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A reconstruction of the templon of St. Paul's and Peter's basilica in Jerash (ancient Gerasa)

A templon (from Greek τέμπλον meaning "temple", plural templa) is a feature of Byzantine churches consisting of a barrier separating the nave from the sanctuary near the altar.

The solid templon first appeared in Christian churches around the 5th century and is still found in many Eastern Christian churches. Initially it was a low barrier probably not much different from the altar rails of many Western churches. It eventually evolved into the modern iconostasis, still found in Orthodox churches.

It is usually composed of carved wood or marble colonnettes supporting an architrave (a beam resting on top of columns). Three doors, a large central one and two smaller flanking ones, lead into the sanctuary. The templon did not originally obscure the view of the altar, but as time passed, icons were hung from the beams, curtains were placed in between the colonnettes, and the templon became more opaque. In modern Orthodox churches, it is common for the openings of the templa to be constructed specifically to contain icons.

Origins

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A Greek scaenae frons (theater screen) portraying a three-doored temple facade, posited in the early 20th century as a possible origin for the design of the templon.

The templon most likely has an independent origin from that of Latin chancel barriers. Classical stage architecture is one possible source. At certain times during Byzantine history, theater heavily influenced painting and sculpture. Architects then, influenced by stage backdrops dating back to Sophocles, consciously imitated the classical proskenion (Latin proscenium; the backdrop of a classical Greek stage), copying the multiple columns punctuated by a large door in the middle and two smaller doors to each side. The statues on top of the backdrop would thus be analogous to the icons of the saints looking down.[1] The similarities, however, are probably only visual. Although classical drama was performed in Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire, during the 5th and 6th century when the first templa appear, when Christian liturgy was first being developed, the plays and their architecture had lost their importance and could not have influenced Christian ritual.[citation needed]

A much more plausible theory is that the templon models, in both form and content, the decorative wall of the Torah screen in Jewish synagogues of the 2nd and 3rd centuries. These, too, had three main divisions: a central door leading to the altar, smaller flanking passages, and a distribution of parts similar to a templon. The Torah screen was probably not the direct prototype of the templon; it probably derives from the imitation of the Torah screen in the altar of a typical Syrian pagan temple.[dubious – discuss][2]

A direct comparison can also be made to the layout of the great Temple of Jerusalem. The most sacred and innermost portion, known as the Holy of Holies, was where the Ark of the Covenant was kept. This room was separated from the larger part of the main building's interior by a large curtain, the "veil of the temple". Only the High Priest was allowed to enter the Holy of Holies, and only once a year on Yom Kippur. The third part was the entrance court. This architectural tradition for the two main parts can be seen carried forward in Christian churches and is still most demonstratively present in Eastern Orthodox churches where the iconostatsis divides the altar, the Holy of Holies containing the consecrated Eucharist – the manifestation of the New Covenant, from the larger portion of the church accessible to the faithful. In Orthodox Christian tradition, with the exception of churches at women's monasteries, only men with good cause may enter the altar portion behind the iconostasis.

Barriers called templons in Greek were also used on occasions when the Roman Emperors appeared in public, to segregate the Imperial retinue from the crowd.[3]

Etymology

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Templon is a loan word in Greek, from the Latin templum, "temple"; how and why it came to have its present meaning is unclear. The most obvious explanation is that the form of the templon resembles a pagan temple. The steps up to the apse (semicircle where the altar is located) are analogous to the stereobate and stylobate of the temple (the floor of a temple). The colonnettes arranged in the π shape resemble the columns that surround all four sides of a temple, the architrave looks like the architrave on a temple, and the carved disks on the architrave are analogous to the metopes on the entablature.

