"Monastic mountains and deserts" was the topic of a panel at the 21st International Congress of Byzantine Studies held in London in August 2006. Holy mountains and deserts are exceptional places, secluded from the "world," places where communication with the divine is more intensive than elsewhere. Byzantine monasticism was characterized by the coenobite, lavriote and solitary ways of life. An important factor was the distinctive "morphology" of such locations, whose dramatic beauty and natural landscape features precipices and caves inspired contemplation and ascetic endeavours. In the seven contributions presented here, this phenomenon is illustrated by examples from different regions, either in the Byzantine Empire itself or in areas under Byzantine cultural influence.

1981, 326 Seiten, 2 Karten, 30x21 cm, broschiert

This survey covers the islands of the North Aegean; Chios, Lesbos, Lemnos, Samothrace, Thasos, Skyros, Tenedos, Eustratios and Imbros and its neighbours. It starts as usual with explanations of the terminology used, and descriptions of the geography and climate of the region. There follows an exploration of historical and administrative development, the Church, economy, traffic routes, and settlement and population, after which comes the gazetteer proper, describing Byzantine-period sites alphabetically, including their history, surviving remains and bibliography.