Katinka Sewing

This article is a preliminary publication as part of my upcoming dissertation. I would like to thank the organizers
of the Fifth International Sevgi Gönül Byzantine Studies Symposium for the opportunity to promote
my PhD project and my work on the pilgrimage church in Pamucak. My special thanks go to my advisers,
Prof. Stephan Westphalen and Prof. Thekla Schulz-Brize, for their constant support and to the head of the
Ephesus excavation, Sabine Ladstätter, for entrusting me with this exciting project. My thanks go also to
Franz Fichtinger, Katharina Sahm, Sophie Schlosser, and Volkan Topal for their support on site. I am also
very grateful that Prof. H. Hellenkemper made his precious documents on the pilgrimage church in Pamucak
available to me. I was also very happy to work with Dr. Jürgen Süß on the visualization of the pilgrimage
site in Pamucak.

The paper presents the results of the first systematic architectural survey of a monumental Late Antique building complex in the eastern city center of Limyra. It has formerly been identified as the Bishop’s Palace. This interpretation must be rejected, however. Layout, architectural features and extant elements of furnishing
clearly point to a huge Late Antique bath complex – the South Baths of Limyra. In its first phase as a thermae, it conformed to the distinctive arrangement of row type baths, which were very popular in Lycia
throughout antiquity. Subsequently, the building has been substantially enlarged and monumentalized. Several building phases may be distinguished. The phases related to the construction and enlargement of the baths can be roughly dated to the 5th/6th century A.D. The dimensions and complexity of the building are exceptional when compared with other baths newly constructed in Asia Minor during Late Antiquity. This makes the South Baths in Limyra an important case study for the understanding of the architecture of baths in Lycia and Asia Minor. It also underlines the importance of Limyra in Late Antiquity.

Besides the well-known progress of pilgrimage sites in Asia Minor as slowly grown complexes, another alternative occurs: Pre-planned and large-scaled church complexes, detached from a longstanding religious context. A neglected pilgrim church in Ephesus from the 5th century documents this phenomenon. The ruins of the imposing building are situated outside the city center on the top of a hill, overlooking the sea and the harbor canal. Its unique construction was built under high efforts: Besides a two-storied substructure for the church, the complex contains a huge crypt, completely carved into the rock.
The question arouses, for which reasons this building has been erected? Why was exactly this place chosen if there was no cult continuity before? And how did the pilgrims and with them the transportation of religious ideas affect the economic structure of the region?
It is possible that a translation of relics was the occasion for building this structure. By choosing this specific landmark it was possible to combine economic benefits with religious ideas. The site was ideal to land big ships, carry pilgrims to the pilgrimage church and to change to smaller ships. In this case, the landmark could be defined retrospectively as a mythological-religious space. Enlightening these questions will help to understand the sacred topography of Byzantine Ephesus and of Christian pilgrimage in Asia Minor.

Studying late antique pilgrimage churches has always been a popular
research topic in Christian Archaeology. Especially in recent years,
various researchers have set new priorities and accents so that we could
gain a good understanding of pilgrimage itself and its destinations. In
many cases, pilgrimage centers could be identified by written sources,
inscriptions, or small finds such as high numbers of pilgrim bottles. But
how can pilgrimage churches be identified where such sources are not
available? In these cases, architectural and topographical indicators can
be used which can lead to an identification. The combination of these
markers does not follow a common pattern but are highly individual for
each site. These markers were first described by Jürgen Christern in 1976
and can be specified and extended today. One basic principle, which
appears frequently, is the height staggering of different building parts to
create a representative and likewise dramatic effect for visitors. To
overcome these differences in height, interlaced staircases were erected
to further enhance the effect. At the same time, the staircases were part
of a sophisticated pilgrims guidance system that enabled large crowds of
people to visit a pilgrimage shrine along orderly paths and to reach the
pilgrimage church’s holy center.
Based on the example of the pilgrimage church at the harbor canal of
Ephesus, the lecture will look at various pilgrimage sanctuaries in Asia
Minor and the surrounding area to analyze the architectural use of
staircases and its meanings as an indicator for identifying pilgrimage
churches. By looking more closely on staircases of pilgrimage churches
it becomes clear that these stairs were not only a means to an end, but
on the contrary a significant part of the pilgrimage experience.

