Annales d’Éthiopie, 2010, 25, 103-111 103

Twin pillars: an epistemological note in church archaeology

Emmanuel Fritsch*

Standing at the foot of Mount Ašatan1 which dominates the site of Lālibalā, the two monolithic pillars at Waf Argaf have long intrigued researchers.2 Due to their exposed position on the way to Ašatan Māryām’s rock-church, these isolated pillars are well known and have recently been revisited.3 In this particular case, these twin pillars with both base and capital and chamfered angles were found as one organic pair. Apart from each other by 1,76 m, the pillars must share a common base since they are slanting at exactly the same pronounced angle. The story told about them by the local villagers, who use the place for the blessing of the water on Epiphany, refers to the ancient presence of a church there (Fig. 1).

Such pairs of pillars have been observed elsewhere. At Māy Māryām,4 a site in the vicinity of Lālibalā which deserves further attention, the pillars are found erected inside the sanctuary of the present church building (Fig. 2). As we shall see, in this present case the tale of the ancient existence of a church there matches the reality. Farther afield, the same type of pair has been seen at ŸUrā Masqal (near Zālāmbasā, Tegrāy) (Fig. 3).5 At nearby Endā Māryām near Ham (Eritrea), Éric Godet noted the re-utilisation in the qenē māhelēt of two Axumite pillars, four in the maqdas, two others on a small mound 150 m north-east of the church.6 As we read,

* Centre Français des Études Éthiopiennes (USR 3137/UMIFRE 23), CNRS & Ministère des Affaires

Étrangères, Addis Abeba, Éthiopie. 1 See “Ǝšätän” in Encyclopaedia Aethiopica (Henze, 2005: 375). 2 Cf. Monti Della Corte (1940: 100-101 and fig. XXX): “Si tratta di due cippi o pilastri gemelli, di

pietra grigio scura, dell’altezza di un uomo, molto simili a quelli dei troni regi di Axum…” 3 Claire Bosc-Tiessé, Loïc Di Maria, Emmanuel Fritsch as part of the CFEE-ARCCH “Lalibala

Mission”, Claire Bosc-Tiessé & Marie-Laure Derat (dir.) (May 2009) and by Emmanuel Fritsch on 18th May 2008 in a CFEE-sponsored mission, during which the following data were gathered: Pillar A (farthest from the road): H: 171 cm from the bottom to the capital; capital: H: 50 x width between 48 below and 50 cm above. Pillar B (closest to the road): H: 171 cm from the bottom to the capital. Capital: H: 51 x width between 42 cm below and 49,5 cm. above. The base is apparent by 13 cm only.

4 Information obtained from M.-L. Derat, May 2009. 5 Information obtained from M.-L. Derat, May 2009. 6 Le “remploi … dans le qené mahlet (de) deux piliers axoumites, quatre dans le maqdas, deux autres

sur un petit tertre à 150 m au nord-est de l’église” (Godet, 1980-1982: 94).

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Fig. 1 – Waf Argaf near Ašatan Māryām, the twin pillars surrounded by ancient trees mark the sacred place reserved for the blessing of the water on Epiphany, © E. Fritsch.

Fig. 2 – Twin pillars preserved in the sanctuary of the church of Māy Māryām, near Lālibalā, © M.-L. Derat).

Fig. 3 – Twin pillars at Urā Masqal (near Zālāmbasā, Tegrāy), © M.-L. Derat.

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more pillars than two are also registered but their very set up is revealing since it provides for a context. They do not seem to have posed a problem.7

We observe that these pillars are invariably found with the following characteristics: they are found in pairs, standing side by side at a distance of some three meters from each other, are often monolithic, square in shape and chamfered, topped with a capital or its imitation and footed with a base, the space between them being oriented west-eastwards. 8

These monuments have been called “Aksumite” and their existence has been a mystery to many a traveller. It is appropriate to examine the adequacy of the adjective “Aksumite” applied to them and to sort out the nature of such pillars.

