4 IV 2024: Katinka Sewing (Heidelberg), Broken and buried. The curious case of the marble slabs from the Bishop’s church in Doliche (Southeast Turkey)

The city of Doliche was part of the cultural landscape of ancient Northern Syria and belonged to the province of Euphratesia. So far, it remains largely unexplored concerning late antique archaeology. Strategically positioned, Euphratesia served as a pivotal bridge linking the early Christian epicenters of Antioch to the west and Edessa to the east. Remarkably, the ecclesiastical architecture of Euphratesia and its liturgical practices have yet to garner significant scholarly attention.

The ongoing excavation and investigation of the bishop’s church in Doliche aims to fill this gap in research. The site features a well-preserved 4th-century basilica, distinguished by architectural elements characteristic of the region. The construction stands out especially for its rich array of mosaics and marble slabs.  Additionally, the church building presents a few mysteries that still need to be solved. The overarching goal of the project is to integrate the church within the broader spectrum of sacred buildings in the area, thereby enriching our understanding of Northern Syria’s religious landscape.