This document summarizes a doctoral research proposal examining the communal building traditions and cultural heritage preservation efforts in Karelia, located along the Finland-Russia border. The research will analyze case studies of vernacular settlements through archival research and fieldwork to understand how social transformations and preservation initiatives have shaped these historic localities over time. It will also explore the intersections between technology, research, and human experience in heritage preservation. The goal is to reveal communal preservation efforts and produce media and reference materials to support ongoing conservation work in the region.
The Emergence of the “Church history” and the predicament of Orthodox Hierarc...Евгений Лютько
EHS Conferences 2016-17: The Church and Empire (Pollock Halls, University of Edinburgh, 26-28 July 2016) presentation for the paper "The Emergence of the “Church history” and the predicament of Orthodox Hierarchy in the Russian Empire of the early 1800s"
Saints Cyril and Methodius were 9th century Byzantine brothers who created the Glagolitic alphabet, the first alphabet for Slavic languages. They did significant missionary work among Slavic peoples. Today they are celebrated as the "Apostles to the Slavs" and are patron saints of Europe. Their work influenced the cultural development of Slavic cultures and the Cyrillic alphabet is based on their Glagolitic creation. Several countries, especially in Eastern Europe, celebrate Saints Cyril and Methodius Day in their honor.
The Byzantine Empire had its capital in Constantinople and lasted from 330 AD to 1453 AD. It reached its peak in the 6th century under Justinian I. Byzantine art and architecture were heavily influenced by Christianity and featured grand churches like Hagia Sophia with massive domes, intricate mosaics, and icons. The Byzantine Empire declined as the Ottoman Empire rose and eventually conquered Constantinople in 1453, marking the end of the Byzantine era.
The document discusses Byzantine art and how it expressed the values of Byzantine culture. Byzantine art was very religious in nature and followed strict conventions for depicting figures like Jesus and Mary. Artworks used symbolic and abstract styles rather than realistic portrayals. The Hagia Sophia church in Constantinople was a major architectural feat and an important center of Byzantine culture until it was converted to a mosque after the Ottoman conquest in 1453.
Cyril and Methodius were brothers born in Thessaloniki who created the Glagolitic alphabet, the first alphabet for the Slavic languages. In the 9th century, they were sent on a mission to Great Moravia to spread Christianity and translate liturgical texts into Old Church Slavonic. Cyril died in 869 after their mission was successful. Methodius continued their work and faced opposition from German clergy for using Slavic languages in worship, but was later canonized. Their creation of the Glagolitic alphabet and promotion of Slavic languages had a lasting impact on Slavic culture and European history.
The Byzantine Empire lasted from 476 AD to 1453 AD, governed by an autocratic emperor. The most important emperor was Justinian, who reconquered territories around the Mediterranean and codified Roman law. However, later emperors lost these territories, and by the 15th century only Constantinople remained before it fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1453, ending the Byzantine Empire.
Byzantine Christian art from 527-1453 CE reflected the political power of the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Byzantine Empire. Major figures in Byzantine art included the Pantokrator and Theotokos. Mosaics with gold backgrounds depicted these figures and were used to connect earthly rulers to divine power. Monasteries produced illuminated manuscripts and helped spread Orthodox doctrine across the Byzantine regions. Icons were devotional objects that were sometimes destroyed during periods of iconoclasm against religious imagery.
The Emergence of the “Church history” and the predicament of Orthodox Hierarc...Евгений Лютько
EHS Conferences 2016-17: The Church and Empire (Pollock Halls, University of Edinburgh, 26-28 July 2016) presentation for the paper "The Emergence of the “Church history” and the predicament of Orthodox Hierarchy in the Russian Empire of the early 1800s"
Saints Cyril and Methodius were 9th century Byzantine brothers who created the Glagolitic alphabet, the first alphabet for Slavic languages. They did significant missionary work among Slavic peoples. Today they are celebrated as the "Apostles to the Slavs" and are patron saints of Europe. Their work influenced the cultural development of Slavic cultures and the Cyrillic alphabet is based on their Glagolitic creation. Several countries, especially in Eastern Europe, celebrate Saints Cyril and Methodius Day in their honor.
The Byzantine Empire had its capital in Constantinople and lasted from 330 AD to 1453 AD. It reached its peak in the 6th century under Justinian I. Byzantine art and architecture were heavily influenced by Christianity and featured grand churches like Hagia Sophia with massive domes, intricate mosaics, and icons. The Byzantine Empire declined as the Ottoman Empire rose and eventually conquered Constantinople in 1453, marking the end of the Byzantine era.
The document discusses Byzantine art and how it expressed the values of Byzantine culture. Byzantine art was very religious in nature and followed strict conventions for depicting figures like Jesus and Mary. Artworks used symbolic and abstract styles rather than realistic portrayals. The Hagia Sophia church in Constantinople was a major architectural feat and an important center of Byzantine culture until it was converted to a mosque after the Ottoman conquest in 1453.
Cyril and Methodius were brothers born in Thessaloniki who created the Glagolitic alphabet, the first alphabet for the Slavic languages. In the 9th century, they were sent on a mission to Great Moravia to spread Christianity and translate liturgical texts into Old Church Slavonic. Cyril died in 869 after their mission was successful. Methodius continued their work and faced opposition from German clergy for using Slavic languages in worship, but was later canonized. Their creation of the Glagolitic alphabet and promotion of Slavic languages had a lasting impact on Slavic culture and European history.
The Byzantine Empire lasted from 476 AD to 1453 AD, governed by an autocratic emperor. The most important emperor was Justinian, who reconquered territories around the Mediterranean and codified Roman law. However, later emperors lost these territories, and by the 15th century only Constantinople remained before it fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1453, ending the Byzantine Empire.
Byzantine Christian art from 527-1453 CE reflected the political power of the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Byzantine Empire. Major figures in Byzantine art included the Pantokrator and Theotokos. Mosaics with gold backgrounds depicted these figures and were used to connect earthly rulers to divine power. Monasteries produced illuminated manuscripts and helped spread Orthodox doctrine across the Byzantine regions. Icons were devotional objects that were sometimes destroyed during periods of iconoclasm against religious imagery.
Christianity was one of the most popular and well-organized religions in the late Roman Empire. It became tolerated due to its influential followers, though Christians were sometimes persecuted. Churches were built in the early Byzantine and medieval periods, featuring architectural elements like basilicas, apses, naves, and transepts. Byzantine art moved away from realism towards abstract religious symbolism in mosaics and icons. The Middle Ages saw the rise of kingdoms after the Western Roman Empire fell and the development of Christian scripture and Carolingian art under Emperor Charlemagne.
"Romanesque" can be used to cover all derivations of Roman architecture in the West, from the fall of Rome (c.450 CE) until the advent of the Gothic style around 1150. Traditionally, however, the term refers to the specific style of architecture, along with sculpture and other minor arts that appeared across France, Germany, Italy and Spain during the 11th century. Richer and more grandiose than anything witnessed during the era of Early Christian Art, the Romanesque style is characterized by a massiveness of scale, reflecting the greater social stability of the new Millennium, and the growing confidence of the Christian Church in Rome, a Church whose expansionism set in motion the Crusades to free the Holy Land from the grip of Islam. Later, the success of the Crusaders and their acquisition of Holy Relics stimulated further construction of new churches across Europe in the fully fledged Romanesque style of architecture (Norman architecture in Britain and Ireland). In turn this building program produced a huge demand for decorative religious art, including sculpture, stained glass and ecclesiastical metalwork of all types. By the 12th century certain architects and sculptors had become highly sought-after by ecclesiastical and also secular patrons.
