Erken Bizans Dönemi Mimarisinde Az Bilinen Bir Düzenleme: Thalassidionlar
A Recondite Arrengement in the Early Byzantine Architecture: Thalassidia

Summary/Abstract: In the Byzantine period, water is regarded as the source of life and divine resurrection, a symbol of blessing and purification, based on references in religious texts. Therefore, in addition to healing/therapeutic applications, it is an important element in liturgical use. Thalassidia are small water reservoirs connected to a water system under or near the altar, used for ceramonial washing. On account of the excavations carried out in recent years, the number of recognized churches belong to Early Byzantine has increased. Even though the arrangements determined in the churches are related to water cult, the functional proposals are determined according to general information. Therefore, in this article, aimed to introduce the usage of water in churches and to explain Thalassidion in detail. The elements determined as Thalassidia are arranged differently from each other. Location, shape and water system do not have common features. It is possible to propose thalasidion for usage in churches through well, canal and pipe systems. According to the architectural data, there are thalassidia at Cyprus, Jerusalem, North Africa and Greece; five examples have been defined at Anatolia.

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