The chronology of the eastern chapels in the Upper Church at Banganarti. Some observations on the genesis of "apse portraits" in Nubian royal iconography

Title: The chronology of the eastern chapels in the Upper Church at Banganarti. Some observations on the genesis of “apse portraits” in Nubian royal iconography Author(s) : Magdalena M. Woźniak Book: Aegyptus et Nubia Christiana. The Włodzimierz Godlewski Jubilee Volume on the Occasion of his 70th Birthday, edited by A. Łajtar, A. Obłuski, I. Zych Year: 2016 Pages: 629 – 646 ISBN: 978 – 83 – 942288 – 3 – 5 Publisher: Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology, University of Warsaw (PCMA UW) www.pcma.uw.edu.pl Abstract: The article deals with a specific type of Nubian royal iconography, namely, the “apse portraits”. The paintings discovered in 2001 at Banganarti (Sudan) form the most numerous and complete ensemble of such portraits. The author follows the evolution of royal power through the prism of its imagery, comparing the Banganarti set with earlier royal portraits from Faras and Old Dongola. She demonstrates the progressive affirmation of the king’s prerogative as the leader of the Nubian church and privileged mediator between God and his people. The examination of royal costume as well as decorative motifs leads the author to propose a more detailed chronology of the eastern chapels of the church. Keywords: apse portrait, Banganarti, iconography of power, royal costume Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology University of Warsaw Editorial Board Piotr Bieliński, Krzysztof M. Ciałowicz, Wiktor Andrzej Daszewski, Michał Gawlikowski, Włodzimierz Godlewski, Karol Myśliwiec, Tomasz Waliszewski International Advisory Board Jean Charles Balty, Charles Bonnet, Giorgio Bucellatti, Stan Hendrickx, Johanna Holaubek PCMA Publications Chief Editor Iwona Zych Peer-reviewed. Volume editors: Adam Łajtar, Artur Obłuski, Iwona Zych Language consultation and proofreading: Katarzyna Bartkiewicz (French), Andrzej Reiche (German), Iwona Zych (English) Peer-review process: Urszula Wicenciak Bibliographic editor: Aleksandra Zych Image processing: Ewa Czyżewska-Zalewska, Konrad Krajewski DTP: Konrad Krajewski Cover & title page design: Dobrochna Zielińska Photo on frontispiece: Anna Południkiewicz (2015) Cover: Motif from the wings of a figure of the Archangel Raphael, painted in the naos of the royal church B.V on the citadel of Old Dongola Ifao-Grec Unicode font for ancient Greek courtesy Ifao, Cairo (www.ifao.egnet.net). Coptic and Nubian font Antinouu. Published with generous support from The Kazimierz Michałowski Foundation. ISBN 978-83-942288-3-5 © Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology, University of Warsaw, Warszawa 2016 © The Authors All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright holders. CIP – Biblioteka Narodowa Aegyptus et Nubia christiana : the Włodzimierz Godlewski jubilee volume on the occasion of his 70th birthday / eds. Adam Łajtar, Artur Obłuski and Iwona Zych. - Warszawa : Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology. University of Warsaw, cop. 2016 Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology, University of Warsaw ul. Nowy Świat 4, 00-497 Warsaw, Poland, www.pcma.uw.edu.pl Printed in Poland The chronology of the eastern chapels in the Upper Church at Banganarti. Some observations on the genesis of “apse portraits” in Nubian royal iconography Magdalena M. Woźniak Université Paris-Sorbonne – UMR 8167 [email protected] Keywords apse portrait, Banganarti, iconography of power, royal costume Abstract The article deals with a specific type of Nubian royal iconography, namely, the “apse portraits”. The paintings discovered in 2001 at Banganarti (Sudan) form the most numerous and complete ensemble of such portraits. The author follows the evolution of royal power through the prism of its imagery, comparing the Banganarti set with earlier royal portraits from Faras and Old Dongola. She demonstrates the progressive affirmation of the king’s prerogative as the leader of the Nubian church and privileged mediator between God and his people. The examination of royal costume as well as decorative motifs leads the author to propose a more detailed chronology of the eastern chapels of the church. The architectural uniqueness of the Banganarti complex has been repeatedly emphasized since its discovery in 2001 (Żurawski 2003: 241). The originality of the eastern part of the structure, divided into seven apsidal chapels, and its relationship with the equally exceptional painted decoration were recently analyzed by Magdalena Łaptaś who established an interesting correspondence between the number of chapels and the Archangels mentioned in biblical literature (Łaptaś 2014). Her demonstration highlights the intrinsic relationship of architectural and iconographic programs implemented in this unprecedented building. Aegyptus et Nubia Christiana 629 Nubia Christiana Magdalena M. Woźniak However, a study of the arrangement of the decorative program in the apses as well as of the paintings themselves demonstrates the involvement of distinct workshops and various stages in the display of such an ambitious program dedicated to the worship of the ruler. Whether the king’s worship was practiced during his lifetime or