Peter the Great sought to modernize and westernize Russia through educational, cultural, and architectural reforms. He established the Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg to promote education based on Western models. Peter also mandated cultural changes like requiring men to shave their beards to look more western. Architecturally, Peter commissioned grand buildings like the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg inspired by foreign styles to symbolize Russia's opening to Western ideas. Through these reforms, Peter transformed Russia and left a lasting legacy still visible today in St. Petersburg's historic monuments and museums.
The document provides details about the 400th anniversary commemoration of Matteo Ricci's death and the history of Christianity in Nanjing, China since Ricci first arrived in the 16th century. It summarizes Ricci's journey from Portugal to China, his missionary work establishing Catholic churches and translating religious texts, and his eventual death and burial in Beijing. It also describes the current state of Christianity in Nanjing, including around 250 churches, 100,000-150,000 believers, and 60-70 ministers.
The Schism of 1054 marked the final split between the Eastern Orthodox Church led by Patriarch Michael Cerularius of Constantinople and the Western Catholic Church led by Pope Leo IX, as they excommunicated each other over issues such as clerical celibacy and the use of unleavened bread in communion. Tensions between the Greek East and Latin West grew over the centuries due to theological differences rooted in Greek philosophy versus Roman law, as well as cultural views where Byzantines saw Latins as uncivilized and Latins criticized the Byzantine tolerance of Muslims. The ambitions of Cerularius coupled with inflexible views
Constantine the Great initiated major changes when he recognized Christianity as the official Roman religion in the 4th century AD. This included moving away from the naturalistic classical style toward a more symbolic style. Figures under Constantine lost individuality and detail, appearing militaristic with crude carving. In contrast, art from the reign of Augustus in the 1st century AD featured natural poses, spatial depth, and shading to depict volume. Mosaics from the Byzantine period after Constantine further developed this symbolic style with gold backgrounds, frontal figures lacking weight, and emphasis on hierarchy and symmetry rather than naturalism.
The document provides an overview of art during the Renaissance and Reformation periods. During the Renaissance, artwork was grand in scale and funded by the Catholic Church. It featured religious scenes and figures. In contrast, Reformation art was simpler and featured moral messages or everyday peasant scenes in response to iconoclasm against Catholic art. The periods influenced each other as new attitudes towards religion changed art patronage and subject matter during a time of political and religious upheaval in Europe.
Art produced in the Byzantine empire (or Eastern Roman Empire)—at its height, a territory that spanned large swaths of the Mediterranean, present-day Turkey, Southern Spain, and Italy—between the 4th and 15th centuries, when it fell to the Ottoman Turks. As the empire's official religion was Orthodox Christianity, Byzantine art was largely devotional, Christian art. Perhaps the best known example of Byzantine art is a tenth-century mosaic of the Virgin Mary in the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul that demonstrates the stylized forms, sharp contours, flat fields of color, and gold mosaic the period is known for.
Christian art developed from biblical stories and imagery found in the New Testament gospels and book of Revelation. Early Christian art was created in underground catacombs. Byzantine art extended the Roman empire's eastern portion and was influenced by Orthodox Christianity, featuring flat, floating figures in frontal orientation with gold backgrounds instead of depth or realism. Justinian I's rule in the 6th century typified the early Byzantine era, suppressing all religions but Christianity and reclaiming western Roman lands. Icons were used devotionally but were banned in iconoclasm; abstraction replaced figural art until icons were restored in 843. Manuscripts and objects like the Vienna Genesis and protective icons like the Virgin of Vladimir displayed the
Peter the Great was a Russian czar from 1682 to 1725 who modernized Russia through widespread reforms. He established Russia as a world power by creating a strong navy and westernizing his army and government. Peter obtained new lands, founded the city of St. Petersburg, and defeated Sweden at the Battle of Poltava, expanding Russian territory. Though a harsh ruler, Peter transformed Russia from a medieval state into a major European empire through cultural, social, and political reforms that established Russia as a modern nation.
Byzantine civilization influenced Russia and Eastern Europe through religion, culture, and trade. The adoption of the Orthodox Church and the Greek alphabet, which became the Cyrillic alphabet, had significant impacts. Prince Vladimir adopted Orthodox Christianity in Russia, which then spread to much of Eastern Europe. Byzantine architecture and art also influenced the region through iconic buildings like St. Sophia in Kiev and St. Basil's in Moscow.
The document provides information on the European Renaissance and Reformation. It describes how the Renaissance began in Italy, fueled by thriving cities, wealthy merchant class, and influence of Greek/Roman classics. The Black Death led to higher wages and more support for arts. Powerful families like the Medici patronized artists. Renaissance ideals spread north as humanism grew and the printing press helped spread ideas. Martin Luther's 95 Theses criticized Catholic Church abuses and sparked the Protestant Reformation, dividing Europe along new religious lines. The Elizabethan era saw England break from Rome under Henry VIII and establish the Church of England.
The document summarizes Byzantine art and design. It discusses how Byzantine art developed from Roman art which was influenced by ancient Greek art. The Byzantine Empire continued the Roman Empire politically. Byzantine art featured religious and imperial themes. Famous examples include the 12th century Christ Pantocrator mosaic in Hagia Sophia and the more abstract 6th century miniatures in the Rabula Gospel. Byzantine art is divided into early, middle, late, and post-Byzantine periods.
- Byzantine art refers to the artistic products of the Byzantine Empire between the 5th and 15th centuries, centered around Constantinople. It was influenced by both Roman and Greek artistic traditions and characterized by Christianity and the Greek language.
- Byzantine art is divided into three periods - Early, Middle, and Late - with the 6th century under Justinian considered the Golden Age. Major works included the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople and mosaics at San Vitale and Sant'Apollinare in Ravenna.
- Byzantine art emphasized abstract, symbolic representations rather than naturalism. Major art forms included icons for religious devotion, illuminated manuscripts, and metalwork and other luxury goods
Peter the Great visited the Netherlands multiple times in the late 17th century to learn about Western shipbuilding, technology, and governance. Inspired by Amsterdam's canal architecture, Peter decided to build a new Russian capital, St. Petersburg, on the Baltic coast. Over the course of his reign and those of subsequent rulers, St. Petersburg grew into a grand European-style city to rival other Western capitals and serve as Russia's window to the West.
The project team visited the monastery of Däbrä Mädḫanit Maryam Qorrar, located in Tämben, Tigray. The monastery has a large collection of manuscripts, with some dating back to the 15th century. Notable manuscripts included a early copy of Senodos and a finely written Gospel book from the 18th century. The collection also contained rare works such as the Book of Ecclesiastes and the Vision of Isaiah. The monastery remains an important center of traditional Orthodox culture in the region.
Peter I the Great was the Tsar and later Emperor of Russia who ruled from 1682 until his death in 1725. He implemented sweeping reforms that modernized Russia and brought it closer to Western culture and traditions. Some of his major achievements included establishing Russia's access to seas and ports, creating a regular army and navy, founding new cities like St. Petersburg, and establishing higher education institutions and the Russian Academy of Sciences. Though his reforms were far-reaching, his rule was also harsh and expanded serfdom and forced labor.
