THE PECULIARITY OF THE BUILDING PROCESS OF ANCIENT KYYIVAN MONUMENTS

The author investigates the building process of ancient Kyyivan monuments. After the wall foundations were laid, the erection of ground volumes of the edifice began. Wooden scaffoldings were arranged at both sides of a wall. The remains of caffolding preserved in the brick fabric can be seen on the front walls of the Transfiguration Church at Berestove and St. Michael’s Church of Vydubytsky monastery. The height between scaffolding tiers as well as the height of masonry between them varies from 1.3 to 2.2 m in Kyyivan monuments. The situation of red schist cornices in ancient churches is dependent on the abovementioned height of masonry tiers. The cornices are placed at springs of arches and vaults, at the level of the choir gallery floor, at the spring of supporting arches and basement of central dome. The location of cornices hence marked the completion of a certain building period. Being put over brickwork at the end of building period in autumn those cornices protected construction from precipitation during winter season. That is why cornices within the Kyyivan St.Sophia Cathedral have “throats” – grooves which are cut along the underside of cornices as a stringcourses to prevent water from running back across them towards the wall. One can easily determine building periods of the St. Sophia Cathedral according to the cornice levels in it. As far as building period at the times of Old Rus` took approximately six to seven months (from late spring to early autumn), the erection of the St. Sophia Cathedral with its five naves and double galleries was continued through five or six years. Cross-domed churches with three naves were built during approximately three or four years. For example St.Michael’s Church at Vydubytsky Monastery was built to the height of choir gallery during the first year, then to the height of vaults’ and domes’ springing during the second year, after that vaults and domes were completed during the third year. The types of vaults used in ancient Kyyivan architecture were barrel vaults, domes on pendantives and domes on high drums. Widely spread in Byzantine architecture groined vaults were not in use in the Old Rus` building until the middle of the XII century. Also there was a certain consecutive order in erection of parts of a church: at first its central cross-domed volume, then apses, narthex, galleries etc. were built. In a year or two after the edifice was built its walls were covered with plaster and decorated with murals. Building methods applied in the ancient Kyyivan monuments of the XI-th century formed the basis of Old Rus` architecture developed during the following centuries.

Offshore ground movements in the Campi Flegrei caldera during the last ~12 ka

<p>Appraisal of morphodepositional markers tied to ancient sea-levels in high-resolution seismic profiles together with geo-archaeological markers along the coast of the Pozzuoli Bay provided insights into the vertical deformation of the submerged part of the Campi Flegrei caldera (Southern Italy).</p><p>The collapse of the central part of the Campi Flegrei caldera is associated with the eruption of the Neapolitan Yellow Tuff (NYT) at ~15 ka. The NYT caldera collapse was followed by central dome resurgence associated with alternations of fast uplift and subsidence displacements that accompanied with discrete phases of intra-caldera volcanic activity. Previously, the evolution of ground movement in the Campi Flegrei caldera has been reconstructed using marine deposits uplifted onland or archaeological evidence and historical accounts and thus offers a mainly 2D appraisal of the deformation pattern. However, a complete reconstruction of post-collapse deformation suffers of the limitation that nearly two-thirds of the caldera are submerged beneath the Pozzuoli Bay.</p><p>We contribute to fill this gap by providing a reconstruction of offshore and coastal deformation through estimation of the vertical displacement of morphodepositional markers in high-resolution seismic reflection profiles and geoarchaeological markers directly surveyed at shallow depths. Our interpretation reveals the occurrence of different sediment stacking pattern whose provides evidence of rapid and oscillating ground movements. Whereas the offshore morphodepositional markers provide displacement information for the last ~12 ka, for the last ~2 ka our interpretation is supported by ancient Roman sea-level indicators. The multi-dataset analysis has allowed disentangling the signal related to the post-caldera dynamics from a broader deformation signal that affects this part of the extensional margin of the Apennines.</p><p>The integration of offshore data in the study of past episodes of ground deformation, by yielding a more complete picture of the ground motions associated to the post-collapse evolution of the Campi Flegrei caldera, bears a significant contribution for a 3D reconstruction of this high-risk resurgence caldera. Besides, the multidisciplinary approach presented here can be relevant for investigations of other calderas spanning the sea-land transition.</p>

Resurgent uplift at large calderas and relationship to caldera-forming faults and the magma reservoir: new insights from the Neapolitan Yellow Tuff caldera (Italy)

