II. Basileios Menologion'unda baş kesme sahnelerinin tasviri (Vat. gr. 1613) 10. yüzyıl'a ait Bizans el yazmasının ikonografik araştırması

This study focuses on the Menologion of Basil II preserved in the Bibliotheca Apostolica Vaticana, Vat.gr.1613, an illustrated ecclesiastical calendar that presents short notices for each commemoration day. The codex encompasses 430 miniatures of high quality painted on gold-leaf backgrounds, suggesting a Constantinopolitan production and consequently represents one of the highest points of development in Byzantine manuscript tradition. Approximately, one third of the miniatures employ scenes of beheading as the method of execution of Christian martyrs, visually forming the most frequent type of persecution. This study aims to conduct an iconographical analysis of these scenes through analyzing recurring patterns in the representations of decapitation. It is argued that the persistent choice of representing the beheaded martyr in the moment preceding the execution is reminiscent of the iconographical motifs used in depictions of Sacrifice of Isaac. A thorough investigation presented in the format of a catalogue has been employed to identify these recurring motifs. The first chapter presents the codicological and historical background of the manuscript; the second chapter identifies the methodological approach applied to catalogue entries; the third chapter discusses the relationship between the scenes of the Sacrifice of Isaac and Early Christian martyrdom scenes and examines the similarities between the Menologion's beheading scenes and representations of 'Aqedah [binding] in monumental painting and manuscript illumination prior to the 11th century.