Byzantine art developed out of eastern Roman imperial art and reflected Christian religious themes. It utilized styles like mosaics, icons, and illuminated manuscripts. Major artistic periods included the Early Byzantine era featuring works like the Hagia Sophia and mosaics of Justinian and Theodora, the Iconoclastic controversy which banned religious images, and the Middle Byzantine period when icons were restored. Art was used to convey religious messages and assert political power in monumental church buildings and luxurious objects.
This document defines key terms related to the Byzantine Empire and early Russian history. It includes definitions of icons and iconoclasm in the Byzantine Empire, as well as important figures like Justinian and Theodora. For Russia, it defines the steppe and taiga geographical regions and introduces early rulers like Rurik and Vladimir I, who helped establish Christianity in Kievan Rus. Important political and religious developments in both the Byzantine Empire and early Russia are outlined.
Byzantine art expressed the values of Byzantine culture through religious imagery in a conventionalized style. Artists followed strict rules and used symbolic rather than realistic representations. Mosaics and icons in churches depicted Jesus and Mary in standardized poses and features to convey devotion. The Byzantine Empire declined due to overextension of resources on borders, growing Islamic power, and the sacking of Constantinople by Catholic crusaders in 1204, which devastated the empire.
The document provides an overview of Russian Orthodox church architecture and history over many centuries, from the establishment of Christianity in Kievan Rus in the 10th century to modern reconstructions of churches. It describes the architectural styles and historical significance of several iconic Russian churches and cathedrals located across the country, including structures in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yaroslavl, and Kazan. The text also provides biographical details on important religious figures like Sts. Cyril and Methodius and Princess St. Anna of Kashin.
Christianity was one of the most popular and well-organized religions in the late Roman Empire. It became tolerated due to its influential followers, though Christians were sometimes persecuted. Churches were built in the early Byzantine and medieval periods, featuring architectural elements like basilicas, apses, naves, and transepts. Byzantine art moved away from realism towards abstract religious symbolism in mosaics and icons. The Middle Ages saw the rise of kingdoms after the Western Roman Empire fell and the development of Christian scripture and Carolingian art under Emperor Charlemagne.
"Romanesque" can be used to cover all derivations of Roman architecture in the West, from the fall of Rome (c.450 CE) until the advent of the Gothic style around 1150. Traditionally, however, the term refers to the specific style of architecture, along with sculpture and other minor arts that appeared across France, Germany, Italy and Spain during the 11th century. Richer and more grandiose than anything witnessed during the era of Early Christian Art, the Romanesque style is characterized by a massiveness of scale, reflecting the greater social stability of the new Millennium, and the growing confidence of the Christian Church in Rome, a Church whose expansionism set in motion the Crusades to free the Holy Land from the grip of Islam. Later, the success of the Crusaders and their acquisition of Holy Relics stimulated further construction of new churches across Europe in the fully fledged Romanesque style of architecture (Norman architecture in Britain and Ireland). In turn this building program produced a huge demand for decorative religious art, including sculpture, stained glass and ecclesiastical metalwork of all types. By the 12th century certain architects and sculptors had become highly sought-after by ecclesiastical and also secular patrons.
Peter the Great sought to modernize and westernize Russia through educational, cultural, and architectural reforms. He established the Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg to promote education based on Western models. Peter also mandated cultural changes like requiring men to shave their beards to look more western. Architecturally, Peter commissioned grand buildings like the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg inspired by foreign styles to symbolize Russia's opening to Western ideas. Through these reforms, Peter transformed Russia and left a lasting legacy still visible today in St. Petersburg's historic monuments and museums.
The document provides details about the 400th anniversary commemoration of Matteo Ricci's death and the history of Christianity in Nanjing, China since Ricci first arrived in the 16th century. It summarizes Ricci's journey from Portugal to China, his missionary work establishing Catholic churches and translating religious texts, and his eventual death and burial in Beijing. It also describes the current state of Christianity in Nanjing, including around 250 churches, 100,000-150,000 believers, and 60-70 ministers.
The Schism of 1054 marked the final split between the Eastern Orthodox Church led by Patriarch Michael Cerularius of Constantinople and the Western Catholic Church led by Pope Leo IX, as they excommunicated each other over issues such as clerical celibacy and the use of unleavened bread in communion. Tensions between the Greek East and Latin West grew over the centuries due to theological differences rooted in Greek philosophy versus Roman law, as well as cultural views where Byzantines saw Latins as uncivilized and Latins criticized the Byzantine tolerance of Muslims. The ambitions of Cerularius coupled with inflexible views
Constantine the Great initiated major changes when he recognized Christianity as the official Roman religion in the 4th century AD. This included moving away from the naturalistic classical style toward a more symbolic style. Figures under Constantine lost individuality and detail, appearing militaristic with crude carving. In contrast, art from the reign of Augustus in the 1st century AD featured natural poses, spatial depth, and shading to depict volume. Mosaics from the Byzantine period after Constantine further developed this symbolic style with gold backgrounds, frontal figures lacking weight, and emphasis on hierarchy and symmetry rather than naturalism.
The document provides an overview of art during the Renaissance and Reformation periods. During the Renaissance, artwork was grand in scale and funded by the Catholic Church. It featured religious scenes and figures. In contrast, Reformation art was simpler and featured moral messages or everyday peasant scenes in response to iconoclasm against Catholic art. The periods influenced each other as new attitudes towards religion changed art patronage and subject matter during a time of political and religious upheaval in Europe.
Art produced in the Byzantine empire (or Eastern Roman Empire)—at its height, a territory that spanned large swaths of the Mediterranean, present-day Turkey, Southern Spain, and Italy—between the 4th and 15th centuries, when it fell to the Ottoman Turks. As the empire's official religion was Orthodox Christianity, Byzantine art was largely devotional, Christian art. Perhaps the best known example of Byzantine art is a tenth-century mosaic of the Virgin Mary in the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul that demonstrates the stylized forms, sharp contours, flat fields of color, and gold mosaic the period is known for.
Christian art developed from biblical stories and imagery found in the New Testament gospels and book of Revelation. Early Christian art was created in underground catacombs. Byzantine art extended the Roman empire's eastern portion and was influenced by Orthodox Christianity, featuring flat, floating figures in frontal orientation with gold backgrounds instead of depth or realism. Justinian I's rule in the 6th century typified the early Byzantine era, suppressing all religions but Christianity and reclaiming western Roman lands. Icons were used devotionally but were banned in iconoclasm; abstraction replaced figural art until icons were restored in 843. Manuscripts and objects like the Vienna Genesis and protective icons like the Virgin of Vladimir displayed the
Peter the Great was a Russian czar from 1682 to 1725 who modernized Russia through widespread reforms. He established Russia as a world power by creating a strong navy and westernizing his army and government. Peter obtained new lands, founded the city of St. Petersburg, and defeated Sweden at the Battle of Poltava, expanding Russian territory. Though a harsh ruler, Peter transformed Russia from a medieval state into a major European empire through cultural, social, and political reforms that established Russia as a modern nation.
Byzantine civilization influenced Russia and Eastern Europe through religion, culture, and trade. The adoption of the Orthodox Church and the Greek alphabet, which became the Cyrillic alphabet, had significant impacts. Prince Vladimir adopted Orthodox Christianity in Russia, which then spread to much of Eastern Europe. Byzantine architecture and art also influenced the region through iconic buildings like St. Sophia in Kiev and St. Basil's in Moscow.