How Aksumite? To speak about Aksumite features obviously refers one to the city of Aksum, once the capital of the kingdom bearing the same name; to this kingdom which flourished between the fourth and seven centuries; and to persons, events, items and features obtained there and in the indicated period of time. In terms of architecture, “Aksumite” refers to methods of construction used in this context.

Furthermore, the adjective has been applied to describe items assumed to have some kind of commonality with Aksumite things in the sense indicated above. However, there are hardly any reliable definitions of the term or any definite areas of application. It is therefore easy to construe a period of time, a domain, a type, when a given item, here pillars, could, perhaps, only be a style imitating old patterns at any point in time – in Lālibalā or in a modern building, for instance – or even something simply functional and more universal in nature. This adjective should therefore be either avoided or else qualified when employed, so as to indicate in what sense the reference to Aksum is made.

One particular example may be useful. The frieze of blind windows which adorns many churches has come to be generally called the “Aksumite frieze” (Fig. 4). Typically, however, the adjective “aksumite” or the phrase “Aksumite-style” has been applied to the frieze without reference to any actual extant Aksumite example of such frieze, except for the similarity with the line of windows in the lower level of stelae supposed to represent a dwelling. 9 This surely is an item which needs a study on its origin, meaning and applications but, although it is likely

7 E.g. at Māy Turub (Eritrea), ruins of a square building with in their centre chamfered quadrangular

pillars, one square capital and fragments of other capitals (Godet, 1980-1982: 104, see also 106, 107, 110). Adulis, north of Cheikh Mahmud’s cemetery, two lines of eight bases of square columns “carrées aux angles abattus” (Godet, 1980-1982: 75). In excavations by Richard Sundström, a building features in its centre “une galerie à colonnes (qui) devait compter sept à huit paires de colonnes” (Godet, 1980-1982: 75). Nāzrēt may deserve a specific treatment (Anfray, 1970: 36-39; Godet, 1977: 54).

8 Waf Argaf is a particular case in that both monolithic pillars are slant at the same pronounced angle, which makes one think that they both are one and the same piece of rock, including the base below and in between them.

9 E.g. Finneran, 2007: 216, fig. 6.2, 220, 224; 250, fig. 6.22b; Phillipson, 2009: 185, 203.

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that it existed in the space-time of the Aksumite civilisation stricto sensu, no example has yet been unearthed there beside the representation of windows on the stelae while many exist elsewhere, in Greece particularly.

Fig. 4 – Aksumite frieze at Qirqos Agobo (Wambertā, East Tegrāy), © E. Fritsch.

To come back to our pillars, certain scholars who referred to them as “Aksumite” have also indicated a distance from Aksum, which is tantamount pointing to Aksum as regional point of reference while at the same time stating a difference introduced by time, remoteness or other factors. For example, Francis Anfray prudently speaks of a “pilier de type axoumite”, a part of “plusieurs tronçons de pilliers en pierre (qui) gisent par terre” at Qeneda, near Abbassomillé, north of Dessie. However, he is less cautious a few lines later when his text reads: “About fifteen pillars still stand in the ruins (and in the church), some of which have a stepped base cut in the mass” while the matching photograph fig. 18 shows an “Aksumite pillar” (“un pilier axoumite”) from Nāzrēt.10 He states further: “As in a number of Aksumite type buildings” (“Comme dans quelques constructions de type axoumite…”) before eventually saying that that church “does not go back to aksumite times” (“ne date pas de l’époque axoumite”).

David Phillipson noted for Tegrāy: “Such early Tigray hypogea retain features that may be traced to Aksumite architecture, but not exclusively to its ecclesiastical or funerary manifestations (…) Square-sectioned pillars, usually with beveled corners and sometimes with stepped capitals resembling those at Aksumite élite buildings, are noteworthy.” 11

10 My translation of: “Une quinzaine de piliers se dressent encore dans les ruines (et dans l’église) dont

certains ont une base en gradins taillée dans la masse” (Anfray, 1970: 35, photo 17 and 36-37, photo 18); see the “Aksumite-style” doorway in Finneran, 2007: 231.

