Appendix 2: Numbering System and Key Drawings

Bolman, Elizabeth S.

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Appendix 2: Numbering System and Key Drawings

Elizabeth S. Bolman (Editor)

The Red Monastery Church: Beauty and Asceticism in Upper Egypt

~This numbering system is meant to assist in locating general areas on the facade wall and in the triconch, and is not intended to give a number to every painted, sculpted, and architectural element in the church (figs. A2.1–A2.4).

Author

Elizabeth S. Bolman (Editor)

PublisherYale University Press

Stable URL: https://aaeportal.com/?id=-23746

Appendix 2: Numbering System and Key Drawings

This numbering system is meant to assist in locating general areas on the facade wall and in the triconch, and is not intended to give a number to every painted, sculpted, and architectural element in the church (figs. A2.1–A2.4).

Numbering System

All areas of the sanctuary are identified by upper-case letters:

T	triconch
F	facade of triconch
NLR	northern long room
NSR	northern square room
SLR	southern long room
SSR	southern square room

In addition to T and F, a more specific system exists for the triconch and the facade wall (see below). Each of the other areas indicated above has a single designation for the entire unit of space and is not further subdivided by additional numbers. The identification system used for the triconch and the facade wall consists of four parts (figs. A2.2–A2.4):

AREA is indicated by an upper case letter (T for triconch; F for facade).

DIRECTION is indicated by a lower case letter (n for north; e for east; s for south; w for west). Direction is used in the triconch to distinguish the three lobes of the sanctuary and the four walls of the clerestory, but not on the facade wall.

LEVEL is indicated by a Roman numeral, the lowest level being I and the highest level being III (on the facade) or V (in the triconch).

POSITION is indicated by Arabic numbers running left to right.

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Description: Facade wall with location numbering, Red Monastery church

A2.2. Triconch plan with location numbering.

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Description: Triconch plan with location numbering, Red Monastery church

A2.3. Triconch elevation with location numbering.

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Description: Triconch elevation with location numbering, Red Monastery church

A2.4. Triconch flattened elevation of levels I and II, with location numbering.

Example: The third-phase painting of Shenoute is identified by T.n.II.6 (T = triconch; n = northern lobe; II = second level; 6 = second niche from the left).

IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM FOR THE FACADE WALL

Levels

The facade wall is divided into three levels, indicated by Roman numerals (see fig. A2.1)

I: extends from the floor to the top of the capitals of the monumental granite columns of the arched entrance of the triconch

II: extends from above the capitals of the granite columns to the top of the central arch, including its spandrels

III: uppermost zone above the level of the central arch.

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Description: Triconch flattened elevation of levels I and II, with location numbering, Red...

A2.1. Facade wall with location numbering.

Position

Position on the facade wall is indicated by Arabic numerals, reading from left to right. The area is divided into five unequal units. As is the case with the lobes of the triconch, each area may feature various architectural, sculptural, and decorative elements that are all identified by the same number.

IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM FOR THE TRICONCH

Levels

In the triconch the three lobes are divided into five levels, indicated by Roman numerals.

I	first (ground) level of each lobe
II	second level of each lobe
III	semidome and its framing arch
IV	spandrels of each semidome
V	clerestory level

The twentieth-century dome above the triconch is not included in the numbering system.

Note: The entablature supported by the ground-floor columns belongs to level I, and the entablature supported by the columns of level II belongs to level II.

Position

Within the triconch, the width and height of each numbered unit (indicating position) varies. No attempt has been made to provide a number for every element within a given space, or to make the numbered units the same size. For example, each freestanding column is given a number, and each space between two columns is also given a number. Although the numbered columns are fairly straightforward, the numbered spaces between columns consist of numerous elements, including niches, pediments, pilasters, engaged columns, figural paintings, and ornamental patterns. All these elements are identified by the same number.

Levels I and II

The northern and southern lobes consist of twelve numbered units each; the eastern lobe consists of nine units. For the most part, the numerical sequence for each lobe consists of numbered columns alternating with numbered niche or doorway areas. There are, however, a number of exceptions.

The first and last columns of each of the three lobes on levels I and II (for example, T.n.I.3 and T.n.I.11; T.e.II.2 and T.e.II.8, T.s.II.2 and T.s.II.10) are exceptional in that the wall directly behind each one is not associated with a niche. These segments of walls are grouped together with the columns under the same number.

T.n.I.2/T.n.II.2 and T.s.I.11/T.s.II.11 refer to walls (perpendicular to the facade wall and outside the curve of the lobes) behind the monumental granite columns flanking the arched entrance of the sanctuary. The granite columns are numbered as part of the facade wall.

T.n.I.12/T.n.II.12 and T.e.I.1/T.e.II.1 refer to the slightly recessed portion of the eastern end of the same walls that are perpendicular to the facade wall.

T.n.I.12/T.n.II.12 and T.e.I.1/T.e.II.1 are the two narrow walls forming a right angle at the meeting point between the northern and eastern lobes.

T.e.I.9/Te.II.9 and T.s.I.1/T.s.II.1 are the two narrow walls forming a right angle at the meeting point between the eastern and southern lobes.

Key Drawings

Fifteen detailed drawings show the locations of the paintings in the triconch and facade wall, the regions of greatest decorative complexity in the building (figs. A2.5–A2.18). Color coding identifies the painting phases to which they belong.

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