On the borders of East Turkey, on the border of Armenia, the ruins of Ani testify to a multicultural past of a rare historical density. Former capital of the Armenian kingdom of the Bagratides, the city has seen 23 civilizations succeed one another and retains visible traces of its religious, commercial and strategic influence. Long forgotten, a major piece of this heritage has just been revealed to the public: a stone bas-relief representing Jesus Christ exhumed in 1892, but preserved in the reserves of the Kars Archaeological Museum for more than a century.
A rediscovery expected in the silence of a museum
Long ignored by the public, a major sculpted work has therefore just joined the windows of the Kars, Turkey Archeology and Ethnography Museum. Discovered in 1892 by the Russian archaeologist Nikolai Yarkovlevich Marr, during his excavations in the ruins of the medieval city of Ani, this engraved stone representing Jesus Christ had never been exhibited before. Today it is one of the central elements of the temporary exhibition “Ani'nin Hikayesi” (L’Histoire d'Anin). It is organized as part of the national program “100+2 temporary exhibitions” of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Hakim Aslan, interim director of the museum, underlines the importance of this heritage revelation at the press agency Anadolu. “This bas-relief is one of the most precious objects we have. Not only by its artistic quality, but also for its historical value ”. He also specifies that of the 244 objects presented, 196 had never been shown to the public before.
The relief, sculpted in stone, shows a frontal representation of Christ. He crumbled majestically, flanked by two soldiers with offerings. Under his feet is a saint whose face is finely engraved. The whole testifies to a high level of artistic mastery, typical of the Armenian tradition of the Middle Ages.
Held for over 130 years in the museum's reserves, the bas-relief had, until recently, benefited from any public enhancement. Its current exhibition thus gives unprecedented visibility to a work which has remained in the shadows despite its religious and cultural importance. It is part of a broader dynamic of valuation of the Ani site and its forgotten heritage treasures.
A work of Christ anchored in the Armenian golden age of Ani
The bas-relief of Jesus Christ recently exposed is not limited to his artistic interest. It is anchored in a specific historical moment, that of the apogee of the city of Ani under the Armenian dynasty of the Bagratides. The latter constitute a medieval Armenian dynasty which reigned over Ani, the prosperous capital of the kingdom between 961 and 1045. The specialists then estimated the creation of the bas-relief between the 11th and 12th century. Either at the heart of a period when Sacred Armenian art reached exceptional refinement.
At that time, Ani was not only a religious center. But it also constituted a high place of political and commercial power. Capital of the Armenian kingdom from 961 to 1045, the city radiated by its religious buildings, its imposing ramparts, its bridges and its urban infrastructure. The sculpture of Christ is part of this inheritance, illustrating the importance of sacred figuration and iconography in public space.
The work represents a rare testimony of the technique of figurative high relief, developed in the ecclesiastical architecture of Ani. The style indicates a probable integration into a larger setting. Perhaps on the facade of a church or near a tympanum, now disappeared or ruined. Its frontal character, the sculpted throne, the offerings of the soldiers and the presence of the saint below are elements typical of the Armenian visual liturgy.
This work also confirms the role of Ani as a spiritual crossroads. Eastern Christian traditions, Byzantine influences, and local innovations met there. Through this fragment of stone, it is a whole era of monumental religious creation which resurfaces. He recalls the importance of the city in the history of Christianity in Anatolia and in the Caucasus.
Ani, a collapsed crossroads of a multicultural world
The UNESCO World Heritage Archaeological Site classified as World Heritage, is located in the province of Kars, on the border of Turkey and Armenia. It is a silent witness to a succession of 23 civilizations, from the time of the Urarteens to that of the Seldjoukids. The latter are a Turkish dynasty of Oghouze origin having founded a powerful Islamic empire in the 11th century in the Middle East. Ani's geopolitical importance comes mainly from its strategic position. It is located at the junction of the Caucasus, the eastern Anatolia and the caravan roads of the Silk Road.
Arkeonews Recalls that the city was taken by the Islamic armies in 643. Then it became the capital of the Bagratides before being integrated into the Byzantine Empire. Before finishing conquered by Alp Arslan, the Sultan Seldjoukid, in 1064. This plurality of political dominations was obviously accompanied by a religious and architectural abundant in the region.
Even today, visitors can observe around twenty major structures preserved. Note: cathedrals, mosques, monasteries, bridges, fortifications. And a large underground system comprising nearly 1,500 troglodyte structures spread over five valleys. These vestiges reveal considerable urban density. According to the accounts of medieval travelers, the city has counted up to 150,000 inhabitants at its peak. The exhibition of the bas-relief is therefore part of a wider rediscovery of a site at the crossroads of Christian, Islamic and oriental cultures.
New excavations and heritage issues around Ani
Beyond the museum exhibition, it is an active revival of archaeological research which is underway on the Ani site. Last June, a new excavation program was launched under the direction of Professor Muhammet Arslan, head of the Art History Department at the University of Caucasus (Kaü). This campaign is scheduled for twelve months, including six months in land and six months of documentation and conservation.
The work is concentrated around three major poles: the Seldjouk bazaar, the large public baths and the Ebu'l Manuçehr mosque. It is considered the first mosque built in Anatolia after the Seljuk victory of Manzikert in 1071. According to Arslan, “These areas are essential to understand the second period of prosperity in Ani, marked by the arrival of Seldjoukids and the cultural transformation of the city. »»
The mosque, with its finely sculpted geometric patterns, its minaret at 99 steps also used as a watchtower, constitutes a remarkable example of primitive Islamic architecture in Anatolia. Arslan insists: “We are not only trying to preserve. But we seek to understand and contextualize the evolution of Ani through its different cultural phases ». This integrated approach aims to make Ani a living laboratory of historical, religious and architectural research. And open to the scientific community and to the general public.
With an unwavering passion for local news, Christopher leads our editorial team with integrity and dedication. With over 20 years’ experience, he is the backbone of Wouldsayso, ensuring that we stay true to our mission to inform.
