St. Symeon the Elder introduced stylitism, the ascetic pillar dwelling, in the 5th century AD at Qal’at Sem’an/ Syria. This talk focuses on the architectural characteristics of the Early Christian stylite sites in the region with a specific emphasis on the building complex at Qal’at Sem’an, underscoring their contexts and interaction.

Biography:

Ayşe BELGİN-HENRY received her B.Arch. degree from İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi and later specialized on Byzantine studies. She currently is a research affiliate at the Institut Français d’Etudes Anatoliennes. Her research interests include the formulation of sanctity with a specific focus on pilgrimage and its architectural setting.