The document provides information on the European Renaissance and Reformation. It describes how the Renaissance began in Italy, fueled by thriving cities, wealthy merchant class, and influence of Greek/Roman classics. The Black Death led to higher wages and more support for arts. Powerful families like the Medici patronized artists. Renaissance ideals spread north as humanism grew and the printing press helped spread ideas. Martin Luther's 95 Theses criticized Catholic Church abuses and sparked the Protestant Reformation, dividing Europe along new religious lines. The Elizabethan era saw England break from Rome under Henry VIII and establish the Church of England.
The document summarizes Byzantine art and design. It discusses how Byzantine art developed from Roman art which was influenced by ancient Greek art. The Byzantine Empire continued the Roman Empire politically. Byzantine art featured religious and imperial themes. Famous examples include the 12th century Christ Pantocrator mosaic in Hagia Sophia and the more abstract 6th century miniatures in the Rabula Gospel. Byzantine art is divided into early, middle, late, and post-Byzantine periods.
- Byzantine art refers to the artistic products of the Byzantine Empire between the 5th and 15th centuries, centered around Constantinople. It was influenced by both Roman and Greek artistic traditions and characterized by Christianity and the Greek language.
- Byzantine art is divided into three periods - Early, Middle, and Late - with the 6th century under Justinian considered the Golden Age. Major works included the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople and mosaics at San Vitale and Sant'Apollinare in Ravenna.
- Byzantine art emphasized abstract, symbolic representations rather than naturalism. Major art forms included icons for religious devotion, illuminated manuscripts, and metalwork and other luxury goods
Peter the Great visited the Netherlands multiple times in the late 17th century to learn about Western shipbuilding, technology, and governance. Inspired by Amsterdam's canal architecture, Peter decided to build a new Russian capital, St. Petersburg, on the Baltic coast. Over the course of his reign and those of subsequent rulers, St. Petersburg grew into a grand European-style city to rival other Western capitals and serve as Russia's window to the West.
The project team visited the monastery of Däbrä Mädḫanit Maryam Qorrar, located in Tämben, Tigray. The monastery has a large collection of manuscripts, with some dating back to the 15th century. Notable manuscripts included a early copy of Senodos and a finely written Gospel book from the 18th century. The collection also contained rare works such as the Book of Ecclesiastes and the Vision of Isaiah. The monastery remains an important center of traditional Orthodox culture in the region.
Peter I the Great was the Tsar and later Emperor of Russia who ruled from 1682 until his death in 1725. He implemented sweeping reforms that modernized Russia and brought it closer to Western culture and traditions. Some of his major achievements included establishing Russia's access to seas and ports, creating a regular army and navy, founding new cities like St. Petersburg, and establishing higher education institutions and the Russian Academy of Sciences. Though his reforms were far-reaching, his rule was also harsh and expanded serfdom and forced labor.
Byzantine art developed out of eastern Roman imperial art and reflected Christian religious themes. It utilized styles like mosaics, icons, and illuminated manuscripts. Major artistic periods included the Early Byzantine era featuring works like the Hagia Sophia and mosaics of Justinian and Theodora, the Iconoclastic controversy which banned religious images, and the Middle Byzantine period when icons were restored. Art was used to convey religious messages and assert political power in monumental church buildings and luxurious objects.
This document defines key terms related to the Byzantine Empire and early Russian history. It includes definitions of icons and iconoclasm in the Byzantine Empire, as well as important figures like Justinian and Theodora. For Russia, it defines the steppe and taiga geographical regions and introduces early rulers like Rurik and Vladimir I, who helped establish Christianity in Kievan Rus. Important political and religious developments in both the Byzantine Empire and early Russia are outlined.
Byzantine art expressed the values of Byzantine culture through religious imagery in a conventionalized style. Artists followed strict rules and used symbolic rather than realistic representations. Mosaics and icons in churches depicted Jesus and Mary in standardized poses and features to convey devotion. The Byzantine Empire declined due to overextension of resources on borders, growing Islamic power, and the sacking of Constantinople by Catholic crusaders in 1204, which devastated the empire.
The document provides an overview of Russian Orthodox church architecture and history over many centuries, from the establishment of Christianity in Kievan Rus in the 10th century to modern reconstructions of churches. It describes the architectural styles and historical significance of several iconic Russian churches and cathedrals located across the country, including structures in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yaroslavl, and Kazan. The text also provides biographical details on important religious figures like Sts. Cyril and Methodius and Princess St. Anna of Kashin.
An Assessment On The Church Architecture In Relation To Spirituality Among Ch...Carrie Tran
This document provides a summary of the background and context for a research study on the relationship between church architecture and spirituality among Christian churches. It discusses the history of church architecture from early basilica-style plans to later developments like transepts, apses, and chevets. The study aims to understand how church structures, designs, artworks, and histories impact people's beliefs and sense of community. It presents relevant theories on religious architectural theory and provides definitions of key architectural terms.
During the medieval period in Poland, Slavic tribes like the Polanians and Vistulans inhabited the territory and their culture was based on polytheistic beliefs and nature worship. As Poland became a Christian civilization in the 10th century under rulers like Mieszko I, Romanesque and Gothic architectural styles emerged in buildings like churches. Applied arts flourished during this time as seen in manuscripts, embroidery, furniture and other artifacts while Polish cuisine centered around grains, meats and seasonal foods. Major monuments from this era still standing include Malbork Castle and the Gdansk crane.
A Particularist Empire The Russian Policies Of Christianization And Military...Erica Thompson
The document discusses the Russian administration's policies towards Christianization and military conscription in Central Asia before 1917. It reveals the complex and inconsistent administrative system under Tsarist rule, where people of different ethnicities and social statuses were governed by different laws even within the same territory. The document then examines debates among Tsarist officials regarding the possibility of Christianizing Central Asians, especially Kazakhs, through both organized missionary activities and more covert means. It also discusses the consideration of military conscription as a means of integrating the multiethnic populations of Central Asia into the Russian Empire. However, the Tsarist administration did not fully commit to either Christianization or conscription policies.
During the medieval period in Poland, Slavic tribes inhabited the territory and converted to Christianity under rulers like Mieszko I, establishing Poland as a Christian civilization. Romanesque and Gothic architectural styles emerged in buildings like churches during this time. Medieval Polish culture was influenced by the Catholic Church and included developments in art, calligraphy, music, fashion, food, and landmarks like Malbork Castle.
Gothic architecture was the dominant architectural style in Western Europe during the Middle Ages. Some key features included tall pointed arches, flying buttresses, and large stained glass windows that filled churches with light. This allowed architects to build taller structures that reached toward the heavens. Cathedrals employed innovations like flying buttresses to support towering walls and allow for more light through stained glass, earning them the nickname "Books of Stone."
The Byzantine Empire prospered as a blending of Greek, Roman, Christian, and other cultures while the Western Roman Empire declined. Christianity was influential but divisions grew between the Orthodox Byzantine church and Catholic Roman church, resulting in a schism in 1054. The Hagia Sophia was completed in just six years and served as a church, mosque, and now museum, showcasing the Byzantine blend of architectural styles. For over 1000 years the Byzantines advanced culture through preserving classical knowledge, iconography, mosaics, and blending architectural influences.
