Monk And Mason On The Tigris Frontier: The Early History Of Tur `abdin (university Of Cambridge Oriental Publications)

Tur cAdin is a plateau skirted by the Upper Tigris in south-eastern Turkey. Syrian Orthodox Christians of Aramaic tongue still worship in its Late Antique churches. Monks converted the region and the most powerful monastery, founded in the fourth century, is still flourishing today. This book grew out of an attempt to document more fully the early history of this abbey. It aims to rediscover the practical and symbolic function of the monuments of Tur cAdin and place them in their original social context. A recurring theme is the relationship between village and monastery and, within each, between community and individual. The final chapters also contribute to our understanding of the Syrian Orthodox community under the Abbasid caliphate. A 500-page microfiche supplement contains the first editions of the Qartmin Trilogy, a monastic text to which the book refers, constantly, and the Book of Life, a unique quasi-epigraphical document of a Christian village and its will to surive. Tur Abdin is a plateau skirted by the Upper Tigris in south-eastern Turkey. Syrian Orthodox Christians of Aramaic tongue still worship in its Late Antique churches. Monks converted the region and the most powerful monastery, founded in the fourth century, is still flourishing today. This book grew out of an attempt to document more fully the early history of this abbey. It aims to rediscover the practical and symbolic function of the monuments of Tur Abdin and place them in their original social context. A recurring theme is the relationship between village and monastery and, within each, between community and individual. The final chapters also contribute to our understanding of the Syrian Orthodox community under the Abbasid caliphate. A 500-page microfiche supplement contains the first editions of the Qartmin Trilogy, a monastic text to which the book refers, constantly, and the Book of Life, a unique quasi-epigraphical document of a Christian village and its will to surive. Samuel Of Eshtin : The Hard Core Of A Legend -- Marked Out By An Angel : The Foundation Of Qartmin Abbey -- Community And Individual : Patterns In Upper-tigritane Monasticism -- Anastasius And Qartmin : The Last Monuments To Imperial Favour -- Mother Of Bishops : Qartmin Abbey In The Annals Of The Church -- The Spring Runs Dry : Spiritual And Economic Exhaustion. Andrew Palmer. English And Syriac. Series Numbering Taken From Book Jacket. Accompanied By 2 Microfiches In Pocket Containing Ed. Of The Qartmin Trilogy And The Book Of Life, With English Translation, Apparatus, Notes And Indexes. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [228]-246) And Index. Cover Contents Figures Preface Preliminary notes Map Introduction 1. The Tigris frontier 2. The sources 1. Samuel of Eshtin: The hard core of a legend 2. Marked out by an angel: The foundation of Qartmin Abbey 3. Community and individual:: Patterns in upper-Tigritane monasticism 4. Anastasius and Qartmin: The last monuments to imperial favour 5. Mother of bishops: Qartmin Abbey in the annals of the church 6. The springs run dry: Spiritual and economic exhaustion Chronological table of events concerning Tur ʻAbdin before AD 800 Appendix: The early inscriptions of Tur ʻAbdin Bibliography Index location General index This book grew out of an attempt to document the early history of a powerful Christian monastery, founded in the fourth century at Tur `Abdin in south-eastern Turkey, and still flourishing today. It aims to rediscover the practical and symbolic function of the monuments there.