Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - III. Batum to Tiflis
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
ARMENIA AND THE NEAR EAST
82
was more frequently employed in Armenian churches, and
spread at a later date to Italy, especially to Genoa and Florence.
As Lehmann-Haupt and Belch have shown, this form of
decoration was used at an even earlier date in the old Khaldian
buildings by Lake Van, before the time of the Armenians.
In the north of Mtskhetha is the convent of Samtavro,
with a large church where the first Christian king, Mirian, and
his queen are said to be buried. There is an old chapel in
the churchyard on the west side, where St. Nino, who brought
Christianity to the country, is supposed to have lived in her
cell. Of the ancient royal palaces and other buildings there
are no certain traces, except possibly some remains of ruins
in the ground, and there is nothing in the little hamlet to
give one any idea of the life of the ancient knights or of the
pomp which must have characterized the annual Church
festivals. Even to-day the Georgian peasants assemble here
every October from all parts of the country to celebrate their
national Church festival, and this gathering is said to be a
remarkably interesting one.
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
