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©The Archaeological Settlements of Turkey - TAY Project
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Böcek Ayazmasi |
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For site maps and drawings please click on the picture...  |
For photographs please click on the photo...  |
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Type:
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Baptistery |
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Plan Type:
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Central Plan |
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Year of Costruction:
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6th c. |
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Phase:
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Early |
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Investigation Method:
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Survey |
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Altitude:
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100 |
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Region:
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Marmara |
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Province:
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Bursa |
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District:
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Iznik |
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Village:
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Mahmut Çelebi Mah. |
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Antique Name:
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Nicaia |
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| Location: It is located on the Yakup Çelebi Street of the Mahmut Çelebi Quarter in the Iznik District of Bursa. |
| Geography and Environment: It lies approximately 50 m to the east of the ruins of the Church of Koimesis in Iznik. Situated lower than the level of the modern road, it has been covered by earth. It was repaired, and surrounded by concretion. There is an L-shaped staircase to the west. With an iron grating at the entrance, the neglected building can be visited upon permission from the Museum of Iznik. |
| Research and Excavation: The Iznik Survey that was initiated in 1930 covered the buildings in the city from the Ancient and Middle Ages. Within the context of this survey, the Böcek Spring was analyzed in 1935 by A. M. Schneider, who prepared a sketch plan and drawings of the building [Schneider 1943:17]. It was built as baptistery during the 6th century, and Papadopoulos witnessed religious ceremonies in 1870s [Schneider 1943:17; Ötüken et al. 1986:196]. It was also used as a sacred spring until 1921 [Ötüken et al. 1986:196; Eyice 1988:22]. |
| Description: Architectural Features: With a round plan, it is surmounted with a dome. The masonry consists of rough hewn stones and mortar alternating with courses of bricks. The dome, niche arches and pediment of the entrance gate are of bricks while the floor is paved with stone plates. Inside the sacred spring, there are four asymmetrical niches on the walls. Three of them are circular while one is in rectangular plan. At the center, there is an almost-square pool [Schneider 1943:17; Ötüken et al. 1986:196]. |
| Finds: Architectural plastic: The marble plates enclosing the pool bear several inscriptions. One of the marble plates on the eastern part of the pool has an inscription in Hebrew on the narrow side reading "He gives the good for each body cause His grace is eternal" from the 2nd century, and a stylized chandelier figure with seven arms. The wider edge of the plates is inscribed in Greek referring to the archangel Michael "The Christian Emperor Almighty King Tower of Michael" [Schneider-Karnapp 1938:51; Schneider 1943:17; Ötüken et al. 1986:196; Yalman 2002:120]. S. Eyice indicates that the inscription is an evidence of the fact the sacred spring was repaired by the Greeks [Eyice 1988:23]. Furthermore, the eastern wall of the building bear a marble plate with cross and diamond motifs [Schneider 1943:17]. |
| Interpretation: |
| Destruction: The top of the hagiasme was covered with concrete. The entrance on the west side was closed by a barred door. The entrance has an "L" plan. The stairs of the entrance were plastered by concrete. An iron construction was built over the entrance. The building stones of the pond inside were destructed. The top of the west wall was elevated by laying more bricks. The inside and environs of the hagiasme were filled by garbage, debris and vegetation. The housing around the building is dense. The hagiasme just north on Yakup Çelebi Street is between two residential buildings [TAYEx 23.07.2008]. |
