The Shofar and Trumpet in Byzantine Art

Abstract

The subject of this study involves the shofar and trumpet, instruments used both in liturgical and secular ceremonies, and their reflections in religious art. The article addresses these instruments under certain sub-headings. The introduction attempts to explain the emergence of the shofar as an instrument. The trumpet, being frequently mentioned in the Bible, is also included to the context of the study. References to trumpets and shofars were compared in terms of how they were mentioned both in paganism and in the Bible. The other sub-headings first examine the etymological and then iconographic past of the shofar and trumpet. While evaluating the origin of the shofar, the iconographic facts were identified as having important points regarding the etymological derivation of shofar. Chapter 20 in the Bible’s Book of Genesis deals with how God tests Abraham and sends a ram to replace Isaac upon the sacrificial altar and how the ram’s horn has an important place in identifying the shofar’s etymological, material, and iconographic past. This event, known as the Akedah, has an important place in the Hebrew tradition. For these reasons, the places and usages of shofar and trumpet were classified according to their references given in the Bible. Another important sub-heading of the study explains the depictions of the shofar and trumpet in religious art that were chosen as examples. The conclusion heading provides a general evaluation using the given examples.

Keywords

• Shofar
• trumpet
• Byzantium
• Bible
• religious depiction

Bizans Sanatında Şofar ve Trompet

Abstract

Bu çalışmanın konusunu hem liturji hem de seküler hayattaki törenlerde kullanılan bir çalgı olan şofar ve kullanıldığı yerlerin dinî tasvir sanatına yansımaları oluşturmuştur. Çalışma, birkaç alt başlık altında ele alınmıştır. Giriş bölümünde şofarın bir çalgı olarak nasıl ortaya çıktığı açıklanmıştır. Bu bağlamda, Kitab-ı Mukaddes’te adı sıkça geçen trompet de çalışma kapsamına alınmıştır. Trompet ve şofarın gerek çok tanrılı dönem ve gerekse Kitab-ı Mukaddes’te kullanıldığı yerler karşılaştırılmıştır. Diğer alt başlıklarda; şofarın etimolojisi ve ikonografik geçmişi irdelenmiştir. Etimolojik kökeni değerlendirilirken, şofar adının kökeninde, ikonografik etkenin de önemli olduğu noktası tespit edilmiştir. Kitab-ı Mukaddes Yaratılış episodu 22. Bab’da İbrahim’in Denenmesi olayında oğlu İshak’ı kurban etme ile sınanan İbrahim’e bir koç gönderilmiş ve bu koçun boynuzu şofarın hem etimolojik hem malzeme ve hem de ikonografik geçmişi konusunda önemli olmuştur. Akedah olarak bilinen bu olayın İbrani geleneklerinde önemli bir yeri vardır. Bu nedenle, Kitab-ı Mukaddes’te şofar ve trompetin kullanım yerleri amaçlarına göre sınıflandırılmıştır. Çalışma konusunun önemli bir diğer alt başlığında, şofarın dinî tasvir sanatındaki yeri örnekler ile açıklanmıştır. Sonuç bölümünde ise şofarın dinî tasvirlerdeki seçimleri ile ilgili olarak genel bir değerlendirme yapılmıştır.

Keywords

• Şofar
• Trompet
• Bizans
• Kitab-ı Mukaddes
• Dinî Tasvir

References

1. Berenbaum, Michael & Skolnik, Fred. “Rosh ha-Shanah.” Encyclopaedia Judaica.17: 463-466. 2nd Ed. Jerusalem: Keter Publishing House Ltd., 2007. google scholar
2. Berenbaum, Michael & Skolnik, Fred. “Shofar.” Encyclopaedia Judaica.18: 506-508. 2nd Ed. Jerusalem: Keter Publishing House Ltd., 2007. google scholar
3. Brilliant, Richard. “The Classical Realm”. Age of Spirituality Late Antique and Early Christian Art, Third to Seven Century, hazırlayan Kurt Weitzmann içinde, 126-182. New-York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1978. google scholar
4. Brubaker, Leslie. Vision and Meaning in Ninth -Century Byzantium Image as Exgesis in the Homilies of Gregory of Nazianzus. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999. google scholar
5. kandil olarak; Mesihçilik, yeniden doğuş, Tapınağı hatırlama, ışık, hayat ağacı ve sonsuz hayatı temsil etmektedir. Asher Ovadiah, “The Symbolic Significance of the Menorah”, Liber Annuus 64, (2014), 605. google scholar
6. Büchler, Alfred. “Horns and Trumpets in Byzantium: Images and Texts.” Historic Bras Journal 12 (2000): 23-59. google scholar
7. Davidsen, Ole. “God Said to Abraham: On Covenant, Circumcision, and Sacrifice in the Abraham Traditions”. (English Trans.) Religionsvidenskabeligt Tidsskrift, 27 (1995):1-32. google scholar DeYoung, Jimmy. Sound the Trumpets, Chattanooga: Shofar Communications, 2006. google scholar
8. Eastmond, Anthony. Art and Identity in Thirteenth-Century Byzantium Hagia Sophia and the Empire of Trebizond, Aldershot-Burlington: Ashgate, 2004. google scholar