11 Phillipson, 2009: 185.

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This type of distance does express a certain belonging to the continuing world triggered in the context of the Aksumite civilisation, but perhaps is it much. For it is hardly noteworthy to state that a pillar or anything else in Ethiopia or Eritrea has a connection with the architectural tradition initiated in Aksum and found in these countries; rather, things would become interesting when it is not the case because, then, research is needed to describe and explain the unexpected. On the other hand, pillars in Aksum are of several types, and wooden ones have probably been used, something usually not included in the picture when reference to Aksum is made. 12 It would be more relevant to tell the purpose of the pillars.

Church architecture But let us explain what these twin pillars, mentioned above as found outside an immediate context giving them meaning, are. It appears that the general “grammar”, as it were, of church architectonics may provide us with an answer as to their nature and function.

General principles of the basilica in Ethiopia The plan of the ancient churches built on a basilican or a basilican ground plan includes a central nave and two aisles. The sanctuary as well as the pastophoria (i.e. sacristies or service rooms)13 are found at the eastern end of this triple structure, while the porch made between two other rooms occupy the western end. The nave and aisles are the central space, known as qenē māhelēt (lit., “service of praise”), where the assembly stands while the clergy serves them in their various capacities and have access to the sanctuary.

The nave and aisles are usually organised around a structure of four pillars usually forming a square, e.g. at Qohaito (Eritrea), Takla Hāymānot Hāwzēn, Yemrehānna Krestos, Lālibalā Bēta Māryām and Bēta Amānu’ēl, Gannata Māryām, Bēta Lehēm in Gāyent etc. The pillars support an architrave or beam – whether made of true stone or timber, or a rock imitation of the same – on each side of the main nave, all the length of the church from its west end to the sanctuary. This architrave is in turn the basis upon which the ceiling and often the roof rest, above a series of decorative false windows separated from each other by their frames (not leaving room for proper metopes), the “Aksumite frieze”. Together with the outer walls reinforced by engaged pillars, the central pillars and their architraves may support a clerestory and even a loft in some cases (Lālibalā Bēta Māryām or Amānu’ēl), which are as many elements of an actual basilica.

The areas lying to the north and south of these pillars are the north and south aisles, respectively. They are separated from the central nave by those same pillars and the architrave they bear in the east-west sense. They divide the church into three aisles and three bays (discounting the sanctuary and the porch areas). While the nave is ended by the steps climbing before the triumphal arch which give access 12 See Buxton, 1970: 247 and plate 38. 13 See Fritsch & Gervers, 2007: 9 ff.

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to the sanctuary, the aisles lead to the service rooms which are found north and south of the sanctuary (the pastophoria). The latter may have a doorway with a door opening to their respective aisles. While, again, the nave may display either a high and flat ceiling, or else a double-sloped ceiling of the saddleback type, or, again, a barrel vault ceiling, the aisles normally have flat and lower ceilings. When the ceiling of the nave is of the saddleback type, it is supported by a beam above and across the nave as part of a truss (e.g. at Yemrehānna Krestos) above the pillars and the Aksumite frieze. Finally, as rapidly mentioned above, the outer walls are reinforced by engaged pillars matching the main pillars which structure the edifice, a beam supporting the flat ceiling of the aisle which is sitting between the pillars and engaged pillars.

Principles applied to the case Smaller churches are based on the same principle of a nave and two aisles. However, the architraves defining the nave and supporting its ceiling being shorter, two pillars suffice. As a result, such a church still display a nave and two aisles but two bays only – sanctuary and porch discounted. The rest of the features are similar to those in a church with four pillars; they are only less large.

Among the extant ancient churches which illustrate the point, we may count Giyorgis Zāremā,14 Qirqos Agobo,15 the partly built Dabra Salām Mikā’ēl (Wembertā, East Tegrāy),16 the two churches of Emmakinā Madòanē ‘ālam17 and Emmakinā Ledatā (above Gannata Māryām); to which we may add the rock-churches of Māryām Barāqit (Gar‘āltā, East Tegray), 18 Sebā ‘Aynā,19 and later Qanqānit Mikā’ēl,20 Ašatan Māryām near Lālibalā21 etc.

