LMBAT, SAINT STEPANOS
Type: Small Cruciform, Central-Plan
Location: About one mile southwest of Artik Village.
Date: VII century.
Evidence of date: There are several inscriptions
on the building as well as from the material and workmanship.
Important details: Paintings at Lmbat have been used
for comparative purposes in the dating of the 7th century leaves
found in the 10th century Ejmiain Gospel.
Condition: Good.
Reconstruction: The latest construction to date is 1977.
History and Commentary: St. Step'anos is a small cruciform
central-plan church with a cupola and a horseshoe eastern apse,
which is rectangular on the exterior. Three bays on the north, south,
and west ends are rectangular both on the interior and exterior.
Entrance to the church is from the west.
On the interior, the transition from the central square space below
to the cupola is made through the use of a double row of squinches.
The cupola rests on a tail, octagonal drum pierced by four windows.
The exterior of the church has a chapel, oriented to the east, attached
to the north side of the western arm. St. Step'anos also displays
well-worked rose colored tufa with very little sculptural ornamentation.
The church at Lmbat is also important because of its wall paintings
dating back to it construction. These are fresco paintings on the
interior walls of the church inspired by the visions of Ezekiel
and Isaiah in the old testament. These visions can also be found
in the Apses of the Cathedrals of T'alin and Mren, and the church
of Gos. The figure of Christ is shown seated on a throne richly
decorated with pearls and precious stones. Also surrounding Him
on the Aureole is a tetramorph between two wheels described in the
vision, and a six-winged seraph. Flames are shown rising from the
lower band of ornament.
He theme found in St. Step'anos is often found depicted in the Apse
area of Christian churches in both east and west during the early
medieval period. Armenian paintings share in this tradition, however
its scenes differ in one important respect. The four animals shown
in other are as encircling Christ are never represented in the Armenian
compositions. Also found at St. Step'ano is a painting of two horseman
depicted under the squinches of the church. One is of St. George.
Bibliography:
Strzygowski 1918, 498-499.
T'oramanian 1942-1948, 171-173, 206, 211.
Arutjunjan 1951, 42.
Eremian 1955, 45.
Durnoo 1957, 9-11.
Eghiazarian 1960, 2,50.
Tokarskii 1961, 110-112.
Arak'elian 1964, 171.
Sarkisian 1966, 215.
Architettura Medievale Armena, Rome-Palazzo Venezia 10-30 Giugno,
1968 1968, 91.
Der Nersessian 1970, 104, 137.
Coen 1974, 43.
Harouthiounian 1975, 41.
Der Nersessian 1977-1978, 36, 71, 75.
Theirry 1987
Cuneo 1988
Armenian Studies Program