9. Friedmann, Jonathan L. Music in Biblical Life, The Roles of Song in Ancient Israel. North Carolina: McFarland & Company Inc. Publishers, 2013. google scholar
10. Hindson, Edward. “Isaiah’s Immanuel”. Grace Journal, 10:3, (1969): 1-14. google scholar
11. Miller, Malcolm. “Ancient Symbols, Modern Meanings: The Use of the Shofar in Twentieth and Twenty-First Century Music”, Qol Tamid: The Shofar in Ritual, History, and Culture, Ed. Jonathan Friedmann and Joel Gereboff içinde, 11-30, Claremont: Claremont Press, 2017. google scholar
12. Miller, Malcolm. “The Shofar and Its Symbolism”. Historic Brass Society Journal 14, (2002): 83-113. google scholar
13. Montagu, J. Tutankhamon’s Trumpets andtheHatsots’rot, 1-12. https://jeremymontagu.co.uk/tutankhamon. pdf Erişim tarihi: 04.10.2021. google scholar
14. Mylona, Zoe A. The Zakynthos Museum. Athens: Pergamos S. A., 1998. google scholar
15. Kaplan, Necla. “Bizans Dönemi Resimli Oktateukh El Yazması: Seraglio (Topkapı Sarayı Gi. 8).” Doktora Tezi, Anadolu Üniversitesi, 2017. google scholar
16. Latsis, Marianna. The Survival of Byzantine Sacred Art, Chicago: The Private Bank & Trust Company Limited, 1996. google scholar
17. Lebaka, Morakeng E.K. “Music, Singing and Dancing in Relation to the Use of the Harp and the Ram’s Horn or Shofar in the Bible: What do We Know about This? “, HTS Teologiese Studies/ Theological Studies 70/3 (2014): 1-7. google scholar
18. Ovadiah, Asher. “The Symbolic Significance of the Menorah”, Liber Annuus 64, (2014): 603-614. google scholar
19. Proestaki, Xanthi. “Western Influences on 17th-Century Post-Byzantine Wall Paintings in the Peloponnese: Roots in the 16th century.” Byzantinoslavica - Revue Internationale des Etudes Byzantines LXVIII/1-2 (2010): 291-352. google scholar
20. Sendrey, Alfred. Music in Ancient Israel, London: Vision Press Limited, 1969. google scholar
21. Stevenson, Greg. “The Message of the Shofar and its Application to Believers Through the Feast of the Lord”, Olive Press Research Paper 10 (2010): 1-24. google scholar
22. Stylianou, Andreas ve Stylianou Judith A., The Painted Church of Cyprus Treasure of Byzantine Art, 2nd Ed. Nicosia: A. G. Leventis Foundation, 1997. google scholar
23. Tarr, Edward H. The Trumpet, Portland-Oregon: Amadeus Press, 1988. google scholar
24. Tsmakda, Vasiliki. The Illustrated Chronicle of Ioannes Skylitzes in Madrid. Leiden: Alexandros Press, 2002. google scholar
25. Weitzmann, Kurt. “Science and Poetry”. Age of Spirituality Late Antique and Early Christian Art, Third to Seven Century, hazırlayan Kurt Weitzmann içinde, 139-255. New-York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1978. google scholar
26. Werner, Eric. “Music” and “Musical Instruments”’, The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible, 3, Ed. George Arthur Buttrick ve Keith Crim içinde, 457-476, New York: Abingdon Press, 1962. google scholar Wulstan, David. “The Sounding of the Shofar”, The Galpin Society Journal 26 (1973): 29-46. google scholar
27. Çevrimiçi Kaynaklar google scholar
28. Alvarez, Sandra. Medievalists.net. “Rosh Hashanah in the Middle Ages.” Erişim 02 Kasım 2021. https://www. medievalists.net/2015/09/rosh-hashanah-in-the-middle-ages/ google scholar
29. Finkle, Arthur L. Shofar WebPage. “Sounding of Shofar or Trumpet?” Erişim 11 Eylül 2021. https://sites. google.com/site/shofarwebpage/origin-of-shofar google scholar https://www.ruicon.ru/arts-new/fresco/1x1-dtl.php?page_19=2631&p_f_12_temp_id=1&p_f_12_63=1 google scholar
30. https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/scapvc/arthistory/studentpages/ug/modulesupto12-13/ha229/khludov.ppt google scholar
31. Greenspan, Ari ve Zibotovksy, Ari. Segula. “Shofar Blasting Away.” Erişim 12 Eylül. https://segulamag.com/ en/articles/shofar-blasting-away/ google scholar
32. My Jewish Learning. “What is the Mishnah?” Erişim 11 Eylül 2021. https://www.myjewishlearning.com/ article/mishnah/ google scholar
33. Online Etymology Dictionary “Trumpet.” Erişim 13 Ekim 2021. https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=trumpet google scholar
34. Sukkah. “Seferia.org.” Erişim 30 Mayıs. https://www.sefaria.org/Sukkah.54a.1?ven=William_Davidson_ Edition__English&vhe=William_Davidson_Edition_-_Vocalized_Aramaic&lang=bi google scholar
35. Verveer, Ticia. The Times of Israel. “The Ancient Cry of Shofar.” Erişim 11 Eylül 2021. https://blogs.timesofisrael. com/the-ancient-cry-of-the-shofar/ google scholar
36. web.archive.org. “Near Eastern Antiquities: Iran.” Erişim 12 Ekim 2021. https:// web.archive.org/web/20071012193813/http://louvre.fr/llv/oeuvres/detail_notice. jsp?CONTENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673225306&CURRENT_LLV_ NOTICE%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673225306&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_ id=9852723696500803&bmUID=1164415855346&bmLocale=en google scholar