Zalai Múzeum 11. Kereszténység Pannóniában az első évezredben (Zalaegerszeg, 2002)

Nagy, Mihály: Typological Considerations on Christian Funerary Buildings in Pannonia

Typological Considerations on Christian Funerary Buildings in Pannónia 23 Site digiti Site 8x11=88 10x11=110 11

2 =121 8

2

xl 1=704 80x11=880 Leányfalu

25 thickness of wall width of pillar inner length of wall BudakalászLuppa csárda

26 inner length of wall Szob-Hidegrét length of foundation walls thickness of wall Nógrádverőce thickness of wall thickness of wall Mihajlovac-Blato

27 thickness of wall thickness of wall width of gate Recently I have tried to analyse measurement data of Late Roman military installations, and I pointed out the use of an 11 digit unit.

28 The frequent use of this unit, sometimes multiplied with 8, or raised to the second power, instead of the use of the ordinary Roman feet consisting of 16 digiti, may be explained probably by its usefulness in architectural practice. The 'tool-kit' of architects was very simple: they used mainly straightedges, compasses, and set-squares. It is well known, that the theorem of Pythagoras was used to construct a rectangle, with the help of 3, 4 and 5 unit long rods or ropes.

29 Since 3

2

+4

2

=5

2 it is possible to lay out a rectangle on the site with this method too. The construction of a pentagon with compasses is quite simple at a drawing board, but on site it would be very difficult, and sometimes perhaps there was not enough space to operate with ropes. In such cases the architect may have used a rectangular or L-shaped template or set-square with sides 8 and 11 units long (Fig. I.)30 On the example of the reconstruction of original ground plan of the cella septichora at Pécs, I would like to show, how indsipensable is the pentagon at the construction of certain building types (Fig. 2.). The first step in the drawing is to establish orientation: let us draw the main axis signed EW of our building. Then determine point A on the axis, as centre of the building's eastern apse. From point A swing an arc 24.25x11=266.75 digiti long, cutting the axis at B. From В as centre, with compass unchanged draw a circle, cutting the East-West axis at points A and С (Diameter: 48.5x11=533.5 digiti). From point A as centre, draw a circle with a radius measuring half of the previous circle (=12.125x11 = 133.375 digiti). The eastern half of this circle marks out the inner surface of the apse's wall. From point С swing an arc 50 digiti long towards east cutting the axis at D. From point D swing an arc 24.25x11=266.75 digiti long, intersecting the axis at E. From point E as centre, with compass unchanged draw a circle cutting the axis at F. (Diameter of the circle: 48.5x11=533.5 digiti). Construct pentagons from points С and D inscribed in the circles, with points GHIJ and G'H'I'J'. Join points GG' and JJ' respectively. The pentagons intersect each other at points К and L Draw a perpendicular line through points К and L. From points К and L as centres, swing arcs 24.25x11=266.75 digiti long, bisecting the NS axis at points M and N. The distance of the latter from each other is 55x11=605 digiti. Draw lines from points GG' and JJ' through В and E. These lines will cut the circles containing the pentagons at OO' and PP. From point A as centre draw a half circle with a radius 18x11=198 digiti long, to mark out the outer surface of the apse's wall. Parallel with the NS axis this outer wall projects to north and south, forming corners 20x11=220 digiti far from point A. From points OMO' and PNP as centres draw half circles with radius 15x11=165 digiti long, to determine the outer surface of the walls of side apses. From the same points as centre draw half circles with a radius 9,5x11=104.5 digiti long, to mark out the inner surface of the apses. (At the junctions of the apses the wall is thicker). Parallel with axes EW; JO J'O'; GP G'P' and NS connect half circles indicating the inner wall surface of apses with the sides of the pentagon in front of them. 1.5x11= 16.5 digiti far to the west from point F draw a perpendicular line 32x11=352 digiti long, which marks out the width of the front wall (total thickness of the wall: 6x11=66 digiti). Total length of the building outside: 112x11=1232 digiti; while inside between points Q and R: 100x11=1100 digiti. The total width outside is 85x11=935 digiti, inside: 74x11=814, that is the difference between the outer and inner width is exactly 11x11=121 digiti (in other words, the thickness of walls is 112/2).

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