In the early decades after the Russian Revolution, the Bolsheviks struggled to establish atheism in the Soviet Union. While some believed religion would fade as socialist reforms took hold, people continued practicing their faith. In the late 1920s, the government established "Museums of Atheism" housed in former churches and monasteries to promote scientific atheism and expose the "crimes" of religion. These museums grew in popularity and by the late 1980s some had wait times of two hours to enter. After the Soviet collapse in the early 1990s, most Museums of Atheism closed, with some rebranding as Museums of Religion.
The document discusses the history of libraries from ancient times to the present. It notes that the first libraries existed in Sumer as book repositories and public centers for disseminating knowledge. Libraries grew out of monasteries and universities starting in the 13th century. The mass public library became dominant in the 20th century, serving to promote books and reading. The document provides several brief facts about the establishment of early libraries and the roles of librarians throughout history.
The Nabataeans inhabited the ancient city of Petra in Jordan beginning around the 4th century BC. A nomadic Arab people, they developed a prosperous civilization at Petra due to its location at a crossroads of trade routes. The Nabataeans left behind many structures such as Ad-Dayr and Al-Khazeh carved out of sandstone, displaying a fusion of Greek, Egyptian, Assyrian and other influences. They also developed sophisticated water collection and distribution systems that allowed Petra to flourish. However, by the 3rd century AD, the Nabataean civilization had declined as trade routes shifted, and Petra was incorporated into the Roman province of Arabia Petraea.
Early Christian art developed from Roman art between the 2nd and 7th centuries AD. It was produced for the early undivided Christian church. Notable features include paintings and symbols used in the underground Roman catacombs where Christians buried their dead. Common symbols included the Good Shepherd, the orante (praying figure), the Chi-Rho monogram of Christ, and the fish, which were used to represent Christian ideas covertly in the early persecuted church. After Christianity was legalized, Christian art incorporated these symbols into church art and architecture above ground.
The 400-year period from 1517 to 1918 saw preparations for the Second Coming of Christ. This period was divided into three stages: 1) The Reformation from 1517-1648 which began with Martin Luther, 2) Religious and ideological conflicts from 1648-1789, and 3) The maturation of politics, economy and ideology from 1789-1918 ending with World War I. During the Middle Ages, feudalism and corruption in the Roman Church suppressed humanity's original nature, prompting movements like the Renaissance and Reformation to restore it. The Renaissance revived Hellenism and humanism while the Reformation revived the Hebrew faith tradition, centered on faith in God.
This document summarizes the history of Orthodoxy and Islam in Russia from 988 to 1725. It discusses how, unlike in Western Europe, Russia did not try to convert or expel its Muslim populations after conquering territories with Tatar and Bashkir peoples. The Russian state and Orthodox Church took a relatively tolerant approach. The document analyzes how the Orthodox Church in Russia did not produce significant anti-Islamic literature, unlike the Byzantine Church, even though they were in contact with Muslims. It suggests this approach helped integrate Muslim populations into the Russian Empire with less religious conflict.
Cooperation between local geographers and Russian scientists in Turkestan (la...SubmissionResearchpa
In this article, the author reveals the activities of the Turkestan amateur archeological circle established to conduct archaeological observations, research and partial excavations of artifacts in Turkestan, as well as the views of scientists working in this field. This approach will serve as additional material to previously published works in international scientific circles. by Mamajanov Azamzhon 2020. Cooperation between local geographers and Russian scientists in Turkestan (late 19th - early 20th century). International Journal on Integrated Education. 3, 9 (Sep. 2020), 124-127. DOI:https://doi.org/10.31149/ijie.v3i9.601. https://journals.researchparks.org/index.php/IJIE/article/view/601/574 https://journals.researchparks.org/index.php/IJIE/article/view/601
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Christian-Islamic Encounters on Thirteenth-Century Ayyubi.docxShiraPrater50
Christian-Islamic Encounters on Thirteenth-Century Ayyubid Metalwork: Local Culture,
Authenticity, and Memory
Author(s): Eva R. Hoffman
Source: Gesta, Vol. 43, No. 2 (2004), pp. 129-142
Published by: The University of Chicago Press on behalf of the International Center of
Medieval Art
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/25067100
Accessed: 13-03-2019 12:39 UTC
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Christian-Islamic Encounters on Thirteenth-Century Ayyubid
Metalwork: Local Culture, Authenticity, and Memory*
Biographies of things can make salient what might otherwise remain obscure. . ..
what is significant about the adoption of alien objects?as of alien ideas?is not the
fact that they are adopted, but the way they are culturally redefined and put to use.
Igor Kopytoff1
EVA R. HOFFMAN
Tufts University
Abstract
This paper explores a multilayered Christian-Islamic en
counter that is inscribed on a group of celebrated and well
studied Ayyubid silver-inlaid metalwork objects with Christian
themes, made in Syria and Egypt between the late 1230s and
the 1250s. Studies have demonstrated the possibility of an
extraordinary range of patronage and functions for these
works. Indeed, the success of these works depended on their
connection to a variety of Christian and Muslim audiences
and on readings from various Christian and Muslim perspec
tives. This article explores, further, these multiple readings,
highlighting the centrality of local culture in the production
and reception of objects. A fully shared local visual culture
explains the interchangeability of Christian and non-Christian
motifs on these pieces of metalwork, with indigenous Chris
tians and Muslims as participants and inhabitants of the same
visual culture. The consideration of local identity for these
objects also informs their Crusader patronage and reception.
For the Crusaders, these works carried the imprimatur of
authenticity and helped to shape the memory of their experi
ence in the Holy Land.
Portable objects played a ...
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Presentatie 4. Jochen Cremer - TU Delft 28 mei 2024
Conference Paper: Preserving Transcultural Heritage: your way or my way? July 5-8, Lisbon, Portugal
1. 1 | P a g e
COMMUNAL BUILDING IN CHRONOLOGY OF SOCIAL
AND CULTURAL CHANGE. MULTIDISCIPLINE
STUDIES ON KARELIA HERITAGE PRESERVATION
Svetlana Anderson
IN 1981 RUSSIAN MINISTRY OF CULTURE OF KARELIAN REPUBLIC HAS
TRANSFERRED SERIES OF PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN DURING THE OUTSTANDING
HISTORICAL AND ETHNOGRAPHIC EXPEDITION TO THE MUSEUM-RESERVE
“KIZHI”. THE LARGE-SCALE INVENTORY OF WOODEN ARCHITECTURE AND A
CONTINUOUS SURVEY OF KARELIAN VILLAGES WAS CARRIED OUT, WHICH LAID
FOUNDATION FOR EVIDENCE-BASED RESEARCH AND INITIATIVES ON FURTHER
PROTECTION OF THE BUILT HERITAGE, WHILE UNDERSTANDING THE
INTERSECTION POINT OF TECHNOLOGY, RESEARCH AND HUMAN EXPERIENCE.
KARELIA; ORTHODOX; ARCHITECTURE; PRESERVATION; COMMUNITY
The proposed conference paper will serve as a brief presentation of the current stage of the
multidiscipline doctoral research aiming in subsequent exploration of the vernacular
settlements through a series of case studies performed within the geographic boundaries of
Eastern Finland – Republic of Karelia, and demonstrates how the livelihood of historic
localities colored with Kalevala epic presence has been changing throughout periods of social
transformation and communal attempts to preserve transnational heritage leading to further
deepening of the human’s role in cognitive research of the environmental reality.
