Snake and fish in the architectural decoration of the Christian the churches in Caucasus in medieval period: some observations

Abstract

The article deals with the images of fish and snake in the architectural decoration of the Christian churches in Caucasus in 10 – 14 centuries. The theme of the dragon fighters is not in the focus of the research. The research is dedicated to the images of snake (without paws and fangs, in contrast to dragon-snake) when represented in heraldic position, in the scenes of the prophet Jonas devoured by the sea-monster and in isolated position. It is also dedicated to the image of the fish. The earliest representations of the snakes and dragon-snakes appear on the facades of the Christian churches in Caucasus as early as the Xth century on the territory of the Northern Caucasus and Georgia. Later they are turned in hybrid creatures, dragon-snake (with paws and fangs, sometimes covered with fish scales). Two heads of snake on the earliest representations as well as cirсles on its body underline the apotropaic meaning of the image. The appearance of the snake (not the dragon-snake) on the territory in question could be explained by the influence of the local archaeological culture (Cobano-Colchis). Being represented on the facades of the Christian churches they function as apotropaia. The appearance of the isolated images of fishes in the architectural decoration could also be influenced by the local archaeological culture. The way of the sketching the scales on its body (on the relief from Anacopia) proves its biological identification as trout (the widest spread fish in the mountains of Caucasus). The image of the fish carved on the facades of the Christian churches could also have apotropaic function.