<p>Resurgence uplift is the rising of the caldera floor, mainly due to pressure or volume changes in the magma reservoir. Identifying resurgence structures and understanding their relationship to the magmatic reservoir is challenging. We investigate the resurgence structures of the Neapolitan Yellow Tuff (NYT) caldera (Italy) by integrating bathymetric data, high-resolution seismic profiles and Differential Synthetic-Aperture Radar Interferometry data. Our results show that the resurgent area is manifested as 1) a central dome constituted by two main blocks bounded by NNE-SSW trending faults, 2) an apical graben developed on top of the most uplifted block, 3) a peripheral zone including several uplifted and tilted blocks, bounded by inward-dipping faults. The onset of the uplift of the central dome occurred through re-activation, in reverse motion, of normal faults formed during the caldera collapse, and located in the peripheral zone. During periods of unrests, the blocks of the central dome move independently at different velocities, and the peripheral zone accommodates the deformation. The restless behaviour of the NYT caldera is the result of a shallow magmatic reservoir located at 3.5 ± 0.7 km, and characterised by a width that roughly corresponds to the extension of the overlaying resurgent area. Defining the caldera-forming fault system and identifying the area involved by the resurgence is crucial for estimating depth and width of the magma reservoir, and predicting the caldera behaviour during periods of unrest by localising possible vents and sectors that will deform. This knowledge contributes to the evaluation of the volcanic hazard.</p>

Early flowers of primuloid Ericales from the Late Cretaceous of Portugal and their ecological and phytogeographic implications

A distinctive feature of the major eudicot diversification that occurred through the Late Cretaceous is the unequivocal presence of Cornales and diverse Ericales. Here we describe well-preserved fossil flowers from the Mira locality in western Portugal, of Campanian-Maastrichtian age, that we assign to a new extinct genus of Ericales with two new species; Miranthus elegans gen. et sp. nov. and Miranthus kvacekii sp. nov. The fossil flowers are pedicellate, structurally bisexual, actinomorphic, pentamerous and isomerous, with five narrowly triangular persistent calyx lobes, a five-lobed corolla, five antepetalous stamens, five staminodes alternating with the petals and a semi-inferior, unilocular ovary. The ovary consists of five carpels and has a raised nectariferous ring with stomata-like openings above the insertion of the perianth, and a long five-angled style. A key feature, which confirms a relationship with Primulaceae s. l., is the free, central dome-shaped placenta that bears numerous, densely spaced ovules. The ovary matures into a capsule containing many, minute, reticulate seeds. Flowers of Miranthus are especially similar to those of extant Samolus, a genus of about twelve species that is sister group to other genera of subfamily Theophrastoideae and that has a disjunct distribution mainly in the Southern Hemisphere. Miranthus also appears to have grown in environments influenced by marine conditions, an ecological preference also seen in Samolus. Miranthus expands the diversity of Ericales known from the Late Cretaceous, and together with previously described fossils provides further evidence that the diversification of Ericales was already underway by the Campanian-Maastrichtian stages of the Late Cretaceous.

Mineral Dust Influence on the Glacial Nitrate Record from the RICE Ice Core, West Antarctica and Environmental Implications

Nitrate (NO3−), an abundant aerosol in polar snow, is a complex environmental proxy to interpret owing to the variety of its sources and its susceptibility to post-depositional processes. During the last glacial period, when the dust level in the Antarctic atmosphere was higher than today by a factor up to ~25, mineral dust appears to have a stabilizing effect on the NO3− concentration. However, the exact mechanism remains unclear. Here, we present new and highly resolved records of NO3− and non-sea salt calcium (nssCa2+, a proxy for mineral dust) from the Roosevelt Island Climate Evolution (RICE) ice core for the period 26–40 kilo years Before Present (ka BP). This interval includes seven millennial-scale Antarctic Isotope Maxima (AIM) events, against the background of a glacial climate state. We observe a significant correlation between NO3− and nssCa2+ over this period and especially during AIM events. We put our observation into a spatial context by comparing the records to existing data from east Antarctic cores of EPICA Dome C (EDC), Vostok and central Dome Fuji. The data suggest that nssCa2+ is contributing to the effective scavenging of NO3− from the atmosphere through the formation of Ca(NO3)2. The geographic pattern implies that the process of Ca(NO3)2 formation occurs during the long-distance transport of mineral dust from the mid-latitude source regions by Southern Hemisphere Westerly Winds (SHWW) and most likely over the Southern Ocean. Since NO3− is dust-bound and the level of dust mobilized through AIM events is mainly regulated by the latitudinal position of SHWW, we suggest that NO3− may also have the potential to provide insights into paleo-westerly wind pattern during the events.

Stone and Brick Work Churches Composition and Structural Features

One of the typical features of the early Armenian culture of cemetery is its original church architecture. The radical changes in socio-economic and political relations were the basis of 301 cc to proclaim Christianity as a state religion. Church building has a great progress in the high middle Ages (9th-14th cc.) Where stone blocks are used as a building blend together with bricks. In the article, comparisons have been made between the Kirants Monastery and Makaravank, which are located in the same region and were built at the same time. As a result of the study, it is noticeable that these two monasteries, which have been high middle age construction material, have eras and similar buildings (churches, subsidiary structures, cemeteries around). Churches are a cross-shaped central dome and a domed hall volumetric spatial type. The facade is decorated with luxurious decoration, the exterior facades are decorated with colored bricks in Kirants monastery, and in Makaravank, in the form of stone carving. Similarities are seen in structured nodes - entrances and windows. There are remarkable differences in interior decorations - the interior walls of the Kirants monastery are decorated, with a small part of them preserved up to now, and there is no interior decoration in Makaravank.

