Relief depicting an Apostle

myminifactory

Relief fragments depicting an apostle date back to the 6th century and were unearthed during the Sarachane excavations. The term Saraçhane translates to Saddlers' Building or Market. Located on a Byzantine cistern's pavement, this market was a prominent landmark in early Ottoman Istanbul before vanishing long ago, leaving its name behind in a quarter of Istanbul near Fatih Camii, the Conqueror's mosque. A rescue excavation was promptly initiated. A joint effort was established between the Istanbul Archaeological Museum and Dumbarton Oaks, with the latter providing both financial support and Martin Harrison, a Professor from Newcastle upon Tyne, as field director. The excavation of St. Polyeuktos Church spanned six seasons (1964-69) and adhered to the stratigraphic method, the first major Istanbul excavation conducted according to modern practice.