However, it has also been suggested that the name templon derives not from the pagan temples but from the Christian idea of the shrine where God was worshipped, or more specifically the Temple in Jerusalem. In almost all modern European languages, the word templon is a direct and late borrowing of the Greek architectural term, and it is rarely found outside the academic usage; besides the Greek templon, another direct descendant of the Latin templum, having the same architectural meaning, is the Romanian word tâmplă, "iconostasis".[4]

Early templa

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Santa Maria in Cosmedin, Rome

The chancel barriers are also known in archaeology as chancel screens. Archaeological evidence for an early templon comes from the Cathedral of St. John at Stoudios in Constantinople, a basilica dedicated to John the Baptist, built around 463. The chancel barrier surrounded the altar in a π shape, with one large door facing the nave and two smaller doors on the other sides. Twelve piers held chancel slabs of about 1.6 meters in length. The height of the slabs is not known. The chancel barrier was not merely a low parapet (a short wall); remains of colonnettes have been found, suggesting that the barrier carried an architrave on top of the columns.[5]

The enclosure around the altar was in early times called an Ambitus Altaris, and their railings were called cancelli, sometimes with columns or arches bearing curtains.[6][7] According to St. Gregory of Tours, these curtains were also painted and embroidered with sacred images in France, and noted the presence of chancel screens in the apse of the Church of St. Pancras near Rome, and the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. Pope Leo III also erected a pure silver chancel screen during the reign of Charlemagne.[8] The 9th century Basilica of St. Mary Major had a screen of six purple marble columns topped with an architrave of white marble, from which hung veils. A lower barrier of silver columns projected outward from the screen.[9]

Many fragments of a marble templon have been discovered on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.[10]

Though there is some architectural and archaeological evidence of early templa, the first and most detailed description of a templon comes from a poem by Paul the Silentiary, describing Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. It was composed near the end of Justinian I’s reign and was probably recited on Epiphany, January 6, 563, celebrating the reinauguration of the church after the reconstruction of the great dome.[citation needed]

Hagia Sophia’s templon surrounded, according to Paulus, "such space as was reserved in the eastern arch of the great church for the bloodless sacrifices".[11] That is, it stretched the length of the eastern semidome, including the apse but excluding the exedrae (half-dome recesses in a wall). Twelve silver-covered marble columns of approximately 4.94 meters from base to capital were arranged on three sides of a rectangular ground plan around the altar. A horizontal entablature rested upon these. Three doors allowed entry to the apse, the central one larger than the other two. Though earlier scholars have proposed that all columns and all doors were in a single line parallel to the apse, modern reconstructions show the central portal facing out to the nave with the smaller doors each located on the other sides of the rectangular plan.[12]

In between the columns were slabs of marble covered in silver about 1.00 to 1.10 meters tall. On them had been carved the monograms of Justinian and Theodora (6th century), even though Theodora had been dead for several years, as well as a many-armed cross in the center. On the center of the architrave was a repoussé medallion of Christ. On either side of Him were medallions of angels, the Prophets, the Apostles, and finally the Virgin Mary. The carvings on the architrave were deeply tied to the liturgy. Another templon roughly contemporary to Hagia Sophia's is that of the church to St. John of Ephesus, rebuilt by Justinian as a domed crucifix.[13] There was an inscription to St. John the Theologian over a side door, since the crypt of the saint was within the enclosed sanctuary. St. John the Baptist was probably carved over the other door of the templon of Hagia Sophia, since he features prominently in liturgical writings of the church.

In any case, the majority of templa followed the same basic design. They were usually carved of monochrome marble, though some, like Hagia Sophia's, were covered in precious metals and others used polychrome marbles. The slabs were often carved with vegetal or animal patterns and the architraves with busts of God, the Virgin, and the saints. Figurative decoration on the templon was mainly concentrated on the architrave, initially with carved busts. This continued from the time of Justinian into the middle Byzantine period, as shown from a 10th-century excavation in Sebaste in Phrygia, which uncovered a marble templon whose epistyle is covered with busts of saints. There is evidence that icons were hung from the columns of the templon prior to iconoclasm. Nicephorus I, Patriarch of Constantinople from 806 to 815 describes portable icons hung from columns and the gate of the templon in his Antirretikoi. Important portable and colossal icons were also placed in front of the templon, as in the 11th-century church of Saint Panteleimon in Nerzei.[14]

Evolution

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Five-panel Deesis row, Iconostasis of the Cathedral of the Annunciation in the Moscow Kremlin by Theophanes the Greek, 1405 – the first five-row Iconostasis