after his death (Zielińska 2014: 945; Godlewski 2013: 672), an update of the royal portraits is inevitably expected and partly explains the interventions of different painters in the decades following the inauguration of the complex. But it is also tempting to see through these different compositions a progressive elaboration of the iconography of royal power, and in a broader scope, of the monarchical ideology as reflected in the specific context of the apse portraits. The validity of this interpretation can only be confirmed, if the internal chronology of these paintings is clarified and for this purpose a variety of available dating criteria will be considered in combination: the location of the murals, composition of the portraits, stylistic markers, iconographical details in the representation of the Apostles, different elements of royal costume, and, last but not least, decorative patterns on the royal clothes. The number of chapels under consideration is seven, but the number of portraits is higher than that, there being several instances of late repaints, particularly in chapels 1 and 4. Moreover, screen walls were put up later in chapels 5 and 6, obstructing the view of the original apses and decorating the walls with a figure of a ruler protected by an archangel.1 The location as well as the architectural ornaments (arches, columns) of the central apse highlight its primacy over other chapels and it is very likely that chapel 4 was decorated first. The stylistic markers as well as the quality of execution of the frieze of the Apostles, probably contemporary with the representation of the saints Cosmas and Damian, argue in favor of this idea.2 continued on the next page Chapel 4 representation 1 Figures of the Apostles can also be traced on the screen wall of chapel 6 (Żurawski 2014b: 162, Fig. 1). 2 Supported by the dating put forward in the publication of the Upper Church (Żurawski 2014b: 156 and 185). However, a 12th-century date does not fit well with the decorative pattern on the earlier layer of the painting in chapel 4 (see below). 630 Aegyptus et Nubia Christiana The chronology of the eastern chapels in the Upper Church at Banganarti… As far as the other chapels are concerned, it would seem logical that the next chapels to be decorated would be the ones immediately adjacent to chapel 4. Assuming the location to the right of the main chapel might be considered more prestigious than to the left, a probable sequence would be chapels 5 and 3, then chapels 6 and 2, and finally chapels 7 and 1. However, a close examination of the location of portraits in the eastern chapels [Fig. 1] shows the paintings divided into two distinct groups: the decoration in apses 1, 4 and 7 is placed at mid-height, while that in chapels 2, 3, 5 and 6 has a monumental setting with the feet of the Apostles and Archangels based on ground level. In the first group, the figures of the Apostles are smaller and (almost) all located on the apse wall (12 figures in chapel 4, eight in chapels 1 and 7). In the second group, only three or four of the Apostles appear in the apse itself, the rest of the apostolic college being distributed on the side walls of the chapel; in chapel 5, the Archangel and the king are the only occupants of the apse. Such differences in the implementation of a firmly pre-established decorative program are quite unexpected. The involvement of more than one workshop to complete the paintings of the church should be considered, but that does not explain the formal differences of the compositions in achieving the iconographic program in these chapels. Changes are also noticeable in the compositions themselves, though they seem almost identical at first sight. For the first group, observation of these details is very limited owing to a poor state of preservation of the paintings. Nevertheless, one notes in chapels 1 and 7 the royal figure being located below the main register on which the Apostles and probably the Archangel stand (no trace of the latter figure has been preserved). In the central chapel 4, which is the main chapel, the figures all stand on the same register: the Apostles are Fig. 1. The apse decoration of the seven eastern chapels in the Upper Church at Banganarti (continued from opposite page) (Tracing A. Błaszczyk, W, Chmiel, M. Łaptaś, D. Zielińska; montage/drawing M.M. Woźniak) Aegyptus et Nubia Christiana 631 Nubia Christiana Magdalena M. Woźniak distributed in pairs on either side of the central group consisting of the sovereign and the Archangel. Due to the late repaint on this part of the composition, however, the original attitude of the two protagonists cannot be determined. Four variants and thus a different arrangement for each portrait can be observed in the second group. In chapel 2, the Archangel touches the left shoulder of the king,3 while St Peter and St Andrew (see Łaptaś 2008) place a protective hand on the arms of the sovereign (Żurawski 2014: 138, Fig. 4). In chapel 3, both hands of the Archangel are painted on the king’s shoulders; in its right hand the celestial figure holds an object shaped like a building with a dome surmounted by a cross.4 The Apostles placed on either side of the king support him with their hands under his elbows (Żurawski 2014: 143, Fig. 2).5 The situation in chapels 5 and 