Smyrna Physiologus

Smyrna Physiologus, accepted as one of the first Greek illuminated manuscripts made in our homeland has not been searched in Turkish beforehand. Besides,It has a significant place in Byzantine Art. During the research, it was tried to reach all catalog, book, article data sources related to research topic.It came out various difficulties obtaining all illuminated manuscripts in Smyrna Physiologus. Since the original ''Smyrna Physiologus''was destroyed in the great Smyrna fire at the library of Smyrna Evangelical Greek School that broke out in 1922,only the black and white photos available at various researches' archives of some illuminated manuscripts remained. It is not known where these original photos are kept nowadays. This thesis aims to introduce and search Smyrna Physiologus allegorically, iconographically, and symbolically that is rarely heard nowadays and accepted as the oldest known Greek illuminated manuscript in Byzantine art made in our country. Our study is an original research because there is not any Turkish search on this topic. Why it was called Smyrna Physiologus is because it was at the library of Smyrna Evangelical Greek School in modern city İzmir of Turkey. Therefore, Byzantine illuminated manuscripts in Smyrna Physiologus will be tried to explain, compare, analyse iconografically, symbolically and allegorically.With this study, similarities and differences to be emerged thought and the topic was decided to explore.In this way, lackness on both this subject and in Turkish studies at art history literature will be removed,for other researchers willing to research Smyrna Physiologus to help and make a contibution to art history literature.Considered scarcity iv of researchers making searches on Byzantine art and hardships reaching to all sources about it, our study is expected to be orginal and useful one. Systemetically,it was attempted to reach all sources like catalogs,books articles and so forth referring to research topic.However,many of them are available as rare books at the libraries and not transferred to digital catalogs, a very difficult literature research process on Smyrna Physiologus was experinced as in Byzantine illuminated manuscripts that are unreachable even today's many digital catalogs. All the information gathered was shared with supervisors and other dissertation science committee members regularly.This obtained knowledge, resources were assessed mutually. Received information with the guidance of supervisors and board members evaluated and struggled to make comments with suggestions.Since the work is not available today completely, the inquiry was done only by using black and white photos claimed to belong Smyrna Physiologus.