Book on Athonian sakkoses

New publication in textiles and preventive conservation:

    Christos Karydis.
    The Orthodox Christian Sakkos:
    Ecclesiastical Garments Dating from the 15th to the 20th
    Centuries from the Holy Mountain of Athos Collection survey,
    scientific analysis and preventive conservation
    Archaeopress. British Archaeological Reports Oxford
    ISBN 9781407307169.
    UKP63.00. 410 pages; illustrated throughout; with CD.

This academic work focuses on the research findings from a
collection survey of Euro-Mediterranean post-Byzantine
ecclesiastical garments, known as sakkoi, from the Holy Mountain of
Athos located in Chalkidiki, Greece. According to the World Heritage
Committee, Mount Athos is considered to be of an outstanding
universal value, as it is the most important monastic centre of the
Christian Orthodox Church.

The sakkos appeared to be an evolution of the Greek chiton (10th-
8th century BC) to the Roman dalmatic (180- 192 AD). Later on, used
as an imperial Byzantine garment, which by the 11th- 12th century
had been adopted by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople to
indicate his status and privilege. It was only after the fall of
Constantinople, that this was extended to all the Bishops of the
Orthodox Church.

The study begins with a discussion of the nomenclature, while it
addresses the issue prevalent in Byzantine and post-Byzantine
research, as to the historical provenance of this liturgical
garment. Different approaches ranging from art historic and semiotic
research to scientific examination using sophisticated analytical
techniques are applied, in order to introduce a cultural, historical
and technological context of the garments.

The Mount Athos sakkoi, never previously researched, date from the
end of the 15th to the 20th century and they are garments worn by
Patriarchs, Bishops, and Emperors. The survey examines fifty two
sakkoi from fourteen monasteries, identifying constructional and
stylistic details, material components using analytical techniques
(Optical Microscopy, HPLC and SEM-EDS) and technological evidence
such as fibres, dyes, metal threads and weaving techniques, whilst
analysing the sources of degradation and decay. This research
demonstrates not only the scope of a conservation collection survey
methodology for elucidating new information about specific items but
also it's potential to add to the knowledge relating to the history,
development and use of such garments. An effort to combine the
analytical results with the available stylistic historical
information and the conclusions obtained by analyzing the cut and
construction of the tested garments was also performed.

A major purpose of the study was to enable intellectual access to
this inaccessible collection and the mechanism for disseminating
this information.The Athonian garments had not been previously
documented and the first stage of this research was to design pro
forma to record all details related to materials, manufacture and
condition. This record includes detailed information regarding:
materials; technological and constructional details; alterations and
repairs during use; previous restorations and condition assessment.
This, together with systematic illustrative material, in the form of
drawings, photographs and microphotographs, has been designed to
contribute to the preservation of these artefacts, serving also as a
surrogate to reduce the need for future handling. Moreover, it
facilitates access for female researchers to this invaluable and
unique collection.

Major attention was also drawn on new preventive conservation
approaches that can be adopted to preserve the items as a "Living"
collection, including guidelines for the continuation of production
of those garments. The spiritual dimension of these artefacts is
thus discussed within the framework of conservation ethics. The
difficulties for the achievement of the aims and objectives of the
current investigation were significant. Among these, the lack of
published literature together with the un-catalogued archives led to
a plethora of problems. Of course, the oral sources coming form the
sacristans were of high importance since they were the ones offering
valuable information.

This research offers for the very first time, a complete assemblage
of knowledge regarding the production, synthesis, condition and
display of the ecclesiastical Athonian sakkoi.


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 24:36
                Distributed: Saturday, January 29, 2011
                       Message Id: cdl-24-36-007
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