6 is quite different: in one case, as noted above, the king is represented alone with the Archangel, the Apostles being relegated to the side walls (Żurawski 2014: 159, Fig. 5/Upper, 160–161, Figs 6, 8); in the second case, four Apostles stand with the Archangel and the king in the apse, but it seems that there is no contact between the Apostles and the sovereign (Żurawski 2014: 163, Fig. 4). Although the composition is destroyed in the upper part, the figure of Peter can be identified at the king’s right, as the saint’s attribute par excellence, namely the key, can be seen held in the figure’s left hand, brought to the chest. In this small group of seven paintings a surprising number of different combinations has been used to represent the same theme: the king in the company of the Archangel and the apostolic college. Yet these variants are not trivial in terms of their significance for the development of the iconography of power. For example, the internal relationship of the figures in the composition of chapel 3 strongly differs from that found in chapel 5: in chapel 3, all the tutelary figures combine to surround the king with benevolent protection, but in chapel 5 the king is shown alone in the company of the Archangel, the Apostles appearing rather as observers or maybe witnesses to the main scene (the wide purple border framing the figures of the king and the archangel in the apse emphasizes the separation between the two groups of the composition). A minute examination of royal garments can add dating elements to our investigation of the chronology of the apse portraits. Regarding the clothes worn by the sovereign, they consist of a round-neck dress with long sleeves and of a mantle worn in a particular way, typical of the evolution of Nubian royal 3 The Archangel’s right hand is not preserved, but the sleeve of his robe indicates that his hand had been raised over the king’s head, probably in blessing. 4 It is interpreted as a model of a church (Łaptaś 2016, in this volume) or as a reliquary (Żurawski 2008: 316). 5 Żurawski noticed an interesting parallel with Kushite iconography (Żurawski 2014a: 14) 632 Aegyptus et Nubia Christiana The chronology of the eastern chapels in the Upper Church at Banganarti… attire between the late 11th and mid 12th century. A part of this coat is worn on the right shoulder, while the main piece of the cloth is wrapped around the waist, covering the dress (only its lower part remains visible). Another part of the fabric is placed on the left forearm of the sovereign.6 In the lower part, the coat forms a large central panel that can be observed in chapels 3, 5, 6 and 7. In chapels 1 and 4, where portraits were repainted in the late medieval period, a tripartite edge of the mantle is observed. This feature appears perhaps as soon as the middle of the 12th century, but more probably in the 13th century.7 Among the attributes represented in these paintings, the most frequent elements are the crown and the scepter. In portraits preserved in chapels 2, 3 and 6, the king was arguably figured with two crowns: one placed on his head, the other in his left hand.8 The type of the crown worn on the head cannot be determined owing to the state of preservation of the paintings, but the one held in the hand is helmet-shaped (decorated with scales or ribbed) and surmounted by a cross; the crown from chapel 3 is enriched with a pair of horns. The scepter appears only in chapels 2 and 3. It consists of a handle crowned at the top by a small figure of Christ. The statuette appears against the background of a cross. Christ, identified by the cruciform halo, is represented seated; he makes a gesture of blessing with his right hand. The clothing described as well as the associated regalia form a relatively homogeneous set and confirm the execution of the royal portraits between the second half of the 11th century and the late 14th century. Indeed, the evolution of Nubian royal costume reflects a trend toward the “nubianization” of ceremonial attire (Godlewski 2008: 273). An analysis of Nubian royal portraits leads to the identification of three types of costume (Woźniak in preparation) [Fig. 2]. Until the 10th century the costume may be termed “Byzantine” for it consists of a dress, a large cloak (chlamys) as well as a crown ornamented with pendants (kamelaukion) and a short cruciform scepter. A type designated as Nubian I type appeared in the first half of the 11th century. It was marked not only by a change of royal attributes (open crown, veil worn under the crown, bow), but also by a new model of cloak, worn on the right shoulder but leaving 6 It could possibly be a long stole, which follows a similar disposition and is worn also on the coat (Woźniak in preparation). 7 This element figures also in the paintings on the screen walls from chapels 5 and 6. 