BRIA 1 Newsletter: The Landscape and Rock-Cut Architecture of Medieval Thrace – BRIA
BRIA Project had its first fieldwork trip from May 30 to June 7, 2022, funded by Koç University Seed Fund. Sixteen members of its international team – graduate students and scholars of different background and disciplines – travelled together, visited and explored 20 sites stretching from Constantinople/Istanbul to Thessaloniki across the historical region of Thrace, currently divided among three states (Türkiye, Greece and Bulgaria).
After two years of pandemic, BRIA was the first fieldwork trip for many team members. We achieved our initial goals: to assess present conditions of the rock-cut sites; to record and document their natural, architectural and artistic features with the use of the latest technologies and software applications; to produce 3D models that can be used for comparative studies. We do not approach these sites only as built structures but also as living elements with their place, specific role in the landscape and the environment.
Team members had extremely fruitful exchanges of ideas and knowledge during the trip. Multiple connections were forged between scholars and students that everyone wants to pursue further. Travelling together allowed people to think more about their individual work and about collaborations and further projects that can emerge from BRIA. Equally exciting were the discoveries that we made in the field, helped by the interdisciplinary character of the team.
PI Ivana Jevtic and co-PI Nikos Kontogiannis
