The identification problem of the animal image in the relief of the church of Saint Theodore in Anacopia fortress (Abkhazia)

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Keywords:
Christianity, Christian art, Anacopia fortress, Abkhazia, New Athos, Cappadocia, the Church of Saint Theodore, semantic analysis, solar signs, boar image, the image of a lion

Main Article Content

D. V. Shevchenko
Institute of the International Education of Heihe University, Heihe (People's Republic of China)
Email: she-danil@yandex.ru

Abstract

The semantics of early Christian images is the syncretic sociocultural phenomenon, consisting of the different mythological patterns and universal symbols. The symbolic language of the Christian art was able to transmit the doctrinal ideas in such a way that even illiterate adepts could understand their essence. However, over time, this language was partially forgotten and turned from a symbolic code into a cipher. This paper is devoted to the identification problem of the zoomorphic image in the relief of the church St. Feodor in Anakopia Fortress (Abkhazia). Taking into account the different details of the image, it can be supposed that the initial and common identification of the animal as the lion in the scientific literature is quite disputable. Many details of the image such as paws, form of ears and eyes, line of breastbone and forked hooves point to a boar (wild pig). The animal image is located between two solar symbols and considering the iconographical, stylistic and mythological analogies referring to the pre-Christian cults, author attempts to reveal the general meaning of the whole composition.

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How to Cite
Shevchenko , D. V. (1). The identification problem of the animal image in the relief of the church of Saint Theodore in Anacopia fortress (Abkhazia). NATIONS AND RELIGIONS OF EURASIA, 12(3-4), 42-51. Retrieved from http://journal.asu.ru/wv/article/view/3492
Issue
Vol 12 No 3-4 (2017): Nations and religions of the Eurasia
Section
RELIGIOUS FACTOR IN THE HISTORY OF ANCIENT AND MEDIUM PEOPLES OF EURASIA
Author Biography

D. V. Shevchenko , Institute of the International Education of Heihe University, Heihe (People's Republic of China)

Кандидат исторических наук, доцент Института международного образования Хэйхэского университета, г. Хэйхэ (Китайская Народная Республика).

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