Abstract
The article is devoted to the reconstruction of a marble ambo from the early Christian episcopal basilica in Novae. The problem concerns the interpretation of fragmentarily preserved architectural elements and their liturgical function. The aim of the work is to reconstruct the form and construction of the ambo on the basis of finds from 1980 and 1982. The author applies archaeological and comparative analysis. The most important results indicate that the ambo was an impressive marble structure with double staircases, placed in the nave of the basilica. The preserved fragments (including parts of the balcony, supports, and balustrade elements) made it possible to reconstruct its shape: the central part had a circular form and was decorated with Christian symbolism (the Christogram). The structure was supported on columns and equipped with a balustrade. The conclusion is that the basilica had a high level of artistic and liturgical equipment and that Novae was an important center of Christianity in Late Antiquity.
References
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License
© by Adam Mickiewicz University, Faculty of History, Poznań, 1990
OPEN ACCESS