While drawing upon the extensive knowledge of architectural preservation theory and practice
scrupulously accumulated by a group of faithful academics in wooden conservation science, the
author will explore the “black holes” in existing approaches and carry multidiscipline studies of
the social interaction modules and behavior in the human-nature relationship. The studies on
local ethnography in Finnish-Russian border region have been recently elevated to the certain
degree, so local institutions and authorities view it more favorably. A few examples are some
recent cooperative efforts in historical renovation undertaken by the regional communities,
church members and sometimes individual families.
The phenomenon of communal building that takes its roots in monastic culture of the 17th
century Karelian religious settlements can be identified and traced now throughout the regions
spanning along the remote North-European frontiers. The author’s intention is to reveal and
review such efforts in a course of cultural studies, which eventually, end up in production of a
series of media-materials along with compiling a practical glossary/vocabulary of professional
restoration terms and their usage in historic reconstruction of vernacular dwellings and
religious structures.
Furthermore, during the ongoing field examinations and archival studies, the researcher will
attempt to answer major research questions as follows
• How preserving historic heritage accumulated within traditionally lucent and
frequently transforming national borders could result in developing
transnational cultural awareness?
• What are the roots and historical causes of the communal initiatives in
architectural preservation process?
• What is our role, as the partakers, in human-nature environmental discourse?
2. 2 | P a g e
A method of participatory observation is to be acquired within the evaluation process with
data collected directly on site. The standard array of dependent and independent variables is to
be defined before the evaluation, such as historic pre-requisites, regional migration factor, type
and form of architecture, essentiality of the research-based solutions for the project, etc. The
humanistic aspect should be also added in consideration of the whole sustainability of the
object or structure under evaluation.
Religious systems as an important component in emerging
national identity
Historically, Karelia was considered as a buffer zone between two religious systems – western
and eastern Christianity, namely Orthodoxy. Finland was absorbed into Roman Catholic
Church in the twelfth-thirtieth centuries, and became almost entirely Lutheran in the later
period. Karelia has been consistently remaining under the influences of Byzantine Orthodoxy
and Russia since the twelfth century with elements and practices of pre-Christian belief still
surviving.
Paraphrasing the fundamental postulate ‘form follows function’ associated with modernist
architecture of the twentieth century, we can further evolve it to ‘form follows content’
applying this principle into our current investigation.
Let us focus for a moment on the rituals and traditions of the Old Believers, a minor religious
group appeared in the northern outskirts of the emerging Russian empire, and formed
historically as an outcome of the political and religious persecution by the Patriarchy of the
Russian Orthodox Church and the state in the seventeenth century. In 1866 Pavel Chubinsky
(1839-1864), a prominent scholar, journalist, poet and an author of the Ukrainian anthem, has
published ‘Statistical and Ethnographical Essay about Karelians’ where he highlighted the
effect of Old Believers on Karelian religious culture. He listed three their most influential
centers, such as the Solovets monastery, Vyg community and Topozero hermitage.
The religious minority of Old Believers could be called a foster child of Russian Orthodoxy: it
expressed the true adherence to the roots of Eastern Christianity in a form of unprecedented
opposition to Byzantium religious norms that were ambitiously held by Patriarch Nikon in
1653-1656. The leaders of this movement, such as Archpriest Avvakum, were forced to seek
refuge in the distant corners of Russian state, while other monks and priests were founding
shelter-monasteries in the vast territories of White Sea Karelia, Olonets, Archangelsk. The
history of their continuous migration includes forming many of distant skits as very secluded
settlements of Old Believers, followed by the facts of complete isolation and even self-burning
as a form of mass protest. Old Believers communities were ‘based on rejection of physical
serfdom and pursued the principle of the common ownership of the property as laid down by
the Apostles - process known as Schism” (Opolovnikov, Opolovnikova, Buxton 1989, p.20).
One of the central and earliest settlements was the Vygovsky community near Medvezjegorsk,
the northern Lake Onega. It was founded in 1694 and soon became a branch pursuing non-
priest rituals as a free expression of religious spiritualism. Simultaneously, it played an
important role in forming industrial and commercial relationships in imperial Russia serving as
the headquarters of the Old Believers movement with several grain wharves, two saw mills,
many windmills and tanneries operating on its land. The monastery had a steady production of
rouble coins which were minted of pure silver and appeared to be more valuable than those
made by the state.
3. 3 | P a g e
Image 1 - Plan of Vygovsky Monastery (source: History of Vygovsky Old-Believers
Monastery published per manuscript by Ivan Filippov, St. Petersburg, Kozanchikov
Publishers, 1862 (microform); Image 2 – Andrei Denisov (1677-1730) in his study
(source: The Pomorskie Otvety, reproduction of 1911, Slavic and Baltic Division, The New
York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations, Slav Reserve 93-1984)
It provided the entire northern region with icons and religious books, constituting somewhat the
source of basic education and religious enlightenment for the local peasants. Thus, brothers
Andrei and Semen Denisov took the initiative among the Vyg writers in producing a range of
highly polemical texts while supporting other opponents of Nikonian reforms.
Inspirations in architecture
Defending humanistic ideas of love and brotherhood the Old Believers faithfully followed
traditions also in architecture and arts. ‘The earliest wooden churches in Russia were based on
a framework of interlocking logs – srub or klet’, as the ordinary dwellings were built, and
differed from them only in having domes and crosses’, as it was stated by one of the faithful
explorers of Russian wooden architecture Alexander Opolovnikov1
. In his examinations, he
further explained that the size of the srub or klet’ was determined by the log measurements.
Image 3 - Chapel of Prophet Elijah, cir. 1520 (source:
http://www.kaliningradgid.ru/architecture/monastery/chasovnya-ilii-proroka-13765.html)
1
Opolovnikov, Opolovnikova, Buxton 1989, p.16
4. 4 | P a g e
“…one of the most characteristic shapes of Russian wooden architecture was the shater – tent-
like roof that traces its origin in fortification structures vezhi (wooden watch-towers), from the
verb vedat, to know” (Opolovnikov, Opolovnikova, Buxton 1989, p.16). Trapeznaya, a primary
meeting site, as a separate building became a place for local gatherings and served for the
courts of law in certain instances.
Image 4 – Shater-roof church; Image 5 - Roof-top onion domes (source: Grabar I.E.
History of Russian Art, vol.1: Architecture, Moscow, Knebel Publishers, 1919)
Ecclesiastical reforms carried out by Patriarch Nikon and ultimately aimed to reinforce
centralized power of the capital have launched tremendous changes in architecture. Five-dome
churches have officially replaced the tent-like roofs expressing authoritative innovations. Roof-
top onion domes placed on cylindrical drums, both dressed with lemekh (wooden shingles)
often served as a typical landmark in the vast Russian countryside. Trapeznaya lost its original
role as place of public assembly and became a richly decorated extension to the main building
used for the services. Such wise, attempts to plant Byzantium canonical regulations into
Russian grounds led to a dramatic change in evolution of traditional architectural forms.
Review of historic restoration practices in Karelia
Significant interest to the national heritage was sparked right after abolition of serfdom in 1861.
A series of scientific studies were carried by the prominent Russian historians Dal, Suslov,
Buslaev along with the field expeditions around the North. Finnish scholar Lars Pettersson
(1918-1993) made a significant input in researching and cataloguing wooden churches
throughout Karelia. His persistent work included studies on various types of log structures and
painted interiors, and the results of these scientific investigations were compiled in a
fundamental volume “Finnish Wooden Church” (1950).