A newly discovered pilgrimage church in Ephesus and its interaction with its religious center.

Besides the progress of pilgrimage sites as over centuries grown complexes, another alternative occurs: Pre-planned and large-scaled church buildings, detached from a longstanding religious context. A previously neglected pilgrimage church in Ephesus from the early 5th century documents this phenomenon in an outstanding way. The ruins of the former imposing building are situated outside the city center on the top of a hill, overlooking the sea and the harbor canal. Its unique construction was built under high efforts: A three-aisled basilica was erected on the hill with a two-storied gallery as its substructure. Underneath the basilica is a huge crypt, completely carved into the rock. These elements of the building are each connected by large staircases for the pilgrims to reach the crypt as its sacral as well as constructional center.
The question arouses, for which reasons this building has been erected? Why was exactly this place chosen if there was no cult continuity before? How did the pilgrims affect the economic as well as the sacral structure of the region? And how did the interaction of this more remote location with the main attractions of the city work?
With the interdisciplinary methods of both, historical building research and archaeology, also regarding the historical context, it is possible to answer these questions. Solely the extraordinary architecture of the building points to an interpretation as a pilgrimage church. By choosing this specific landmark it was possible to combine economic benefits with religious ideas. This pilgrimage church was part of a network of churches within Ephesus to solicit for pilgrims. One function was to highlight the whole pilgrimage experience with famous St. John`s as its major destination. The site was ideal to land ships, welcome pilgrims to the pilgrimage church, and use the gathering to organize their stay in Ephesus. After erecting the building complex for mainly strategical reasons, the landmark could be defined retrospectively as a mythological-religious space. Within the network, this church had to represent the status of Christian Ephesus as its first building to be seen from the sea. Enlightening these questions will help to understand the sacred topography of Byzantine Ephesus and of Christian pilgrimage in Asia Minor.

Besides the well-known progress of pilgrimage sites in Asia Minor as slowly grown complexes, another alternative occurs: Pre-planned and large-scaled church complexes, detached from a longstanding religious context. A neglected pilgrim church in Ephesus from the 5th century documents this phenomenon. The ruins of the imposing building are situated outside the city center on the top of a hill, overlooking the sea and the harbor canal. Its unique construction was built under high efforts: Besides a two-storied substructure for the church, the complex contains a huge crypt, completely carved into the rock.
The question arouses, for which reasons this building has been erected? Why was exactly this place chosen if there was no cult continuity before? And how did the pilgrims and with them the transportation of religious ideas affect the economic structure of the region?
Regarding the archaeological records, the architectural reconstruction as well as the historical context, the interpretation of the building as an important pilgrim church appears quite clear. It is likely possible that a translation of relics might have been the occasion for building this structure. By choosing this specific landmark it was possible to combine economic benefits with religious ideas. The site was ideal to land big ships, carry pilgrims to the pilgrimage church and to change to smaller ships. In this case the landmark could be defined retrospectively as a mythological-religious space. Enlightening these questions will help to understand the sacred topography of Byzantine Ephesus and of Christian pilgrimage in Asia Minor.

The starting point of my PhD-project is the analysis of a huge ecclesiastical building complex at the Aegean coast near Ephesus. Although it is well preserved the building has not attracted scholarly attention so far. The peculiar layout of the complex, its decoration, and associated finds unmistakably point to an interpretation as an important pilgrim church and various facilities connected to it.
The first aim of my project is a comprehensive study of the building complex based on methods of both archaeology and historical building research. Due to the good state of preservation of the building, this will enhance our knowledge of construction techniques and the layout of late antique churches and of pilgrim centers in Asia Minor. A further goal is the interpretation of the site itself: The church has to be put in its topographical as well as its historical context. This will also help to better understand the dating of the church complex. In this context, I will also examine the development of the pilgrim church, its connection to the city and its relation to the other, well-known and popular pilgrimage sites of Ephesus. The results will enhance our knowledge of the sacred topography of Christian Ephesus. Answering all these questions will be an important progress not only for this specific project but also for a closer understanding of late antique and byzantine Asia Minor in general.