The templon gradually replaced all other forms of chancel barriers in Byzantine churches in the 6th, 7th, and 8th centuries except in Cappadocia. As late as the 10th century, a simple wooden chancel barrier separated the apse from the nave in the rock-cut churches, though by the late 11th century, the templon had become standard. This may have been because of the veneration and imitation of the Great Church Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, though the columnar form of chancel barrier does predate Hagia Sophia.[15]

The templon began to change forms to the medieval templon with the attachment of icons and painted scenes to the architrave. Some of the best preserved of these images are from the Saint Catherine's Monastery on Mount Sinai in Egypt. The late 12th-century templon beam shows twelve canonical feast scenes, with the Deesis (Christ enthroned, flanked by Mary and St. John the Baptist) located in the middle between the Transfiguration and the Raising of Lazarus, linking the scene of Lazarus with the Holy Week images according to liturgical practice. Several epistyles of this form have been excavated throughout the empire, none earlier than the 12th century, indicating a change from busts on the architrave to scenic decoration. This new scenic style is representative of the increasing liturgification in Byzantine representational art after iconoclasm.[16]

During most of the Middle Byzantine period, the space between the colonnettes was not filled with icons but with curtains. Nicholaos Andidorum describes in his Protheoria "the shutting of the doors and the closing of the curtain over them".[17] The most widespread image on the medieval templon seems to have been the Deesis. Its popularity arose from not only its simplicity and elegance, suggesting the efficacy of prayer and the threat of the Last Judgment, but also because it could be easily adapted to the patron's tastes with the addition of secondary scenes and characters, as in the Saint Catherine's Monastery where scenes from the life of St Eustratios appear on either side of the Deesis on a templon beam. Proskynetaria (large icons) also played a major part in the decoration of the medieval templon, either as monumental images placed on the piers flanking the templon or as portable images in front of the screen. Proskynetaria of both these types still exist in Cyprus, from Lagoudera, now in the Archbishop's Palace in Nicosia, and in St Neophytos.[citation needed]

A columnar templon at St Mark's Basilica, Venice

Sometime between the 11th and 14th centuries, icons and proskynetaria began to be placed in the intercolumnar openings on the templon. After the reconquest in 1261, carving on the medieval templon approached sculpture in the round. From this period, the first wood-carved templa, or iconostases, were produced. They for most part had a fixed program of icon decoration with three levels: the Local, the Deesis, and the Festival tiers. Early Russian versions were at chest height, and called "thoraxis" in Greek.

The full height iconostasis became standard in the 15th century, and probably owes more to 14th-century Hesychast mysticism and the wood-carving genius of the Russians than anything else. The first ceiling-high, five-leveled Russian iconostasis was designed for the Cathedral of the Annunciation in Moscow Kremlin by Theophanes the Greek in 1405, and soon copied by his assistant Andrey Rublyov in the Cathedral of the Dormition in Vladimir in 1408.[18]

Churches with existing templon

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This is a list of known churches which retain their templon. Some have had icons placed inside, and others are modern reconstructions of the original Templon.

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Photos of existing templon within churches. Some have had icons placed between the columns.

See also

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References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Templon

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A templon (from the Greek τέμπλον, meaning "temple") is a chancel screen or barrier in Byzantine and Eastern Orthodox church architecture that physically and symbolically separates the nave, where the laity congregate, from the sanctuary, the sacred altar area reserved for clergy during liturgical rites. It originated in early Christian basilicas of the 4th to 6th centuries as low, often Π-shaped enclosures that marked the boundary of the holy space, evolving to facilitate ritual visibility while maintaining hierarchical division between the earthly and divine realms. The templon's development accelerated in the Middle Byzantine period (9th to 15th centuries), transitioning from rudimentary stone partitions to more sophisticated open colonnades that allowed partial views of the , thereby enhancing the participatory yet reverent experience of the . By the , it incorporated monumental icons—typically of Christ, the Virgin Mary, and saints—positioned above the barrier, which marked the beginning of its transformation into the fuller seen in later Orthodox traditions and still used today. This evolution reflected broader theological emphases on mediation between the human and divine, with the templon serving as a permeable threshold rather than an impermeable wall. Architecturally, the templon typically consists of vertical posts or colonnettes supporting a horizontal or , often framed by closure slabs in the lower sections featuring carved geometric, floral, or vine motifs in or stone. While primarily constructed from durable in monumental churches like , wooden variants appeared in smaller or regional contexts, such as in or the . Its decorative program, including frescoes and reliefs, underscored its role in visual theology, guiding worshippers' contemplation of without direct access to .

