Thesis abstract:

My aim is to understand the presence of astrological motifs, especially the zodiac, in “canonical” religious Byzantine (and post-Byzantine) art and architecture. By “canonical” I mean mainstream, religiously sanctioned art. The problem with the zodiac and other astrological elements is that, as a rule, they populate the outskirts of Byzantine (and post-Byzantine) culture, being considered subversive of orthodoxy. Against this backdrop, the presence of zodiacal motifs in “canonical” art and architecture comes a surprise. In undertaking this research my assumption is that astrological motifs such as the zodiac made their way into the “canonical” sphere, first, under the guise of respectable science—in this case astronomy—and, second, by way of layers of religious reinterpretation. My first aim is to show that astrological motifs such as the zodiac thrived despite the ecclesiastical authorities and the ninth century anathemas against superstition and heresy (which were periodically renewed till the end of the Byzantine era). My second aim is to explore the cultural factors that made possible the representation of the zodiac in “canonical” religious art in Byzantium and its cultural progeny in the Balkans. To achieve these goals, (a) I shall undertake the cartography of the relevant material culture by consulting the available literature (for the purposes of getting my bearings in the field) and by visiting the relevant sites (for the purposes of taking photos and/or making video recordings of zodiacal and other astrological motifs in Byzantine and post-Byzantine art and architecture); (b) I shall explore relevant religious sources (hagiographical, liturgical, theological), which might help me to grasp the mechanisms that allowed for the zodiac to become a part of “canonical” religious art and architecture; (c) I shall explore relevant sources of nonreligious significance (astrological, astronomical, philosophical) that might account for this occurrence; (d) I shall interpret the zodiacal motifs present in Byzantine (and post-Byzantine) art and architecture in the light of the explored sources.