Unknown Inscription of the Octagonal Column at the Southwestern Gallery of the Oshki Church

Abstract

The southwestern gallery of the Oshki church is distinguished by its octagonal column, located on the western side of the gallery in terms of ornamental and figurative motives.

On the column, together with the other images, there was a small image of St. Nino, the Illuminator of Georgians (the image no longer exists). The image is regarded as the earliest figure of St. Nino in medieval Georgian art. There are different interpretations of the reliefs and general connotations of the column amongst the scholarship. It has been discussed in the frame of the conversion of Kartli.

Regarding the latter interesting information has been found in E. Takaishvili’s archive (N2232, Korneli Kekelidze Georgian National Centre of Manuscripts). In the archive, one can find copies of the seven inscriptions of the column. From these inscriptions, six were published by the author in his book dedicated to the expedition in the historic south part of Georgia conducted in 1917. As for the seventh (N6 – numbered by E. Takaishvili) inscription, it has never been published and nowadays no longer exists. The inscription is significant for the understanding of the content of the pillar. The oneline inscription is reads as follows: “Life-giving Pillar”.

The term “Life-giving Pillar” in the Christian exegesis and art was used as an epithet of the True Cross. Though, in the context of the image of the Illuminator of Georgia – St. Nino, it has obtained the meaning of the life-giving pillar of Svetitskhoveli as well. Inscription on the column reinforces and verifies the suggestion of the scholars regarding the existence of the earliest composition connected to the history of the conversion of Kartli.

It is noteworthy that this 10th century composition in the column precedes other compositions having similar content. In the sense of the formation of artistic thinking, the role of Oshki has been increased even more in the history of the development of Georgian art.