Introduction

Definition and Purpose

The templon is a chancel barrier or screen in Byzantine and Eastern Orthodox church architecture that separates the nave, designated for the laity, from the sanctuary, known as the bema or altar area. This structure functions primarily as a physical and visual partition, designed to preserve the liturgical mystery by partially concealing the sacred rites performed by the clergy from the congregation's direct view. Openings within the templon, such as railings or arches, permit auditory access to the liturgy and limited visual glimpses, thereby fostering a sense of participation while upholding the sanctity of the rituals. Symbolically, the templon embodies the division between the earthly realm of the faithful in the and the divine realm of the , serving as a threshold that both separates and connects these spaces. It reinforces the sacredness of the holy area by isolating the during the performance of rites, enhancing the mystical and eschatological dimensions of . Over time, the templon evolved from a more open, partial enclosure to a denser, more opaque barrier, reflecting shifts in liturgical emphasis on enclosure and reverence. Unlike the later , which is a fully developed, icon-covered that more completely obscures the , the templon precedes it as a simpler screen focused on architectural separation rather than extensive iconographic elaboration. This distinction underscores the templon's foundational role in maintaining the balance between accessibility and mystery in .

Etymology

The term templon derives from the Late Greek témp lon (τέμπλον), meaning a temple or , which entered the language as a from Latin templum, denoting a consecrated space or sacred enclosure marked out for religious observation and . This etymological root emphasizes the templon's role in delineating holy ground, akin to ancient practices of bounding areas for divine interaction. Scholars have noted possible conceptual links between the templon and the Temple of , where veils and barriers partitioned the sanctuary from profane areas, serving as a model for Byzantine sacred partitioning to evoke similar distinctions between the divine and the earthly. The terminology evolved from early Christian cancelli—Latin for lattice-like screens enclosing the presbytery, borrowed from Greek kankelloí (κάγκελλοι), denoting latticed barriers—to the more ornate Byzantine templon by the sixth century, particularly in eastern contexts. In Slavic Orthodox traditions, this progressed to iconostasis, a compound Greek term meaning "image-stand," reflecting the addition of icons atop the structure. Etymological debates among scholars center on the precise adaptation of templon for church screens, though the loan from Latin remains the dominant explanation for its ecclesiastical application.

Historical Development

Origins and Influences

The templon emerged in the Eastern during the 5th century AD as a barrier separating the from the in Christian churches, with proto-forms appearing as early as the in low screens known as cancelli. These early structures, often constructed from or , served to delineate while allowing visual and auditory access to liturgical rites. Archaeological evidence from regions like and indicates that such barriers were widespread by the mid-5th century, evolving from simple railings to more defined screens with columns and lintels. Key influences on the templon's development stemmed from Jewish traditions, particularly the veils and barriers of the that concealed the , as well as arks and screens in synagogues designed to protect sacred scrolls. Early Christian architects adapted these elements to emphasize ritual secrecy and hierarchical access, mirroring the Temple's spatial divisions between profane and divine realms. In the , screens in 4th-6th century churches often featured motifs like crosses and symbolic representations of Golgotha, reflecting this syncretic heritage from nearby synagogues. Classical Roman and Greek precedents also shaped the templon, drawing from cancelli—lattice-like screens used in public buildings and judicial spaces to regulate crowds and entry— as well as the spatial divisions (templa) in theaters that separated performance areas from spectators. Post-Constantine liturgical practices further propelled this evolution, with barriers becoming standardized in the 4th and 5th centuries to enhance visibility of sacraments while restricting lay access, influenced by Syrian and Palestinian regional traditions. Recent scholarship highlights these roots, underscoring the templon's role in adapting pre-Christian spatial concepts to .