Larger churches may exist with more pillars, like the churches above Kālēb and Gabra Masqal’s tombs (Aksum), Tokonda and Matarā (Eritrea), AgulāŸ (East Tegray), all from the Aksumite period; Yohannes Matmeq Gāzen,22 Lālibalā Madòanē ‘ālam. A more complex shape may be obtained with a transept as at Abrehā wa-Asbehā, Qirqos Weqro, Mikā’ēl Ambā, Bēta Leòēm in Gāyent. On the contrary, the two small churches of Śellāsē Degum, although they are inspired by the same basilican plan, do not have any pillars but the southern one shows round

14 See Lepage, 1973 and Lepage-Mercier (2005: 64, 66, 68 (plan and sections]; 67 [picture]) shows

architraves supported by monolithic pillars; above is the Aksumite frieze and the high saddleback ceiling mounted on trusses resting higher (see section p. 68 and photo p. 70).

15 The local form is Agewo but Agobo perhaps is the original form (e.g. abuna becomes awena when pronounced or even written down by Tegrean villagers). See in Lepage-Mercier (2005: 103) a picture showing architraves supported by left wooden post while the clearer spot under the architrave on the right shows place of missing post; above are the Aksumite frieze and the high, flat, ceiling.

16 Lepage-Mercier, 2005: 94. 17 See Gervers, 2006. 18 See Lepage, 1972. 19 No. 1507 in Sauter, 1976. 20 Monti Della Corte, 1940: 101-103; Bianchi Barriviera 1962/1963: fig. 49. 21 See Monti Della Corte, 1940: 99. 22 Lepage-Mercier, 2005: 52.

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sockets made in the architraves and apparently meant to represent the position where slender pillars, perhaps made of wood, may have been placed. Among other and later ruins, one may consider that the 15th century’s structure of Ambā Gabre’ēl (near the royal camp of Mashāla Māryām, North Shoa) is best explained by such an arrangement.23

Clearly, the two pillars of the proportions indicated at the beginning of this note were structuring the nave and aisles of a smaller church of the basilican type, carrying the architrave on either side of the nave in the west-east sense. In the north-south sense, they carried the weight of the timberwork of ceiling and roof at the level of the central part of the building and, on the other hand, shared with the outer walls and their engaged pillars the load of the flat ceiling and roof above the aisles.

In addition, the distance from one pillar to the other one as well as the height of the pillars can be seen as the ratio procuring a notion as to the dimensions of the building.

Fig. 5 – One of the two wooden posts supporting the northern architrave at Qirqos Agobo seen westwards (Wembertā, East Tegrāy), © E. Fritsch.

Conclusion In Ethiopian context, isolated pillars found in pairs belong to the structural make-up of the nave of a small Christian basilica, unless a specific situation contradicts this assumption. Their function is to support the architrave. Accordingly, they may gain in being named “architrave support pillars” or “architrave pillars”.

23 Fritsch, Derat, 2011.

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It may be suggested that, in the future, architectonical or other items be named in reference to their function rather than to a style? References to Aksum or to a style are better understood as part of a description, not as carrying the definition of the item.

The description of a pillar as being aksumite or not refers to a figure of style which itself knows variations according to whether it features step capitals or not, or chamfers, or a similar base and top or not etc. A more modest device such as wooden posts as at Qirqos Agobo serves the purpose as well as a monolith (Fig. 5).

Is it aksumite? Perhaps not insofar as a certain agreed style is what is referred to, or because timber might not qualify as a monolith would;24 and yes insofar as the function of such pillars is fulfilled, as in Aksumite times; and no again, since the areas concerned stretch far farther afield in time and space than the kingdom of Aksum set in its own time; but yes if we understand the item as a part of a cultural whole which developed while integrating new elements or loosing older ones, with both discontinuities and continuities throughout geographical expansion down the line of the centuries.

Bibliography Anfray F., 1970, Notes archéologiques, Annales d’Ethiopie, 8, 31-56.