8 In chapel 2, tiny yellow fragments of the crown appear above the ruler’s ears and also the cross of the crown placed in his hand has been preserved. In chapel 3, the border of the crown is preserved on the ruler’s forehead, while the crown placed in his hand is completely visible. In chapel 5, the left hand of the ruler is preserved as well as the lower part of a helmet-shaped crown. Aegyptus et Nubia Christiana 633 634 Nubia Christiana Aegyptus et Nubia Christiana Fig. 2. Typology of royal garments: Byzantine (based on the Cathedral in Faras, apse, end of 10th century, tracing/color M.M. Woźniak); Nubian I (based on the Cathedral in Faras, passage between nave and narthex, north wall, 11th century, tracing/color M.M. Woźniak); Nubian II (a) (based on Banganarti, chapel 3, tracing W. Chmiel, D. Zielińska, color M.M. Woźniak); Nubian II (b) (based on Banganarti, chapel 22, east wall, tracing W. Chmiel, color M.M. Woźniak/Banganarti Archaeological Mission, PCMA UW) Magdalena M. Woźniak The chronology of the eastern chapels in the Upper Church at Banganarti… the left shoulder uncovered. A few decades later, between the mid-11th and mid-12th century, the royal costume evolved into the Nubian II type, consisting of a helmet-shaped crown topped with a cross and a new cloak, characterized with a central panel edge that covered completely the dress worn underneath. The cloak’s edge was given a tripartite shape probably in the 13th century. Consequently, the costumes represented in the Banganarti portraits belong to the Nubian II group including both variants of the cloak: the central panel (Nubian II [a]) in chapels 3, 5, 6, and 7, and the triple edge (Nubian II [b]) in the apses of chapels 1 and 4 (as well as on the screen walls of chapels 5 and 6). This analysis based on dress criteria suggests a possible ranking of apse portraits, namely those of chapels 3, 5, 6 and 7 are older than the two painted in chapels 1 and 4. This chronological distribution is not consistent with our precedent observations on the disposition of the decor in the apses, which had distinguished two groups: one consisting of chapels 1, 4 and 7 and the other consisting of chapels 2, 3, 5 and 6. However, this discrepancy disappears if one takes into account the fact that the portraits from chapels 1 and 4 (where the composition is located at half height) are actually late repaints. In this first group, only the portrait of the chapel 7 shows no apparent alterations. A minute examination of paintings in chapels 1 and 4 reveals remains of the earlier layer in the form of fragmentarily preserved ornamental motifs significant for establishing the internal chronology of the chapels (Martens-Czarnecka 1982: Pls Ia to IIb; Woźniak in preparation). The pattern of circles and diamonds painted in shades of green, red and yellow, preserved on the first layer of chapel 4, can apparently be dated to the 10th through 11th century [Fig. 3]. Traces of robe ornaments from an earlier portrait were visible also in the central part of the mantle of the figure in chapel 1; the traces consisted of interlaced medallions; beaded- petal flowers are still preserved in the lower part of the painting [Fig. 4]. These decorative elements are typical of the 11th century. In chapel 7, the diamond- shaped pattern adorned with delicate flowers and framed in a double-knotted lattice is datable to the 11th–12th centuries [Fig. 5]. A comparative analysis of textile decorations from the second group (chapels 2, 3, 5 and 6) is more problematic. The set of patterns is easily datable to the 12th– 13th centuries, but because of the popularity of some ornaments like medallions inhabited with animals [Figs 6–8] it is difficult to establish a more precise chronological setting of the ornamental repertoire. On the side, one should note that the Apostles of chapel 5 were represented without crowns unlike the Apostles of chapels 2, 3 and 6 [Fig. 9], which indicates that the apostolic college of chapel 5 was painted earlier. Indeed, the crowned Apostles are a typical Nubian invention from the second half of the 12th century (Martens-Czarnecka 2011: 206). Aegyptus et Nubia Christiana 635 Nubia Christiana Magdalena M. Woźniak Fig. 3. Banganarti, chapel 4, decorative pattern on an earlier painting layer (Tracing D. Zielińska/Banganarti Archaeological Mission, PCMA UW, coloring based on on-site observation M.M. Woźniak) Fig. 4. Banganarti, chapel 1, decorative pattern from an earlier layer of painting (Tracing M. Łaptaś/ Banganarti Archaeological Mission, PCMA UW) 636 Aegyptus et Nubia Christiana The chronology of the eastern chapels in the Upper Church at Banganarti… Images of the king surrounded by the Apostles and placed under the protection of a holy person were known long before the discovery of the Banganarti complex. The first example of such a composition was discovered in the early 1960s in the cathedral at Faras, a second one thirty years later in room 29 of the Northwest Annex of the Monastery on Kom H in Dongola. The portrait from Faras, dated to the end of the 10th century by current research,9 is the oldest attempt (and by far the most daring one in the decorative program of the cathedral) to place the royal figure in the most sacred area of the church, namely the apse. The apsidal decor consisted certainly of a double Theophany, Fig. 5. Banganarti, chapel 7, pattern decoration from the king’s cloak (Tracing M. Łaptaś/ Banganarti Archaeological Mission, PCMA UW; photo M.M. Woźniak) Fig. 6. Banganarti, chapel 3, ornament on a king’s cloak (Photo and tracing M.M. Woźniak) 9 The apparently most ancient “apse-portrait” was recently excavated by Włodzimierz Godlewski in the “royal” church B.V on the citadel in Old Dongola (W. Godlewski, personal communication). Aegyptus