Early Examples

The earliest documented templon dates to 463 AD at the in , where a dedicated to featured a barrier of marble screens and columns arranged in a π-shaped configuration around the altar, with one large central door and two smaller side doors. This structure marked an initial implementation of the templon as a physical divider in liturgical spaces, separating the from the sanctuary while allowing controlled access during services. A prominent example from the mid-6th century is found in the in , built between 532 and 537 AD under Emperor . The templon there comprised 12 silver-plated marble columns, each approximately 4.94 meters tall, positioned with six across the front and three on each side to form a low enclosing the on three sides. Contemporary accounts, including those by in his De Aedificiis, highlight the architectural integration of this barrier, emphasizing its role in enhancing the church's majestic interior without fully obstructing views of the altar. Other 6th-century sites provide additional evidence of early templon use, such as the Church of St. Polyeuktos in , constructed around 524–527 AD by , where architectural remains suggest a similar marble-based screen system typical of the period. In , fragments from basilicas like Qalb Loze, a 5th–6th-century structure in northern , indicate templon elements integrated into wide-aisled basilical plans, reflecting regional adaptations of the barrier for liturgical separation. Early templons shared consistent characteristics: they were low in height, typically reaching waist to chest level to maintain visual and auditory connection between the congregation and the ; constructed with open colonnettes supporting an , allowing passage through intercolumnar spaces; devoid of icons, focusing instead on structural simplicity; and often supplemented with curtains for temporary closure during sacred rites. These features prioritized functional division over ornate enclosure, aligning with the liturgical needs of the era. Archaeological findings continue to illuminate these proto-forms, as seen in a 2023 study of the City Basilica at Patara in , which uncovered templon fragments—including stylobates, bases, slabs, and columns—dating to the late 5th to early and linking directly to contemporary Byzantine liturgical arrangements. The motifs and dimensions of these pieces, such as carved crosses and geometric patterns on slabs, underscore the templon's role in early Christian worship spaces across .

Evolution to Iconostasis

Following the end of Iconoclasm in 843 AD, the templon underwent significant transformations beginning in the , with the Second Council of Nicaea in 787 AD initiating icon veneration by ending the first Iconoclastic period. During the Iconoclastic periods (726–843 AD), icons were removed from templons, resuming and expanding their integration only after the final restoration in 843 AD. This led to the templon's evolution from low, open colonnades—typically waist-high marble screens—to more substantial forms with colonnettes supporting architraves, as seen in early Byzantine examples like those in the , where visibility into the sanctuary was still maintained for liturgical participation. These changes reflected a broader post-Iconoclastic restoration of sacred art, emphasizing permanence over the temporary barriers of earlier periods. From the 9th to 14th centuries, the templon further developed with the addition of icons, known as proskynetaria, placed in the intercolumnar spaces and on architraves, gradually increasing opacity through the use of curtains or veils during services. Heightened structures emerged around the in regions like and Asia Minor, rising to chest or shoulder level, which partially obscured the altar while allowing glimpses during key rituals. By the 12th to 13th centuries, in monastic contexts such as , barriers reached near-full height, incorporating carved marble or wooden elements that supported icons of Christ, the Virgin, and saints, transforming the templon into a more symbolic divider between the earthly and divine . This period saw a functional shift toward greater concealment, aligning with evolving liturgical practices that prioritized mystery and hierarchical separation. In the 15th to 16th centuries, the templon standardized as the in Slavic Orthodox churches, particularly in and , featuring tiered rows of icons that fully walled off the . In , icons were notably absent from barriers until the late , after which wooden structures with multiple registers—depicting feasts, hierarchs, and the —became common by the , often extending to the ceiling. Wallachian examples lagged slightly, with icons emerging only in the early , initially in single-row designs influenced by late Byzantine Balkan traditions, evolving to two-row formats by mid-century amid regional political changes. This standardization was heavily shaped by the Palaiologan Renaissance, which revived classical motifs and expressive , spreading from to Slavic lands through artistic exchanges. Several interconnected factors drove this evolution, including liturgical emphases on theosis—or human divinization through —which favored icon-filled barriers as aids to spiritual ascent, alongside monastic reforms like that promoted silent prayer before images. Cultural exchanges further contributed, such as influences in Greek and Balkan regions during the late 15th and 16th centuries, introducing decorative elements to templon-derived structures. Recent analyses, including a 2017 study on regional timelines, highlight how these developments varied, with icons delayed in peripheral areas like and until the 14th and 16th centuries, respectively, underscoring the templon's adaptation to local theological and artistic contexts.

