Architectural sculpture of Byzantine Period in the surroundings of Konya

The main theme of this PhD dissertation consists of the architectural and liturgical elements of the Early and Middle Byzantine Period which have been found in the centres of the districts of Konya (Ikonion) and the villages located in the borders of the region, named Lycaonia in Ancient Era. In the researches which were carried out in the centre of the districts of Konya (Hüyük, Derbent, Doğanhisar, Akşehir, Tuzlukçu, Ilgın, Kadınhanı, Sarayönü, Beyşehir, Karatay, Altınekin) and the villages, a total of 279 stone works, scatterred around or reused as spolie at the Turkish Period buildings, have been determined. These remaining samples have been evaluated in two main groups as architectural and liturgical ones. Architectural elements are composed of 4 column bases, 2 double-column bases, 2 postaments, 13 column capitals, 7 double-column capitals, 9 piers, 2 double-columns, 51 small double-columns, 49 lintel, frame and frieze blocks and 1 console; liturgical ones consist of 16 balusters, 36 slabs, 12 small columns, 20 architraves, 2 ambo podiums, 2 ambo piers, 1 altar and 8 altar bases. The other elements of which functions are not determined exactly, have been discussed under separate title. The material of sculptures was intensively made of grey marble and limestones. However, white/Dokimeion marble was also used. While few of pieces demonstrate the features of the workshops in Capital Constantinople, most of them bear resemblance to the samples from the close regions of Phrygia, Pisidia and Isauria. Keywords: Lycaonia, Konya/Iconium, Byzantine, Architectural Sculpture, Decoration.