et Nubia Christiana 637 Nubia Christiana Magdalena M. Woźniak Fig. 7. Banganarti, chapel 6, decorative pattern on a king’s cloak (Photo and tracing M.M. Woźniak) 638 Aegyptus et Nubia Christiana The chronology of the eastern chapels in the Upper Church at Banganarti… which was a current theme in Byzantine and Coptic churches (Velmans 2006: 55ff., 89). A figure of Christ in glory figured almost certainly in the upper part of the composition, while in the lower zone the Virgin and Child stood surrounded by the Apostles; the portrait of the ruler was painted partly over the representation of the Virgin and Child. The hands of the Mother of God Fig. 8. Banganarti, chapel 5, decorative pattern from a king’s cloak (Photo and tracing M.M. Woźniak) Fig. 9. Banganarti, Apostles without crowns in chapel 5 (left) and crowned St Peter in chapel 3 (right) (Photos M.M. Woźniak) Aegyptus et Nubia Christiana 639 Nubia Christiana Magdalena M. Woźniak Fig. 10. Old Dongola, Northwest Annex of the Monastery on Kom H, room 29, east wall (Drawing and color M.M.Woźniak) 640 Aegyptus et Nubia Christiana The chronology of the eastern chapels in the Upper Church at Banganarti… were then repainted toward the shoulders of the king in a benevolent gesture of protection (Michałowski 1974: Cat. 19). It is important to note that the figure of the king is not the only addition to the apse decoration; indeed, the portrait of a bishop was located right at the end of the frieze of the Apostles. At Dongola, an analysis of the liturgical space has shown that the north wall of room 29 served as a sanctuary of the church in the adopted space of rooms 22, 23, 27, 29 and 31; this disposition is emphasized by the painted decoration (Zielińska 2010: 646). The composition of the painting is dominated by an immense figure of the Archangel with the Christ Pantocrator represented in bust form above it (Martens-Czarnecka 2001: 262–263, Pls XXVI–XXVII). The text of the dedication of the mural, offered by “abba Georgios, archipresbyter and archistylites” of the monastery, the future bishop of Dongola, appears in a frame between the two figures (Łajtar 2002; Godlewski 2013). In front of the Archangel, in the foreground, placed in the lower part of the composition, stands the figure of a king, recognizable by the fragments of his golden robe adorned with finely rendered octagonal medallions inhabited with birds. His cloak partly covers his dress, but both sleeves are visible indicating that the costume of the sovereign is of Nubian type I [Fig. 10]. The Apostles, divided into two groups of six figures placed on the east and west walls of the room, appear on each side of this central group formed by the Archangel and the king. The set is framed by a wide purple line, which also forms the outline of the wings of the Archangel. The painting is dated to the first half of the 11th century (see below). A similar pattern appears at Banganarti, in chapel 5, where again the Archangel and the king occupy the apse, while the Apostles are depicted on the side walls. The resemblance is even more remarkable when looking at the king’s cloak, also ornamented with octagonal medallions (this time inhabited by eagles with spread wings). Given the proximity of the two sites, one cannot ignore the deliberate reference in the Banganarti portrait to the painting of Dongola. At Banganarti, however, there is no trace of any ecclesiastic dignitary in the apse compositions, which is a significant break from the ideological point of view with previous compositions. At Faras, the king represented under the protection of the Virgin and Child surrounded by the Apostles and placed under the figure of Christ in glory, clearly affirmed the divine origin of his power and thus the legitimacy of his reign. The offset of the royal figure compared to the register of the apostolic college guides the direction of reading along the vertical axis. But the representation of the bishop, placed at the right end of the apostolic college, on the same level as the Apostles, discreetly nuances the position of the two historical figures in the power hierarchy. The church dignitary is in fact an equal of the Apostles and surpasses the king, who is placed below the purple line on Aegyptus et Nubia Christiana 641 Nubia Christiana Magdalena M. Woźniak which stand Christ’s Disciples. At Dongola, in a different but equally effective way, abba Georgios and more precisely his dedication text also occupies an intermediate position between Christ and the king. The hierarchy of authority is clearly illustrated by the composition: if the king enjoys the intercession of the great Archangel, the prior of the monastery is under the direct protection of Christ, who puts his right hand on the frame with the dedicatory inscription. Thus, even if the king is surrounded by the Apostles and protected by the powerful Archangel, all of them are placed not only under Christ’s authority, but also under the authority of the prior of the monastery. In the Banganarti sanctuary dedicated to the royal cult, it was the apse portrait model that was chosen from the extensive iconographic repertoire of representations of royal power. The sovereign was represented not only under the protection of a powerful Archangel, but also surrounded by the Apostles. In the central