Original scientific paper

Early Medieval Stone Transenna from St. Paul’s Church in the Village of Palje Brdo in Konavle

Zdenko Žeravica

Abstract

The paper presents a stylistic-typological analysis of the stone transenna from St. Paul’s Church in Palje Brdo near Konavle. The transenna has been recognized as a find arising from the Early Christian heritage and classified among the first Old Croatian monuments, or Old Croatian art, whose development in the territory of Dalmatia commenced at the beginning of the seventh century. Apart from the obvious flatness of motifs, this is indicated also by the selection of symbols applied on the transenna – a two-band and a three-band, as well as four-leafed motifs that might be the prototype of the later widely distributed pretzel motif, i.e. reticulated knots, in Old Croatian culture. A particular point is that this transenna suggests the uniformity of Old Croatian culture throughout the territory of Dalmatia, and since analogies from the neighbouring Apennine Peninsula are cited, the presumed reason for this is that early medieval art developed from the Early Christian heritage, which represented a strong cohesive force in the spiritual life of this entire territory throughout the Late Antiquity, which again greatly influenced the development of the arts.

Keywords

Early Middle Ages; transenna; St. Paul’s Church; Konavle; Old Croatian art; Early Christianity

Hrčak ID:

721

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/721

Publication date:

1.6.2004.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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