The Particulars of the Numeric Proportions of the Ground Plan of the Basilica of Eski-Kermen

Abstract

This paper presents the results of the research of the planning structure of the basilica of the Early Byzantine castle and mediaeval town located on the plateau of Eski-Kermen in the mountainous area of the Crimea (late sixth to the late thirteenth century). In the eleventh or twelfth century, three polyhedral apses with pilasters typical of the Middle Byzantine cross-inscribed churches were added to the eastern part of the basilica, thus greatly changing the appearance of the original basilica, which reconstruction now causes certain difficulties. However, it is quite obvious that this structure belonged to the same type of basilicas featuring the nave and two aisles, one narthex, wooden raftering, and most probably one semi-circular or faceted apse. The designers of the basilicas of Cherson and Eski-Kermen most likely used the system of numerical proportions, uncovered by an architect and architectural historian Hans Buchwald. Although the ground plan of the basilica of Eski-Kermen contains numerical proportions of all three variants of the proportional system of the basilicas of Chersonese, it is not possible to attribute the basilica of Eski-Kermen to one of the said variants. Its central part, or naos (1:1 o.c./cl.) corresponds proportionally to the “shortened” basilicas of Chersonese (3rd variant of the proportional system). However, the proportions of the naos with the apse or narthex (2:3 cl./o.c.) are comparable with the basilicas of Chersonese with “medium” proportions (2nd variant). It is related to the enlarged volumes of its chancel and narthex. Although the set of numerical proportions of the basilica of Eski-Kermen is individual, almost all of them have analogies in the early Byzantine architecture of basilicas, especially in Chersonese, the administrative and religious centre of the south-western Crimea. The specificity of the planning structure of the basilica of Eski-Kermen are explained, primarily, by its small size and the need to extend the space of the chancel and narthex. The possibility of combining numerical proportions in the building of basilicas indicates that the set of these proportions was not strictly regulated, so they were chosen according to the specific conditions and needs.