle Byzantine. Intercolumnium was walled
up and this wall has concealed brick technique which is another proof of Middle Byzantine date.
Frescoes in the Martyrion of Sts. Karpos and Papylos: Those frescoes are St.Demetrius, Christ
Pantocrator and four Seraphims and circular inscription frieze surrounding the image of Christ. They
were published incompletely and hastily by a Polish Scholars in 2010. Ayça Bego from İstanbul was
another one who saw all these frescoes but none was able to identify them
properly and none was
able to have the inscription deciphered. Circular inscription around the image of Christ is verse from
Psalms 102/19-20 and it reads ‘’The LORD looked down from his sanctuary on high from heaven he
viewed
the earth, to hear the groans of the prisoners and release those condemned to death.”
Two more frescoes and some sculptural pieces from Istanbul: One of the frescoes came to light
in the Zeyrek Camii of former Pantokrator Church.It was plastered in the ottoman time so was not
visible. Located in the north-east corner of the south aisle of the building and when the plaster was
removed it became visible. Impossible to identify it as it was badly
damaged besides it has some
indentations for its later plastering. Second fresco is much better preserved and almost intact. It was
found behind late Ottoman Wall in the western wall of the narthex of Libos Monastery which is
currently the Mosque of Fenari İsa. This Fresco depicts a warrior saint but
as there is no writing or
any inscription so we are not able to identify it.
In 16
th
C Bath of Hürrem we found some pieces of architectural sculptural mainly from the
2
nd
C BC and all deposited in Museum of Vakıflar. They may have been pieces from ancient pagan
temples of Byzantium once stood near the location of this Ottoman Bath.