Architectural Features

Design Elements

The templon features a basic structure composed of low parapet walls, which are topped by colonnettes or piers supporting an architrave. This assembly forms a barrier separating the nave from the sanctuary, positioned at the entrance to the apse and aligned with the synthronon, the tiered seating for bishops and clergy. In its early forms, the templon typically reached a height of 1-2 meters, allowing visibility into the sanctuary while maintaining spatial division. Over time, this height increased, contributing to the evolution toward the taller iconostasis. The templon's openings are designed to facilitate liturgical processions and movements, centered on a primary central opening through which processions and the elements pass. These are typically flanked by two side openings reserved for deacons, forming a triple arcade configuration that can vary from three to five bays depending on the church's scale. Decorative motifs on the templon include carved crosses, acanthus leaves, and geometric patterns, which adorn the walls and to emphasize symbolic and aesthetic elements. Following the end of in the , the design incorporated spaces for icons or frescoes, integrating visual representations of sacred figures into the barrier's framework. Functional adaptations of the templon include slots or provisions for hanging curtains, known as the katapetasma, which could be drawn across the openings to provide temporary closure during the , enhancing the ritual's sanctity by limiting visibility. This use of curtains dates back to at least the in Eastern Christian practices and complemented the templon's open structure.

Materials and Variations

In early Byzantine templons, was the predominant material, often sourced from Proconnesian quarries near and fashioned into slabs, posts, and decorative panels. These white, fine-grained s were valued for their durability and aesthetic qualities, enabling intricate carvings of crosses, acanthus motifs, and geometric patterns. For instance, in the 5th-century City Basilica at Patara, templon posts and capitals were carved from blocks measuring approximately 108–110 cm in height, with monolithic shafts and Corinthian-style capitals featuring acanthus leaves. Similarly, 10th–11th-century panels from workshops served as bases for templons and low barriers, emphasizing the material's role in imperial ecclesiastical architecture. From the post-12th century onward, wood emerged as a primary material, particularly for its portability, ease of carving, and availability in forested regions, allowing for more elaborate and transportable screens. Wooden templons facilitated the integration of painted or gilt icons into frames, marking a shift from rigid stone barriers to dynamic structures that supported evolving liturgical practices. In peripheral areas like Wallachia and Russia, where marble was scarce, wood became standard; Russian adaptations of the Byzantine templon, evolving into full-height iconostases by the 15th century, relied on timber for multi-tiered designs that accommodated extensive icon tiers, often gilded for visual splendor. The earliest surviving wooden examples date to the 14th century, reflecting local adaptations prioritizing functionality over monumental permanence. For prestige, templons occasionally incorporated metal elements, such as repoussé sheeting or plating on beams and frames, enhancing their sanctity and imperial associations. A 10th–11th-century repoussé covering for a templon beam, now in the , exemplifies this technique, where thin metal sheets were hammered into relief scenes for overlay on wooden or stone supports. Bronze and silver elements were rarer but used in elite contexts to denote hierarchy and divine radiance. Construction techniques varied by material and context, often employing monolithic columns carved from single blocks to ensure structural integrity and aesthetic unity. In the Patara , templon colonnettes integrated shafts and capitals monolithically, fixed into stylobates via dowels, forming a stable Π-shaped barrier. Reused —ancient Roman fragments like column bases and capitals—were commonly incorporated, recycling pagan-era materials into Christian screens to symbolize continuity and triumph, as seen in broader Byzantine practices where such elements were Christianized with crosses. In rock-cut churches of , templons were directly hewn from soft volcanic tuff stone, creating integral screens without separate assembly, adapted to the cave-like environments of 9th–11th-century monastic complexes. Temporal variations reflect resource availability and artistic evolution: early templons (5th–7th centuries) were typically low screens, around 1–1.5 meters high, prioritizing openness while demarcating space. By the later Byzantine period (12th–15th centuries), wooden frames with gilt integrations raised heights and added tiers, evolving into the multi-tiered post-Byzantine iconostases common in Orthodox traditions. Preservation poses ongoing challenges, with prone to from environmental exposure; recent on the Patara templon, including a 2023 analysis of excavated remains, highlights worn blocks and proposes reconstructions based on comparative fragments to address fragmentation and decay. While 3D modeling has advanced such efforts in related sites, Patara's study emphasizes analog reconstruction to mitigate further deterioration.

