Encircling Inscriptions in Early Byzantine and Carolingian Sacral Buildings
Caroline Schärli
Monumental inscriptions in late antique and early medieval churches are predominantly recognised – by medievalists general as well art historians particular textual sources clarifying the historical context, or analysed philologically poetical testimonials. Apart from some exceptions, scholars have scarcely noted until now that not only figurative images but also monumental sometimes constitute an integral outstanding part of buildings’ decoration. Especially prominent, for most imperial, sacral buildings which were already very significant epoch their construction e.g. church Sts. Sergius Bacchus Constantinople Palatine Chapel Aachen we find capitalised, single-lined epigrams surround churches’ interiors are, formal conception content materiality, strongly interwoven with architecture. These encircling extremely elaborate different ways: highly sophisticated prestigious works on one hand, poems other. With linear arrangement, they a special category inscriptions, possessing specific qualities eminent visual symbolic potential.
Utrecht studies in medieval literacy