Before World War II architectural preservation was mainly in the hands of individual scholars
and prominent architects with the extended knowledge of theory and practice. After the war the
state took over the initiative due to the growing interest in the cultural heritage. The emerging
science of historical preservation experienced numerous problems, such as the lack of
professionalism, since there were no restoration schools created, while the main scope of tasks
and goals of the restoration process were not clearly identified. The experience of dealing with
wooden architectural heritage was not adequately explored and respectively presented in
scientific resources. Existing materials looked rather poor, but if someone doesn’t have clear
idea of what exactly needs to be done, it is hard to say how this should be accomplished.
5. 5 | P a g e
The scientific basis, methodology and principles of restoration have been successfully laid out
by Alexander Opolovnikov in 1950s in his 233 pages’ volume which included 56 tables, 292
photographs and architectural drawings. He stressed out the need to differentiate between
folklore architecture and prevailing architectural style, e.g. baroque, classicism, Byzantium, etc.
While discussing the theory of architectural layers and different ways of wood application he
gave a high credit to the creativity of traditional folk culture versus blind adoption of decorative
elements from the prevailing styles.
The part restoration initiatives undertaken in postwar period included revitalization of
Paanajärvi (Russian: Panozero) folklore village located in the proximity to the Finnish-Russian
border. Established in the fourteenth century as a trading post between the Vikings and the
people of Byzantium, the endangered village contains excellent examples of vernacular
architecture. The village has remained untouched by war and liquidation efforts, buildings are
constructed in traditional Karelian style, that is, with dwellings and livestock shelters under the
same roof. There are about fifty houses left in Paanajärvi with total population slightly over one
hundred, mostly retirees. Following several attempts to revitalize the historic settlement, it was
included on the Watch List of the World Monuments Fund in 1996, 1998, and 2000. The rescue
of this important archeological site from the flood basin of a proposed hydroelectric plant was
an outstanding act of environmental justice. The Juminkeko Foundation has successfully
petitioned the World Monuments Watch to have the village included in the organization's list of
a hundred most threatened cultural sites in the world. In 1998, World Monuments Fund assisted
the Juminkeko Foundation with the implementation of a four-week training program for young
village residents on the theory and practice of conservation of vernacular wooden structures, as
part of a restoration plan created by Juminkeko. Trainees taught by Finnish architects and local
master carpenters performed emergency repairs on village houses.
Image 6 - conservators at work in 1998; Image 7 – replacement log elements (source:
https://www.wmf.org/project/paanaj%C3%A4rvi-village);
During the Soviet regime, this part of Karelia was a closed zone; visitors were prohibited from
entering the area. It was not until 1991, after the fall of the Soviet Union, that the village was
opened to international scholars. Visiting ethnologists have determined that the village
represents a unique bridge between Karelian and Russian culture that respected but did not
assimilate to Russian culture.
In the chapel of Prophet Elijah cir. 1520 in Lazarevo village restoration work was initially
undertaken by the Russian company “Restaurateur” and has been suspended for the major
principles and methods of the historic wooden structures conservation have been violated. For
instance, the original logs have never been labeled in the process of taking the chapel apart,
while in the beginning, the workers have been just trimming the historic logs which would not
6. 6 | P a g e
fit into the structure. It is obvious the solid professional approach was missing here based on
the knowledge of original historic building techniques used when the chapel was erected (see
the images below).
Image 8 - Chapel of Prophet Elijah; Image 9 - reconstruction site in 2013 (source:
http://restoreforum.ru/restavracia-in-russia/novosti-restavratsii/990-chasovnyu-ilyi-
proroka-v-karelii-otrestavrirovali-do-neuznavaemosti )
In 2014 the chapel has been properly dismantled and restored.
Image 10 – reconstruction process, 2014; Image 11 – completion (source:
http://mincultrk.ru/presscentr/novosti/novosti_ministerstva/zaversheny_raboty_po_restavr
acii_obekta_kulturnogo_naslediya_federalnogo_znacheniya_chasovni_ili_proroka_v_d_la
zarevo_medvezhego/ )
A long-term issue of the local Orthodox minorities architectural preservation, such as the Old-
believers’ wooden heritage of the seventeenth century still rises lots of controversies. A few
breakthroughs in this ongoing polemic process are recent cooperative efforts made mainly by
the local village settlers at the original site of Vygovsky monastery near Lake Onega.
Restoration of the Christian community life on the site of the former Danilov monastery has
begun in 2010, with the blessing given by the Chairman of the Russian Council and the
Common Council of the Ancient Orthodox Pomorian Church Oleg Rozanov. Over the past
three years’ period, by the efforts of the local community members, it was managed to acquire
two plots of land; on one of them a shelter for the Old Believer missionaries has already been
constructed, as well as a wooden worship cross resembling the original one outside the ancient
monastery walls. All the design work has been carried out by the local agency of Petrozavodsk,
while the major problem is seen in the existing infrastructure and means of access, which
remain untouched for the past twenty-five years, so it is near impossible to reach the historical
site with supplies of building materials. The historical revival would require a substantial
7. 7 | P a g e
financial assistance, humanistic approach and technologies involved in the process of
reconstruction.
The role of communal building in the national heritage
preservation
Preserving historic structures and objects is a key to understanding national heritage and
therefore developing national identity constantly facing social and political challenges.
Professional’s primary goal in any environmental intervention is to complete a thorough and
deep research and study of patterns incorporated in already existing historic object. Any
proposed intervention should follow traditional methods and be technically reversible. Only by
learning underlying principles used in some given structure specialists can come up with
responsible and ultimately correct solutions.
While interviewing Tarja Lehikoinen, the owner of Honkavaara Heritage Farm
(Honkavaaranperinnepiha) located in North Karelia region of eastern Finland. I realized how
these postulates became the reality in her personal life, in times of approaching tough decisions
and walking on the unknown crossroads.
The reconstruction process of her family wooden farm structures dated to 1850s spans
throughout the decades. Once the travel point where Elias Lonnrot stayed during his journey, it
later served as a local post office. Tarja mentioned it has been a farm in Honkavaara since the
1600s.
Warming myself up by the original oven in her cozy guest house I was slowly browsing
through the old photographs telling me the story of this life-time adventure and documenting
every step in restoration. Later, I could walk around the old farm observing how and where the
time left its traceable marks upon the log houses, barns and sauna, a twin-sister of my Russian
grandmother’s banya. Tarja kindly provided me with carefully maintained picture-albums on
this major family project starting from the pre-construction stage, and some literature about the
newly built chapel designed years after on the land parcel donated to church by her family.
Image 12 – Honkavaara barn before restoration in 1990s; Image 13 – the owner’s family
undertaking reconstruction (source: Tarja Lehikoinen’s personal archives)
8. 8 | P a g e
Image 14 – Honkavaara family house after restoration; Image 14 – old sauna after restoration
(source: author’s photography)
The spirit of a building is always revealed through the variety of construction materials used.
While selection of right materials is being the essential part of the reconstruction process,
special attention often must be given to studies of the materials sacred nature.
The respect in relationship between spirit and matter lays a foundation for our cognitive
research of environmental reality. This ultimate condition is often overseen in our high-
technology world, and even our philanthropic attempts to serve nature sometimes lead to a
disharmony between the partakers.