MAKSUR DOME TRADITION IN THE DESIGN OF MALATYA GREAT MOSQUE IN TURKISH ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE

The maksure section was added to Nebev-i Masjid during the era of the Caliph Osman in early Islamic architecture as a private space to ensure the safety and security of the caliphs. The maksure was positioned in the section in front of the mihrab and covered with a dome, eventually becoming one of the essential elements of Islamic mosque architecture. The “mihrab anterior dome” was at the same time regarded as a symbol of the ruler’s sovereignty and became the fundamental starting point of spatial unity in mosque architecture. One of the most examples of this structure is the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus. The same plan layout was also applied to the mosques of Cordoba, Mesjid-i Aksa in Jerusalem, and Kayrevan in Tunisia. The anterior mihrab dome was an essential architectural and liturgical element used in the fabric of Anatolian mosque architecture by the Great Seljuqs outside Anatolia, the early-Anatolian Turkish Principalities, and Anatolian Seljuqs within the confines of Anatolia. After going through another stage of development during the late-Principality era of the 14th century, it was transformed into the central dome in Ottoman Turkish architecture, becoming an essential element in the organization of the entire grammar of Turkish shrine architecture. This paper aims to describe the use of this mihrab anterior dome in the design of the Malatya Great Mosque. Evaluated within the scope of this typology, the Malatya Grand Mosque holds a unique place in the history of Turkish art and architecture, whether for its layout, its dome design, or its embellishment technique and repertoire. In this article, the Malatya Great Mosque, one of the “mihrab anterior dome” mosques in Anatolia, will be evaluated from the aspect of its unique dome plan and rich decorative embellishment program.

Archaeoacoustic Examination of Lazarica Church

The acoustic analysis provides additional information on building tradition and related indoor practice that includes sound, thus deepening our understanding of architectural heritage. In this paper, the sound field of the Orthodox medieval church Lazarica (Kruševac city, Serbia) is examined. Lazarica is a representative of Morava architectural style, developed in the final period of the Serbian medieval state, when also the chanting art thrived, proving the importance of the aural environment in Serbian churches. The church plan is a combination of a traditional inscribed cross and a triconch. After the in situ measurement of acoustic impulse response using EASERA software, we built a computer model in the acoustic simulation software EASE and calibrated it accordingly. Following the parameters (reverberation time (T30), early decay time (EDT) and speech transmission index (STI)), we examined the acoustic effect of the space occupancy, central dome and the iconostasis. In all the cases, no significant deviation between T30 and EDT parameter was observed, which indicates uniform sound energy decay. Closing the dome with a flat ceiling did not show any significant impact on T30, but it lowered speech intelligibility. The height of iconostasis showed no significant influence on the acoustics of Lazarica church.

Evaluating the Subtalar Joint in Tibiotalocalcaneal Nail

Category: Hindfoot Introduction/Purpose: In tibiotalocalcaneal nails for arthrodesis, the path of the nail through the subtalar joint has not been well documented. Ideally, the defect caused by reaming and the nail does not pass through the joint surface so that the amount of bony contact between the talus and calcaneus is maintained in order to optimize fusion. Our hypothesis is that the TTC nail does not destroy a significant amount contact area between the talus and calcaneus. However, using larger diameter nails (which are inherently stronger) will have more of an effect on the contact surface. Methods: Five cadaveric below the knee specimens were obtained. The ankle was disarticulated on each specimen. Subsequently, a guidepin was drilled from the central dome of the talus down to the calcaneus. The 11 mm reamer was then passed over the guidepin through the calcaneus to simulate retrograde reaming of a TTC nail. Then, the subtalar joint was dissected open and the articular surface was documented in comparison with the area that was reamed out. Measurements were then made, using software that calculated two dimensional surface area to determine the percentage of actual subtalar joint area that was reamed out. The mean percentage of articular area that was removed with the reamer was then calculated. Results: Among the five specimens, in the calcaneus, the mean total articular area was 599mm2±113 and the mean drilled articular area was 21mm2±16. The percentage of the calcaneal articular surface that was removed with the reamer was 3.4%±1.9. In the talus, the mean total articular area was 782mm2±130 and the mean drilled articular area was 39mm2±18. The percentage of the talar articular surface that was removed with the reamer was 5.0%±2.3. Additionally, an 11 mm reamer makes a circular surface area of 95mm2, and the statistics above indicate that a significant portion of the reamed area is nonarticular, within the calcaneal sulcus or the talar sulcus. Conclusion: In a tibiotalocalcaneal nail the subtalar joint is typically incompletely visualized, however this anatomic study demonstrates that the 11 mm reamer eliminates about 3.4% of the calcaneal articular surface and about 5% of the talar articular surface. Therefore, the majority of the articular surface is left intact, which is ideal in optimizing arthrodesis outcomes. Furthermore, this study could extrapolate the effects of a larger nail on the availability of joint surface. It could also be used to argue for cartilage stripping of the affected joint surfaces in arthrodesis preparation, because the majority of the articular surface is, in fact, left intact.