Notable Examples and Regional Adaptations

Byzantine and Early Examples

One of the most prominent early examples of a templon is found in the in , constructed in the 6th century under Emperor . The templon featured twelve marble columns covered in silver, standing approximately 4.94 meters tall, with intervening slabs of marble also sheathed in silver and bearing carved monograms of Justinian and his consort Theodora. These elements, now lost but documented through historical accounts and archaeological references, underscored the imperial patronage and luxurious materiality of Justinianic , integrating the barrier into the church's grand spatial hierarchy. The (Hagios Ioannes Studios) in provides crucial archaeological evidence for even earlier templon development, dating to its construction in 463 CE as a dedicated to . Surviving fragments reveal an early design, consisting of low marble slabs forming a simple barrier between the and , which marked the transition to more structured screens in subsequent Byzantine churches. This 5th-century implementation reflects pre-Justinianic basilical forms, where the templon served as a modest yet functional divider in monastic liturgical spaces. In the rock-cut churches of Cappadocia, such as those in the Göreme Open-Air Museum from the 10th to 12th centuries, templons were ingeniously carved directly into the tuff cave walls, adapting the barrier to the natural topography. These integrated screens often featured painted imitation curtains—vibrant, aniconic patterns in red and white, averaging 75 cm long and 15 cm wide, positioned as borders below figural frescoes on naos or apse walls—evoking draped veils that symbolically separated the sacred from the profane. Examples like the Dark Church (Karanlık Kilise) illustrate how such frescoed elements enhanced the templon's role in enclosed, monastic environments, blending architectural permanence with illusory textile motifs rooted in Roman and biblical traditions. St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, begun in the 11th century, incorporates a marble templon with Byzantine-style arcades, exemplifying the cultural and artistic transfer from Constantinople facilitated by Venetian-Crusader interactions during the period. The structure's arcaded screen, influenced by eastern prototypes, adapted the templon form to a Western context while retaining its function as a sanctuary divider, as seen in the basilica's multi-domed interior modeled after Byzantine imperial churches. These Byzantine and early templons exemplify core standards of , emphasizing barriers that mediated visibility, access, and performance in the . Recent studies, including those from , highlight their contextual role in dramatizing thresholds—through curtains hung on hooks or painted simulations—that drew on scriptural imagery like the to regulate light, movement, and , thereby structuring communal worship in both imperial and monastic settings.