Im Zentrum meines Dissertationsprojekts steht eine umfassende archäologische sowie bauhistorische Analyse eines großen spätantiken Kirchenkomplexes an der Ägäischen Küste nahe Ephesos. Trotz seines guten Erhaltungszustandes sowie seiner außergewöhnlichen Architektur fand der Bau in der Forschung noch keinerlei Erwähnung. Zahlreiche Anhalts-punkte weisen auf eine Interpretation als eine prominente Pilgerkirche samt Nebengebäuden. Die architektonische Einzigartigkeit des Bauwerks besteht in der „Dreigeschossigkeit“ der Anlage: Zuoberst befindet sich eine auf einem Hügel errichtete dreischiffige Basilika. Darunter trägt ein zweigeschossiger, flurartiger Umgang die Apsis der Kirche. Als eine Art Zwischengeschoss wurde eine große Krypta in den Fels unterhalb des Mittelschiffs der Kirche geschlagen. Kirche, Umgang und Krypta sind sowohl innerhalb als auch außerhalb des Gebäudekomplexes über verschiedene Treppenanlagen miteinander verbunden.
Bislang konnten eine von insgesamt drei geplanten Bauaufnahme-Kampagnen in Ephesos durchgeführt werden. Sowohl der Grundriss als auch ein Aufriss sowie die zeichnerische Aufnahme verschiedener Bauteile wurden angefertigt. Bei der Reinigung des Mittelschiffs wurde ein reicher opus sectile-Boden sowie Reste eines Mosaikbodens entdeckt. Eine erste Einordnung beider Ausstattungsphasen konnte erfolgen. Auch vorläufige Überlegungen zur Rekonstruktion des Baus sowie seiner Bauphasen und Bautechnik wurden angestellt.
Ziel meines Dissertationsprojekts ist eine vergleichende Studie der Gesamtanlage basierend auf den Methoden der Archäologie sowie der historischen Bauforschung. Neben steingerechter Aufnahmen von Grundriss und Aufriss, werden Rekonstruktionszeichnungen des Gebäudekomplexes und seiner Bauphasen die Grundlage der Einordnung des Baus in seinen archäologischen Kontext bilden. Fragen sowohl nach spätantiken Bautechniken als auch zur Architektur kleinasiatischer Kirchen und Pilgerzentren sollen gestellt werden. Darüber hinaus soll die bauliche Entwicklung der Pilgerkirche, ihre Verbindung zu Ephesos Stadt sowie ihre Beziehung zu den anderen ephesischen, wohlbekannten Pilgerstätten untersucht werden. Die Resultate werden das Verständnis der sakralen Topographie des christlichen Ephesos sowie dem spätantiken Kleinasien deutlich erweitern.

The South Baths of Limyra represent an urgent research project since their discovery in the early 1970s. Their interpretation as an episcopeion has always been a controversial discussion, although comprehensive studies have never occurred. There has been a lack of interrelated considerations of historical building research, archaeology and urbanistics with regard to this building complex. It is obvious that a well-founded identification and therefore an appellation of this structure was still absent.
Within the focus of research “Urbanistics in Limyra” during the 2013 and 2014 campaigns, an extensive architectural study was undertaken. At the beginning, the work started with the assumption that this building should be understood as an episcopeion. However, this interpretation had to be revised during the work. Many open questions could be answered, although it should be taken into account that the complex never has been excavated completely. Only a few sondages could be carried out.
Despite that, the new results of the documentation of the building are striking. Already the mere description delivered first results in view of the function of the structure as baths. Preserved fragments of spacer pins in the masonry indicate this interpretation. This type of wall covering is quite typical for Lycian thermal facilities. Moreover, after the preparation of the manually created floor plan, the first phase of the building can be categorized as the so-called row-type, which is very common for Lycian baths. In later phases the baths were doubled in size. Also, for this construction phase most of the functions of the added rooms could be determined.
Furthermore, the relative chronology can be almost completely understood. The absolute chronology, however, is quite difficult to follow.
In summary, there can be found some typical and some atypical elements of Lycian baths in this building complex. The most interesting aspects might be its surprisingly large size and dating in Late Antiquity. This result suggests the ongoing importance of the late Roman city of Limyra.