THE CHURCH OF MADHANE ALEM IN ADI QASHO AND THE DIFFICULTIES OF DATING OF TIGRAY (ETHIOPIA) ROCK-HEWN MONUMENTS
Authors: Клюев С.А. 
Published: January 2022

Датировка скальных памятников - один из наиболее сложных и дискуссионных вопросов, возникающих перед исследователями в процессе изучения истории архитектуры Эфиопии. Основываясь на различных концепциях и подходах, ученые расходятся в датировке отдельных памятников более чем на 300 лет. Так, один и тот же памятник может быть воспринят как относящийся ко времени упадка Аксумского царства VIII- IX вв., угасания культуры или же, напротив, укрепления династии Соломонидов XIV-XV вв., времени создания множества новых храмов с богатым декором. Одним из памятников, датировка которого остается спорной, является скальная церковь Медхане Алем в Ади Кешо (Тыграй). Автор статьи, сопоставляя различные факты, прежде всего обращаясь к особенностям резного декора и архитектурного плана церкви, предлагает свое обоснование датировки храма второй половиной XIV - первой половиной XV в.

The dating of rock-hewn churches is one of the most complicated and controversial issues facing researchers in the process of studying the history of Ethiopian architecture. Based on various concepts and approaches, scientists differ in the dating of monuments for more than 300 years. Thus, D. R. Buxton dated the rock-hewn church of Madhane Alem in Adi Qasho to the end of the 10-11centuries, D. Phillipson determines the time of its creation to the period up to the 10th century, and M. Gervers and E. Fritsch note that the structure of the maqdas of the church indicates a later date of creation, but do not specify it. The purpose of this article is to determine the dating of the rock-hewn church of Madhane Alem in Adi Qasho. Legendary information reports that the church of Adi Qasho, like some others (Mikael Baraka, Maryam Hibiito) in Tigray, was founded by Abuna Abreham, a saint who lived in 1350-1425. The layout of the church combines the principles of both traditional basilicas with two aisles, which became widespread in Ethiopia during the time of the Aksum kingdom, and some signs of the "open-type" basilicas that appeared in Ethiopia, probably in the period from the 14 century. In accordance with the traditions of the architecture of early Ethiopian basilicas, the church at Adi Qasho has the following features: - the vault of the nave is elevated relative to the aisles (in this case, slightly); - an Aksumite frieze runs along the upper part of the nave (with the exception of the east wall); - the maqdas is separated from the naos by a wall with a triumphal arch resting on pilasters; - the vault and the eastern wall of the maqdas form the apse with semi-dome. However, in the maqdas there are no pastophoria which are characteristic of early Ethiopian basilicas. Gervers and Fritsch draw parallels between the Adi Qasho church and the famous cruciform church of Beta Giyorgis at Lalibela (according to their dating from the 15 century), which also does not have pastophoria in the maqdas area. The church of Adi Qasho has some features of the decoration and the layout in common with the basilicas of "opentype", especially the rock-hewn church of Maryam Dabra Tsion. The U-shaped narthex presumably derives from the churches of the Lasta region: in the churches with an ambulatory (Abba Libanos at Lalibela and Zoz Amba Giyorgis), and the later "open-type" basilicas in Tigray: Yesus Archnao and Maryam Dabra Tsion. The facade solution of a four-pillar portico at the church also finds possible prototypes in the Lasta region in churches with colonnades: Madhane Alem at Lalibela, Gannata Maryam, Kankanet Mikael. Exploring the carved decoration of the Adi Qasho church, one can find a characteristic resemblance to the decoration of the church of Maryam Dabra Tsion (the paintings are stylistically dated to the turn of the 14th-15th centuries), and in particular, to the richly decorated ornamental carving of Abuna Abreham’s cell, which is connected to the church by the ambulatory. The Cupola and walls of this cell have the following decorations: diamond-shaped caissons (in Madhane Alem, they are located in the vault of the central bay in the northern aisle); a cross with four accented squares between its bars (in Madhane Alem - in the vault of the nave); multifaceted cross with ornamental filling; another geometric compositions consisting of squares. Carved crosses in the interior of the church are also stylistically dated to the 14th-15th centuries. Two crosses on high shafts are carved on pilasters in the span of the triumphal arch. Paired crosses are also known in earlier churches, but their location in the maqdas area finds parallels with the church of Maryam Dabra Tsion. Is it possible that the image of paired crosses flanking the triumphal arch may be related to the rejection at the middle of the 14th century of the previously used wooden altar barriers with columns decorated with paired crosses. Shallow triple niches (in the western parts of the southern and northern walls) and six niches in the western wall are carved in the naos of the church. Similar niches with images of saints decorated the walls of the church Maryam Dabra Tsion and of the church Yesus Archnao, probably a little earlier. The upper limit of the dating of the monument can be determined by the presence of abundant traces of soot, which can be evidence of the destructive invasion of Ahmad Gran’s jihadists, which destroyed many churches and church relics in Ethiopia in the thirties of the 16th century; likewise, the style of the corner beams of perspective frames of doorways leading from the narthex to the naos. Their form from the second half of the 15th century changes from cubic to round-headed. These factors make it possible to designate the upper limit of dating to the middle of the 15th century, i.e. approximately until 1450. Probably, the creators of the church tried to unite in the monument both the local traditions of the basilica architecture and the new trends that came from the political center of the country. The features of the layout of the church, particular qualities of its maqdas demonstrate close creation date of the Adi Qasho church and the basilica of Maryam Dabra Tsion. Thus, the most plausible dating is close to the legendary information, namely 1370-1450.