ICONOGRAPHY OF THE PARAPET SLAB FROM THE CHURCH OF ST. THOMAS IN KUTI: NEW REFLECTIONS AND POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS

Most extensive research so far was carried out by Ilija Pušic in the period from 1959 to 1962 and resulted in the conclusions published with Jovan Kovačevič, based hrst of all on historical circumstances, and further on architectural, sculptural, and artistic solutions. According to its characteristics and since this type of building was largely used in the construction of other monuments, such as the church of St. Michael in Ston, St. Peter in Omiš, and others (Marasović i960: 36; 1994: 211, 219; Марковиц 2016: 155, with literature), it can be concluded that it belongs the so-called pre-Romanesque style, which was fully developed in the mentioned region until the 11th century, whose roots can be found primarily within the Byzantine cultural circle (Пушиц 1986: 74; Pušić 2006: 32-34,108-113; Живковиц 2016: 357). Occasionally, figural motifs or entire scenes can be found within the floral wreath, such as on the example of a tapestry from Egypt depicting Alexander the Great hunting dated around y-8th century or a chalice from Antioch from the 6th century with a representation of Christ in a wreath of acanthus (Fig. 4) (Weitzmann 1978: 91, no. 81, 606-608, no. 542). [...]the aforementioned motifs of floral interlacing with birds and other animals, interweaving, geometric motifs, and others, have found their place in various forms of art and on numerous subjects. Later, it acquired the connotation of rebirth or the Resurrection, and with the spread of Christianity, it continued to carry a similar meaning (Vitruvius 1914: 104; Savo, Kumbaric 2014: 109115). [...]floral motifs and birds, which often appear as symbols of peace on Early Christian monuments, in this context can refer to the Resurrection, as well as the Garden of Eden, i.e. the locus amoenus (Вранешевиъ 2014).