chapel adorned with columns, all the figures were placed on the same register. However, the king and the Archangel were still isolated from the Apostles. In chapels 1 and 7, where the decoration was located at mid-height in the apse, the king was still placed below the line on which the Apostles stand. But in chapel 5, for the first time, the feet of the monumental figures are set on ground level, all placed on the same purple line that frames the scene. In chapel  6, the Apostles join the Archangel in the apse and probably make a blessing gesture towards the king. Finally, in chapel 3,10 the set is painted with a master stroke, creating an unprecedented interaction between the Disciples of Christ and his earthly representative: St Peter and St Andrew offer the king more than their blessing; they offer him solid, physical support, their hands resting on his arms. More than a mere commander obeying the Lord and entrusted with the protection of His Church that was in the bishop’s authority, the ruler appearing in the middle of the apostolic college was represented as their peer, the “thirteenth” Apostle. The two saints, acting on behalf of the Twelve, seem to perform a ritual presentation of the king to Christ (Mierzejewska 2004): indeed, the ruler appears here as the head of the Nubian church. In Banganarti no member of the clergy seeks to circumscribe the extent of royal power. It is the sovereign who now appears as the privileged intermediary between the faithful and God. In a recent contribution, Włodzimierz Godlewski offered a highly attractive interpretation of the role played by abba Georgios, Bishop of Dongola and presumably son of king Zacharias, in the development of the monarchical cult and the foundation of this exceptional sanctuary (Godlewski 2013: 671–672). It is 10 And arguably in chapel 2. 642 Aegyptus et Nubia Christiana The chronology of the eastern chapels in the Upper Church at Banganarti… undeniably this influential individual who commissioned the painting of room 29 in the Northwest Annex of the monastery in Old Dongola between 1060 and 1063 (Godlewski 2013: 667). The influence of this composition in the decor of Banganarti chapel 5 seems clear, however, it is important to note that the royal costume differs in the two paintings. In Old Dongola, the king wears a Nubian I type dress, while in Banganarti he is portrayed in the later Nubian II (a) type robes [Fig. 11].11 Włodzimierz Godlewski has suggested that the change of the mode of succession to the Makurite throne started at the death of king Zacharias, whom he identifies in the portrait from Dongola (Godlewski 2013: 672). The figure represented in chapel 5 at Banganarti is dressed in a cloak made of a patterned fabric similar to that in the Dongola portrait, but the new type of royal costume suggests that the Banganarti portrait is later and would then represent one of the successors of the aforementioned king. Should one accept the idea that a portrait of Zacharias’s successor occupies chapel 5 neighboring on the main chapel, then it would be reasonable to assume that at this time the apse of chapel 4 was already painted with another portrait, representing most probably the founder of the sanctuary. Also, because of the location of the scene at mid-height, one Fig. 11. Banganarti, chapel 5, painting from the apse (Tracing A. Błaszczyk/Banganarti Archaeological Mission; color M.M. Woźniak) 11 Another difference with the two paintings from Faras and Dongola is the absence of the figure of Christ above the Archangel (almost certain, given the proportions of the apses and the dimensions of the Archangels). Łaptaś � analysis is helpful to understand the location of the scenes in the decorative program of Banganarti complex: she explains that Christ was certainly painted in the central dome (Łaptaś 2014: 295). Aegyptus et Nubia Christiana 643 Nubia Christiana Magdalena M. Woźniak might consider that chapels 1 and 7 were probably decorated at this stage. An interesting clue would be the type of costume originally represented in these portraits, but this is impossible to observe because of the later repaints in both chapels 4 and 1. However, the king figured in chapel 7, showing no apparent signs of repainting, wears a Nubian II type costume. It would be tempting to suggest that this new type of costume may have accompanied the changes in the mode of succession of the Makurite monarchy, but the limited documentation and partial state of preservation of the portraits invites the present author to remain cautious. If the present reading of the Banganarti apse paintings is correct, the evolution of the monarchical ideology rendered in these portraits may reflect a gradual assertion of royal power in the Nubian church in the decades after the construction of the sanctuary. It allows also to propose a chronological sequence for the painting of the eastern chapels. In a broader scope, the contextualization of the iconography characteristic of the Upper Church at Banganarti demonstrates the fragile balance between temporal and secular power at the Makurite court throughout its history. The Faras and Dongola portraits illustrate previous attempts of kings to assert their supremacy at the head of the Nubian church and the clergy’s efforts to curb this form of power. The apse portraits from Banganarti prove the success of the late-period Nubian rulers in occupying a privileged position as intermediaries in the relationship between the faithful and God. References Godlewski, W. (2008). Bishops and kings. The official program of the Pachoras (Faras) Cathedrals. In W. Godlewski and A. Łajtar (eds), Between the cataracts: Proceedings of the 11th Conference for Nubian studies, Warsaw University, 27 August – 2 September 2006, I. Main papers [=PAM Supplement Series 2/1] (pp. 263–282). Warsaw: Warsaw University Press Godlewski, W. (2013). Archbishop Georgios of Dongola. Socio-political change in the kingdom of Makuria in the second half of the 11th century. Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean, 22, 663–677 Łajtar, A. (2002). Georgios, Archbishop of Dongola (†1113) and his epitaph. In T. Derda, J. Urbanik, and M. Węcowski (eds), Euergesias Charin: Studies presented to Benedetto Bravo and Ewa Wipszycka by their disciples [=Journal of Juristic Papyrology Supplement 1] (pp. 159–192). Warsaw: Raphael Taubenschlag Foundation Łaptaś, M. (2008). St Andrew the Apostle in the murals of the Upper Church in Banganarti. Études et Travaux, 22, 101–114 644 Aegyptus et Nubia Christiana The chronology of the eastern chapels in the Upper Church at Banganarti… Łaptaś, M. (2014). The holy protectors of the Nubian rulers and symbolism of numbers in the Upper Church in Banganarti. In B. Żurawski, Kings and Pilgrims: St. Raphael Church II at Banganarti, mid-eleventh to mid-eighteenth century [=Nubia 5] (pp. 289– 295). Warsaw: Neriton Łaptaś, M. (2016). The Archangel Raphael as protector, demon tamer, guide and healer. Some aspects of the Archangel’s activities in Nubian painting. In A. Łajtar, A. Obłuski, and I. Zych (eds), Aegyptus et Nubia Christiana. The Włodzimierz Godlewski jubilee volume on the occasion of his 70th birthday (pp. 459–479). Warsaw: PCMA UW Martens-Czarnecka, M. (1982). Les éléments décoratifs sur les peintures de la Cathédrale de Faras [=Faras 7]. Warsaw: Éditions Scientifiques de Pologne Martens-Czarnecka, M. (2001). Wall paintings discovered in Old Dongola. In S. Jakobielski and P.O. Scholz (eds), Dongola-Studien: 35 Jahre polnischer Forschungen im Zentrum des makuritischen Reiches [=Bibliotheca Nubica et Aethiopica 7] (pp. 253– 284). Warsaw: ZAŚ PAN Martens-Czarnecka, M. (2011). The wall paintings from the Monastery on Kom H in Dongola [=Nubia 3; Dongola 3; PAM Monograph Series 3]. (B.M. Gostyńska, trans.). Warsaw: Warsaw University Press Michałowski, K. (1974). Faras: Wall paintings in the collection of the National Museum in Warsaw. Warsaw: Wydawnictwo Artystyczno-Graficzne Mierzejewska, B. (2004). Parresia i moc wstawiennictwa świętych. Przedstawienia wiernych ze świętymi patronami w malarstwie nubijskim [Parrhesia and the intercession of the saints: representations of the faithful and their patron saints in Nubian painting]. Series Byzantina, 2, 109–122 [in Polish] Velmans, T. (2006). Rayonnement de Byzance. Paris: Thalia Woźniak, M. (in preparation). Iconographie des souverains et des dignitaires de la Nubie chrétienne: les vêtements d’apparat Zielińska, D. (2010). The iconographical program in Nubian churches: Progress report based on a new reconstruction project. In W. Godlewski and A. Łajtar (eds), Between the cataracts: Proceedings of the 11th Conference for Nubian studies, Warsaw University, 27 August – 2 September 2006, II.2. Session papers [=PAM Supplement Series 2.2/2] (pp. 643–651). Warsaw: Warsaw University Press Zielińska, D. (2014). The iconography of power – The power of iconography: The Nubian royal ideology and its expression in wall painting. In J.R. Anderson and D.A. Welsby (eds), The Fourth Cataract and beyond: Proceedings of the 12th International Conference for Nubian Studies [=British Museum Publications on Egypt and Sudan 1] (pp. 943– 950). Leuven: Peeters Żurawski, B. (2003). Dongola Reach. The Southern Dongola Reach Survey Project, 2002. Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean, 14, 237–252 Żurawski, B. (2008). The churches of Banganarti, 2002–2006. In W. Godlewski and A. Łajtar (eds), Between the cataracts: Proceedings of the 11th Conference for Nubian studies, Warsaw University, 27 August – 2 September 2006, I. Main papers [=PAM Supplement Series 2.1] (pp. 303–321). Warsaw: Warsaw University Press Aegyptus et Nubia Christiana 645 Nubia Christiana Magdalena M. Woźniak Żurawski, B. (2014a). Banganarti on the Nile. An archaeological guide. Warsaw: Artibus Mundi Żurawski, B. (2014b). Kings and pilgrims: St. Raphael Church II at Banganarti, mid- eleventh to mid-eighteenth century [=Nubia 5]. Warsaw: Neriton 646 Aegyptus et Nubia Christiana CONTENTS Addresses �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 9 Tabula gratulatoria������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 15 Adam Łajtar, Artur Obłuski and Iwona Zych Włodek on the Nile������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 19 Włodzimierz Godlewski: List of publications�������������������������������������������������� 29 Aegyptus Christiana Anne Boud�hors and Esther Garel Que reste-t-il de la bibliothèque du monastère de Saint-Phoibammon à Deir el-Bahari? ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 47 Alain Delattre and Naïm Vanthieghem Les trois « colophons » de l’Évangile de Jean découvert à Naqlūn ��������������������������� 61 Tomasz Derda and Joanna Wegner Πατέρες τοῦ ἁγίου Νεκλονίου. Functionaries of the Naqlun monastery in the first two centuries of its existence ���������������������������������������������������������������� 73 Dorota Dzierzbicka Wine consumption and usage in Egypt’s monastic communities (6th–8th century) �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 99 Tomasz Górecki Phasing out LRA 7 amphorae in favor of new wine containers: Preliminary remarks based on finds from excavations in Naqlun ������������������������� 113 Peter Grossmann Spätantike und mittelalterliche Vierstützenkirchen in Ägypten���������������������������� 139 Szymon Maślak The burning of a monastery? Story blazed on the walls of monastic buildings at Nekloni (Naqlun) ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 149 Maria Mossakowska-Gaubert Verres décorés d’époque arabe médiévale (VIIIe–XIIIe siècles) : quelques exemples provenant de Naqlun�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 187 Marguerite Rassart-Debergh Les Kellia, 1965–2015������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 217 Aegyptus et Nubia Christiana 5 Contents Tonio Sebastian Richter Eine koptische und eine arabische Bauinschrift zwischen Assuan und Kom Ombo������������������������������������������������������������������������� 231 Jacques van der Vliet “Alone in Naqlun”: A fresh look at the Bohairic letter P. Lond. Copt. I, 590 (2) (British Library Or. 4720 [31], vo)������������������������������������������������������������������������ 247 Gertrud J.M. van Loon “...that the mountain of the holy wilderness may be inhabited...”: Saint John the Baptist in the Infancy scenes in the narthex of the Quarry Church of Dayr Abū H. innis����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 257 Ewa Wipszycka Saint Claude à Pohe : un exemple de fonctionnement d’un sanctuaire de pèlerinage dans l’Égypte de l’Antiquité tardive������������������������������������������������ 281 Iwona Zych A monastic library at Nekloni? ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 307 Nubia Christiana William Y. Adams Evolution and revolution in Nubian pottery ��������������������������������������������������������� 315 Julie Renee Anderson and Anna Harrison Some unique medieval Nubian textiles in the British Museum collections ���������� 329 Katarzyna Danys and Adam Łajtar Egyptian amphorae LR 5/6 with Greek dipinti found in Dongola������������������������ 347 David N. Edwards Among the rocks: A first look at medieval Duweishat, from the archive��������������� 359 Krzysztof Grzymski Beyond Old Dongola: The multicomponent site of Hag Magid (Letti Basin)������� 381 Henriette Hafsaas-Tsakos and Alexandros Tsakos Nubian cathedrals with granite columns: A view from Sai Island������������������������ 389 Karel C. Innemée Monks and bishops in Old Dongola, and what their costumes can tell us������������� 411 Adam Łajtar and Dobrochna Zielińska The northern pastophorium of Nubian churches: ideology and function (on the basis of inscriptions and paintings) ���������������������������������������������������������� 435 Magdalena Łaptaś Archangel Raphael as protector, demon tamer, guide and healer. Some aspects of the Archangel’s activities in Nubian painting ��������������������������������������������������� 459 6 Aegyptus et Nubia Christiana Contents Artur Obłuski Nobadian and Makurian church architecture. Qasr el-Wizz, a case study������������ 481 Grzegorz Ochała When epigraphy meets art history: On St Phoibammon from Abdallah-n Irqi 513 Marta Osypińska The pig — a mystery of medieval Makuria ����������������������������������������������������������� 525 Giovanni R. Ruffini Dotawo’s later dynasties: a speculative history������������������������������������������������������� 539 Robin Seignobos La liste des conquêtes nubiennes de Baybars selon Ibn Šaddād (1217–1285)��������� 553 Joanna Then-Obłuska The ‘bead-side� story of medieval and post-medieval Nubia: Tentative approach to the bead collection of the Museum of Archaeology University of Stavanger, Norway �������������������������������������������������������������������������� 579 Derek A. Welsby Observations on the graves of the medieval period in the SARS concession at the Fourth Cataract������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 613 Magdalena M. Woźniak The chronology of the eastern chapels in the Upper Church at Banganarti: Some observations on the genesis of “apse portraits” in Nubian royal iconography�������� 629 Bogdan Żurawski Banganarti Nativity: Enkolpion with scene of the Birth of Jesus from House BA/2015 in Banganartit���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 647 Miscellanea Nettie K. Adams The lions of Qasr Ibrim����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 661 Mirosław Barwik A record of offerings from the Temple of Hatshepsut in Deir el-Bahari: ostrakon DeB Inv. No. 85/75 reconsidered�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 665 Barbara Lichocka A stray late Roman coin from the Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari����������� 679 Adam Łukaszewicz Cleopatra and kandake������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 691 Aegyptus et Nubia Christiana 7