An Ampulla of Saint Menas from Dara (Anastasiopolis)

Öz

Ampullae are small flasks produced from different materials during the Late Antiquity and were generally produced in centers considered sacred for Christians. The ampullae were purchased by pilgrims who went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land for the liquid they contained, which was believed to have healing properties, and were taken to their places of residence. Menas ampullae are small terracotta flasks with thin rims and a flattened oval body, produced so that pilgrims visiting this sacred center in Abu Mina could take holy water or oil with them on their return. Menas ampullae are characterized by a circular body and a narrow neck with two handles and are typically decorated with a standard depiction of Saint Menas standing between two kneeling camels. This type of ampulla was produced between 500 and 640 AD at Abu Mina, the main site of Saint Menas, one of the largest pilgrimage sites of Late Antiquity. Today, the connections of these ampullae, unearthed in excavations across various regions, with Egypt/ Abu Mina have been revealed. The Menas ampulla, which was discovered in the Agora excavations in Dara during the 2021 excavation season and is the subject of this study, is evidence of the city’s connection with Egypt. The ampulla of St. Menas in Dara was dated between 620 and 640 AD based on the excavation stratigraphy conducted in Agora.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Ampulla
• Saint Menas
• Christianity Dara (Anastasiapolis)
• Upper Mesopotamia
• Early Byzantine Period

Dara’dan (Anastasiopolis) Bir Aziz Menas Ampullası

Öz

Ampullalar Geç Antik Çağ’da farklı malzemelerden üretilmiş küçük mataralardır ve genellikle Hristiyanlar için kutsal sayılan merkezlerde üretilmiştir. Ampullalar Kutsal topraklara hac ziyareti için giden hacılar tarafından içlerinde şifa verdiğine inanılan sıvı için satın alınmış ve yaşadıkları yerlere götürülmüştür. Menas ampullaları ise Abu Mina’daki kutsal merkezi ziyaret eden hacıların dönüşte yanlarında buraya ait kutsal su ya da yağ götürebilmeleri için yapılmış, çoğunlukla pişmiş topraktan ince ağız kenarlı ve yassılaştırılmış oval gövdeli küçük mataralardır. Menas ampullaları dairesel bir gövde ve iki kulplu dar bir boyun ile karakterize edilmiştir ve tipik olarak iki diz çökmüş deve arasında duran Aziz Menas’ın standart tasviriyle süslenmiştir. Bu tipteki ampulalar Geç Antik Çağ’ın en büyük hac mekanA larından biri olan Aziz Menas'ın bağlı olduğu ana mekânı olan Abu Mina’da MS 500A640 yılları arasında üretilmiştir. Günümüzde farklı coğrafyalarda bulunan bu ampullaların Mısır/Abu Mina ile bağlantıları ortaya çıkarılmıştır. 2021 kazı sezonunda Dara’da yapılan Agora kazılarında bulunan ve bu çalışmaya konu olan bir adet Menas ampullası kentin Mısır ile olan ilişkisinin kanıtıdır. Dara’daki Aziz Menas ampullası agoradaki kazı stratigrafisine göre MS 620A640 yılları arasına tarihlendirilmiştir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Ampulla
• Aziz Menas
• Hristiyanlık
• Dara (Anastasiapolis)
• Yukarı Mezopotamya
• Erken Bizans Dönemi

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