The Iconography of “The Unfading Rose”
The icon of the Virgin Mary known as “The Unfading Rose” became widely popular in the eighteenth century. Scholars such as A. Sukrow, Thalia...
Case Studies in Post-Byzantine Iconography
In Anatolia, many post-Byzantine icons show clear references to traditional Byzantine painting. At the same time, they reflect wider artistic trends of the time...
The Church of St John in Philadelphia
The church that has been named after St John in ancient Philadelphia (modern Alaşehir) was an important Byzantine building. It was rectangular in shape...
Ancient Philadelphia (Alaşehir)
Ancient Philadelphia, known today as Alaşehir, was founded by Attalos II Philadelphos, the king of Pergamum, who ruled between 159 and 138 BCE. The...
The Main Assembly Hall of the Synagogue
The main hall of the synagogue in Sardis was very large. It is believed that it could hold nearly one thousand people. This shows...
Loopholes in Wall AA
The front side of wall AA has two rows of loopholes. These loopholes are actually openings in two passageways (called galleries) that were built...
Entrance Through the Gateway
Entering through gateway l, you come into a high entrance hall, marked as vestibule b. Today, this space is completely dark, so any visitor...
The Two Towers Tower N and Tower S
This section of the ancient walls includes two important towers, known as Tower N and Tower S. These towers, although built close to each...
Street Dogs With Intelligence and Territory
The stray dogs of Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul) are not only survivors — they are also intelligent. These animals seem to understand their environment very...
Dogs Protected by Belief
The stray dogs of Constantinople (now Istanbul) are not just ignored—they are protected by strong religious beliefs. Many Muslims in the city believe that...