Research challenges
Within the course of my studies, it has been always a strong reminder to me: plan, before you
start recording your own errors. At the certain research point, some serious thoughts must be
made, as far as producing relevant and reliable questionnaires to be given around. In my case,
there would be a variety of social groups representing the authority officials, artistic craftsmen,
academics… and just ordinary villagers. I am thinking of all possible scenarios that could occur
in the communication process, while nobody is protected from the undesirable outcomes. To
my knowledge, the ideal questionnaire is one the most objective, therefore the hardest point is
to come up with your own tools to produce it. Engagement in the experience relevant to your
area of interest, drawing from the academic expertise, your colleagues and peers should be very
beneficial at any case.
Then, looking further, how you act, your personal motives, aspirations and beliefs should be
taken in consideration too. I see a real value in approaching every work from the standpoint of
reviewing your own ethical standards, your true goals and expectations at a given phase and the
overall motivation to reach these goals. There should be a distinct set of ethical principles one
ought to follow, being at work or in daily life situations, while obviously, developing this
specific set for yourself is the hardest part.
Any potential conflict of interests should be addressed beforehand, although at its fundamental
level, we are not to be influenced by any of these tendencies. Clear understanding of the
research context along with all parties involved in the research process would increase chances
of being perceived correctly by anybody, as well as improve overall transparency of the
research goals, methods and the outcomes. The best way to handle any unforeseen situation, on
my opinion, would be to identify possibility of arising any stressful moments at the earlier
stage, accept it as inevitable, and proceed with confidence. As it is very much clear that every
participant within the context of the research has his own values attached to their individuality,
then it appears, that stating upfront all possible scenarios in the conflict of interest is near
impossible.
At the starting point of the research work, I feel establishing proven ethics guidelines is crucial
in dealing with the whole range of ethical issues that may arise even unintentionally.
Intuitively, if you follow fundamental laws of the human ethics, you should be able to navigate
the waters of the scientific research which could be harshly affecting your overall wellbeing.
By making a deal with your own ethical principles you compromise your own work. Thus,
honesty to your natural inclinations, which is expressed through the spontaneity of work,
should become a baseline for any spiritual doing.
9. 9 | P a g e
Literature review
The bibliography of the current culture studies contains Alvar Aalto’s works in relation to
Karelian vernacular architecture, as they carry characteristics of strong connection to the
territorial memory and the sense of physical reality of place:
• Aalto A. Architecture and Humanism (collection of articles, reports, interviews),
edited by Gozak, St.Petersburg: Progress Publishing (in Russian), 1978
• Fleig, K. Alvar Aalto, Volume I: 1922-62, Zürich: Artemis, 1963
• Fleig, K. Alvar Aalto, Volume II: 1963-70, Zürich: Artemis, 1971
• Fleig, K. Alvar Aalto, Volume III: Projects and final buildings, Zürich: Artemis, 1978.
It further contains comprehensive analysis of academic works by Viacheslav Orfinsky,
Professor of Petrozavodsk State University, member of the Russian Academy of Architecture
and Building Sciences, who is most known for his advocacy for Karelian heritage and
preservation:
• Wooden Architecture of Karelia, Leningrad: Strojizdat, 1972
• Folk wooden religious architecture of the Russian North (origins and
development momentum), Petrozavodsk: Architectural Heritage, 1997
• Traditional Karelian Dwelling, Petrozavodsk: Petrozavodsky University
Publishers, 2009
• Laws of Architectural Evolution, Leningrad: Strojizdat, 1987.
The list of literature for a deeper study of the religious community movement and the role of
Old Believers carries Robert O. Crummey works:
• The Old Believers and the world of Antichrist. The Vyg Community and the Russian
state 1694–1855. Madison & London: The University of Wisconsin Press, 1970
• The formation of Muscovy 1304–1613. London: Longman, 1987
• Old Believers in a changing world. DeKalb: Northern Illinois University Press, 2011
Other sources of reference include:
1. Alexander C. The Timeless Way of Building, Oxford University Press, 1979
2. Allin C., McClenaghan R. Encyclopedia of environmental issues, Pasadena, California:
Salem Press, 2000
3. Culture of The Old Believers of Vyg. Catalogue, Petrozavodsk: Karpovan Sizarekset Corp.,
1994
4. EUREGIO Karelia Neighborhood Program 2001-2008. Web-site
http://www.euregiokarelia.fi/attachments/Projects_ENG.pdf (accessed 14.12.2016)
5. Florensky P.A., Iconostasis, St.Petersburg: MIFRIL Russkaja Kniga, 1993
6. Fores J. Tradition in Nordic architecture, Barcelona: Polytechnic University of Catalonia,
2010
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7. Grabar I.E. History of Russian Art, vol.1: Architecture, Moscow: Knebel Publishers, 1919
8. History of Vygovsky Old-Believers Monastery published per the manuscript by Ivan
Filippov, St. Petersburg: Kozanchikov Publishers (microform), 1862
9. Liikanen I., Karelia: a cross-border region. The EU and cross-border regional building on
the Finnish-Russian border, Joensuu: University of Eastern Finland, 2007
10. Mennim M., Instructions for conservation of limber constructions, ICOMOS, 1989
11. Opolovnikov A.V., Restoration of Russian Wooden Architecture. Theory and Practice,
Moscow: Strojizdat, 1974
12. Opolovnikov A.V., Opolovnikova E,
Buxton D., The Wooden Architecture of Russia. Houses, Fortifications, Churches, New
York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc. Publishers, 1989
13. Parrinello S., Picchio F., Recomposing the landscape using structure from motion survey in
the Village of Korza, Karelia (Russia), Scientific Research and Information Technology,
Vol. 4, Issue 2, 2014, Web-site http://caspur-ciberpublishing.it/ (accessed 14.12.2016)
14. Pearson D. Earth to Spirit. In Search of Natural Architecture, San Francisco, California:
Chronicle Books, 1995
15. Pentikainen J., Silent as Waters We Live, Tampere: Tammer-Paino Oy, 1999
16. Principles for the Preservation of Historic Timber Structures, ICOMOS 12-th General
Assembly, Mexico, 1999, Web-site http://www.icomos.org/charters/wood_e.pdf (accessed
14.12.2016)
17. Problems of Restoration, Research and Application of the Northern Russian Heritage,
Inter-university Collection, Petrozavodsk: Petrozavodsk University, 1988
18. Semes S. The Future of the Past: A Conservation Ethic for Architecture, Urbanism, and
Historic Preservation. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2009
19. Stark L., Peasants, Pilgrims, and Sacred Promises. Ritual and the Supernatural in
Orthodox Karelian Folk Religion, Tampere: Tammer-Paino Oy, 2002
20. Trubetskoy E.N., Three Essays about Russian Icon (in Russian), Moscow: Info Art, 1991
21. World Monuments Fund, Web-site http://wmf.org/ (accessed 16.12.2016)
22. Chasovnia Ilii Proroka/Часовня Ильи Пророка, Web-site
http://www.kaliningradgid.ru/architecture/monastery/chasovnya-ilii-proroka-13765.html
(accessed 14.12.2016)
23. Часовню Ильи Пророка в Карелии "отреставрировали" до неузнаваемости,
Restoreforum.ru, Web-site http://www.restoreforumru/ (accessed 14.12.2016)