Glad tidings
An angel mosaic has recently been uncovered at the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul and there are plans to uncover three more. As you may remember, Hagia Sophia was a basilica constructed between 532-537 AD under the Emperor Justinian and was converted to a mosque after the sack of Constantinople in 1453. The Ottoman Turks then plastered over the Christian mosaics. It remained a mosque until 1934 when it became a museum. They are trying to date the angel mosaic but are not specific as yet: it could have been made at any time between 900 and 1300.
posted by Whispering Walls at 9:00 am
6 Comments:
Fascinating discovery, isn't it? In case you might have missed it (apologies if you haven't), there's a good piece on the subject on:
http://medievalnews.blogspot.com/2009/07/mosiac-uncovered-in-hagia-sophia.html
Wouldn't you love to see it :-)?
Thank you for that link, Phildelm. That's an interesting blog and a beautiful photo of the angel. I would love to see it - I haven't been to Istanbul for years. I always dreamed of buying a house on the Bosphorus.
A pleasure to have introduced you to the blog in question, WW.
Have never been to Istanbul - or to Turkey for that matter. Ex-spouse spent several hols there in his early 20s, & used to play backgammon @ harbourside cafes with the locals.
Maybe one day you'll buy your house on the Bosphorus ...
Update on the above ref for you, WW, with even more exciting discoveries:
http://medievalnews.blogspot.com/2009/08/more-discoveries-at-hagia-sophia.html
I think you'd enjoy it, Phildelm (from the very little I know about you). I love playing backgammon! Thank you for the update on the angels.
That's very interesting. I'd love to go and see it.
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