Buxton D., 1970, The Abyssinians, New York, Thames & Hudson.

Fritsch E., Derat M.-L., 2011, Une lecture architecturale et liturgique des ruines de Gabriel, in M.-L. Derat & A.-M. Jouquand, Gabriel, une église médiévale d’Éthiopie. Interprétations historiques et archéologiques de sites chrétiens autour de Mashala Māryām (Manz, Éthiopie), XVe-XVIIe siècles, Paris, De Boccard (à paraître).

Finneran N., 2007, The Archaeology of Ethiopia, London – New York, Routledge.

Fritsch E., Gervers M., 2007, Pastophoria and Altars: Interaction in Ethiopian Liturgy and Church Architecture, Aethiopica, 10, 7-50.

Gervers M., 2006, An Architectural Survey of the Church of Emäkina Mädhane Aläm (Lasta, Ethiopia)”, in W. Witakowski – L. Łykowska (eds.), Wälättä Yohanna. Ethiopian Studies in Honour of Joanna Mantel-Niećko on the Occasion of the 50th Year of Her Work at the Institute of Oriental Studies, Warsaw University, Rocznik Orientalistyczny, 49(1), 92-112.

Godet É., 1977, Répertoire de sites pré-aksumites et aksumites Tigré (Éthiopie), Documents Histoire Civilisation Éthiopienne, 8, 19-58.

Godet É., 1980-1982, Répertoire de sites pré-aksumites et aksumites d’Éthiopie du nord. 2e partie : Érythrée, Abbay, 11, 73-113.

Henze P., 2005, Éšätän, in S. Uhlig (ed.), Encyclopaedia Aethiopica, 2, 375-376.

24 Which would not be correct: see Buxton, 1970: 247 and pl. 38.

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Lepage C., 1974, L’Église de Zaréma (Éthiopie) découverte en Mai 1973 et son apport à l’histoire de l’architecture éthiopienne, Comptes-rendus de l’année 1973 de Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres, 417-454.

Lepage C., 1972, L’église rupestre de Berakit, Annales d’Éthiopie, 9, 147-188.

Lepage C., Mercier J., 2005, Art éthiopien : Les églises historiques du Tigray – Ethiopian Art: The Ancient Churches of Tigray, Paris, ERC.

Monti Della Corte A. A., 1940, Lalibala. Le chiese ipogee e monolitiche e gli altri monumenti medievali del Lasta, Roma, Società italiana arti grafiche.

Phillipson D. W., 2009, Ancient Churches of Ethiopia: Fourth-Fourteenth Centuries, New Haven, Yale University Press.

Sauter R., 1976, Églises rupestres au Tigré, Annales d’Éthiopie, 10, 157-175.

Abstract / Résumé Fritsch E., 2010, Twin Pillars: an Epistemological Note in Church Archaeology, Annales d’Éthiopie, 25, 103-111.

The two isolated monolithic pillars found in pairs at several ancient sites are easily called “Aksumite”. What are they, what is their function? They belong to the structural make-up of a small Christian basilica, where they support the architrave on each side of the main nave, architrave which in its turn is the basis upon which ceiling and roof rest. Architectonical or other items may gain in being named in reference to their function, here “architrave pillars”, rather than to a style, like “Aksumite pillars”. Keywords: Ethiopia, basilica, pillar, architrave, Aksumite.

Deux piliers : une note épistémologique en archéologie ecclésiastique – On appelle facilement « aksumites » les deux piliers isolés trouvés en paires sur plusieurs sites anciens. Que sont-ils, quelle est leur fonction ? Ils appartiennent à la structure de petites basiliques chrétiennes où ils soutiennent une architrave de chaque côté de la nef principale, architrave qui est à son tour la base sur laquelle le plafond et le toit reposent. Il semble qu’on gagnerait à nommer les articles architectoniques ou autres en faisant référence à leur fonction (« piliers d’architrave » dans le cas présent), plutôt qu’à un style (ici, « piliers aksumites »). Mots-clefs : Éthiopie, basilique, pilier, architrave, aksumite.