Post-Byzantine and Peripheral Regions

In post-Byzantine , the templon evolved into a solid, multi-tiered that fully separated the from the , marking a departure from the open Byzantine barriers. This shift began in the , influenced by the theological legacy of the 14th-century , with large deisis panels emphasizing theological balance, and culminated in the with six-tier wooden structures lacking open arches, such as forefathers, patriarchs, prophets, feasts, deisis, and local icons rows. The Cathedral of the in , rebuilt in the 1480s, exemplifies this development through its high, wooden incorporating earlier 14th-century elements by , reflecting Moscow's emerging role as a religious center after Constantinople's fall. In the , particularly during the , iconostases adapted as hybrid marble-wood screens under Ottoman , blending late-Byzantine Balkan traditions with Ottoman-inspired motifs and Latin influences from Veneto-Greek sources. These variations, seen in structures like the Cotmeana church's initial wooden iconostasis later replaced by masonry, incorporated sculpted elements and inscriptions, as analyzed in studies reconstructing lost prototypes through extant icons and components. Recent scholarship from 2016–2021, including examinations of iconographic programs, highlights how these fusions preserved Orthodox liturgical functions amid cultural exchanges. Surviving templons in the Greek islands, such as those at the Panayia Katapoliani on from the 8th–9th centuries, demonstrate post-Iconoclasm persistence through marble closure slabs featuring cruciform monograms and inscriptions tied to imperial patronage. These elements, including early Christian templon screens, maintained visual and symbolic barriers in insular settings, resisting full enclosure even after the empire's fragmentation. In peripheral Anatolian regions like Cappadocia's extensions, 11th-century templon architraves adapted to rock-cut and rural church environments, as evidenced by the Yamanlar Mountain example near with motifs integrated into geometric and floral designs. This rare artifact, dated to the Middle Byzantine period, parallels broader peripheral decorative traditions from the 5th–13th centuries, emphasizing functional simplicity in non-imperial contexts. Recent excavations in Lykia, such as at Patara's City Basilica in 2023, have uncovered templon fragments including posts and epistyles, enabling reconstructions that reveal three-bay arrangements with ciborium supports, underscoring adaptations in late antique to early Byzantine peripheral sites. Ongoing regional scholarship in and focuses on preservation efforts, integrating archaeological data from these findings to document templon evolution and liturgical roles amid modern conservation challenges.

References

  1. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/375728023_Medieval_templon_with_inseparable_objects_of_prostration_A_case_of_Saints_Joachim_and_Anna_church_in_the_Studenica_Monastery
  2. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/The-Middle-Byzantine-Sanctuary-Barrier%253A-Templon-or-Epstein/01057f9d44b9c65c15d667be2864ba9a22b1fe34
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  6. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/364931241_Architecture_and_Ritual_in_the_Churches_of_Constantinople_Ninth_to_Fifteenth_Centuries
  7. https://kb.osu.edu/bitstreams/766da08b-ea4a-568b-bd35-74235f333726/download
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  9. https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3Dte%2Fmnos
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  21. https://publ.actual-art.org/aptha/article/view/10583
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  23. https://www.academia.edu/106306622/The_Evolution_of_the_Iconostasis_in_Wallachia_in_the_16th_century
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  30. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/294277697_Copper_Repousse_icons_of_Middle_and_Later_Byzantine_Times
  31. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Helen-Saradi/publication/226220433_The_use_of_ancient_spolia_in_Byzantine_monuments_The_archaeological_and_literary_evidence/links/5bebf42192851c6b27bd4c96/The-use-of-ancient-spolia-in-Byzantine-monuments-The-archaeological-and-literary-evidence.pdf
  32. https://www.academia.edu/126121551/Byzantine_Rock_Cut_Architecture_in_Cappadocia_and_Beyond_The_State_of_Scholarship
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  34. https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/cambridge-companion-to-constantinople/sacred-dimensions-church-building-and-ecclesiastical-practice/016794EC33870F8169688D579E301D57
  35. https://doi.org/10.52056/9791254694978
  36. https://www.academia.edu/113937056/Imitation_Curtain_Depictions_from_Byzantine_Cappadocia
  37. https://doi.org/10.29135/STD.1322960
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  39. https://www.doaks.org/resources/textiles/essays/maguire
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  41. https://wuw.pl/data/include/cms//PAM_2023_32_1.pdf
  42. https://www.academia.edu/40420042/The_templon_architrave_with_rhombus_motif_at_Yamanlar_Mountain_in_Izmir_in_Minima_medievalia_edited_by_F_Coden_in_Atti_della_Accademia_Roveretana_degli_Agiati_Classe_di_Scienze_umane_Lettere_ed_Arti_a_CCLXVIII_s_IX_VIII_A_2018_I_pp_110_124
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