The Role of Landscape in Semi-rock-hewn and Cave Churches of Tämben and ᵓƎndärta (Tәgray region, Ethiopia)

Abstract

The article is devoted to the results of studies of little-known monuments of the church architecture of the Tәgray region (Ethiopia) — semi-rock-hewn and cave churches of historical provinces of Sä ḥ art, Tämben and ᵓ Ǝ ndärta. The authors consider the most interesting exam-ples of both individual churches and monastery-complexes created on the basis of cave forma-tions. These monuments illustrate various options for the interaction between architecture and landscape. These monuments have been studied much lesser than the rock-hewn basilicas of the Gär ʽ alta district. The article presents an analysis of new material collected as a result of the expedition carried out as part of the project no. 19–012–00299 with financial support from the Russian Foundation for Basic Research; issues of dating, historical and cultural significance of monuments and their preservation are considered. The article is devoted to the following monuments: the semi-rock-hewn, cave churches of Yo ḥ annәs Mä ṭ mәq Koholo (near Mäq ̱ älä) and Mika ʼ el Ṣ ä ḥ ilo in the G ǝ ğät area, the semi-rock monastery complex Abunä Arägawi Zäyä and Kidanä M ǝḥ rät Täns ǝḥ e in D ǝ gg w ǝ ʽ a Tämben. Especially examined surviving fragments of murals of Yo ḥ annәs Mä ṭ mәq Koholo church, dating from the 17 th century. This church is noted in the report of the expedition of the University of Hamburg under the guidance of D. Nosnitsin, but its architecture was not specifically considered. This article first publishes architectural plan and section of this monument. The church of Mika ʼ el Ṣ ä ḥ ilo was first dis-covered and briefly described by R. Plant in the 1970s. However, from that time this church has not been studied. R. Plant described the monastery of Abunä Arägawi in general terms, but she could not visit the complex, and, as a result, its internal structure, the location of the buildings were not published previously. In this work, for the first time, a plan of the complex and its longitudinal section are published. Kidanä ǝḥ e previously in the scientific literature were presented very fragmentary. Unfortunately, both of its semi-rock-hewn cave churches are lost today. The article also indicates some features of these