Verim, Ercan : Batı Karadeniz'deki Bizans Kiliseleri

Ercan Verim,
Batı Karadeniz'deki Bizans Kiliseleri

Ankara 2026

ISBN 978-625-8550-07-8


505 S./pp., zahlr. Farb- und S/W-Abb./num. colour and b/w-figs., 24 x 17 cm; broschiert/softcover


This book has been written to lift the veil of mystery surrounding the Byzantine past hidden beneath the lush green canopy of the Western Black Sea. This book, the product of extensive surface surveys conducted across a wide area covering the provinces of Bartın, Bolu, Düzce, and Zonguldak, offers a comprehensive inventory of Byzantine-period churches, including some recorded in other provinces of the region. Our research aimed to handle every form of material evidence belonging to the period – from the plan of a church and its masonry techniques to architectural decorations and brick fragments – with a holistic approach. Within the pages of this book, you will observe that Byzantine architecture in the Western Black Sea embodies a surprising dichotomy: on one hand, structures that reflect the strong influence of the capital, Constantinople, and remain faithful to the imperial style in their architectural and decorative conception; on the other, a pragmatic approach relying entirely on local resources for the selection of construction materials. This situation reveals the dynamic and multi-layered relationship between the capital and the periphery. One of the most striking findings of our study is the chronological density. The fact that the vast majority of structures in the region belong to the Early and Middle Byzantine periods, while building activities – aside from some repairs and additions – almost completely ceased in the Late Byzantine period, narrates not only an architectural history but also a political one. The transition of the region to Turkish rule in the Late Byzantine period, except for a few coastal fortresses and small settlements, stands as the most tangible evidence of how the Byzantine presence in these lands gradually came to an end. This book is an important step toward bringing the forgotten and fading Byzantine cultural heritage of the Western Black Sea into the scientific world. I hope that this work will serve as a reference for readers interested in regional history and provide a foundation for more in-depth research in the future.