The Early Byzantine İonic capitals (A.D. 4 – 6) in the museums of Turkey

This thesis aim to identify the Ionic capitals of the Early Byzantine Period (A.D. 4 – 6th) which are in the museums of Turkey and create a chronological typology of them. There are 43 Ionic capitals of the Early Byzantine Period detected in the Archaeology Museums of Istanbul, Sinop, Antalya, Kocaeli, Tokat and Yalvaç within the scope of our research. A grouping is tried to be formed out of the detected capitals although they are in limited number. The capitals are examined in three different groups. The first group which classified according to the type and the place of production is named: Production of Proconnesos in Late Antiquity – Ionic Capitals of Early Byzantine Period. The second group: The Production of Constantinople/Proconnesos; contains the Ionic capitals which are in the Archaeology Museum of Istanbul. The title of Anatolian Ionic capitals of 4th – 6th centuries A.D., contains the Ionic capitals that are forming a different group in the museums of Turkey. The rate, proportion and form with the decoration elements of the examples of the 4th and 6th centuries A.D. Anatolian in general and Constantinopole are taken as subjects in the research and the changes of the Ionic capitals are tried to be evaluated. In our research, time-dependent increases in formal distortions are observed on the Ionic capitals which mostly belong to the 4th and 5th centuries A.D. Although the structures they belong to can not be determined precisely, it is observed that the arrengement was limited with the smaller sized secondary structures such as colannaded street, stoa, peristyle and monument which the upper structure elements are not used. As from the 6th century A.D. İt is understood that the Ion arrengement and therefore the Ionic capitals are completely disappeared.