Some Aspects of the Artistic Solutions of the Wooden Mosques in Ajara

Abstract

The 19th-20th century wooden mosques (Jame) preserved in Ajara represent a phenomenon deeply connected with Georgian tra­ditions. The architectural solutions of the mosques and their asso­ciated functional structures are based on the requirements of Islamic religious buildings and Georgian local traditions. Their architecture reveals artistic features of ecclesiastical, secular, and residential str­uctures. This characteristic is manifested in the exterior appearance of the buildings, the design of interior space, and individual decorative motifs.

The architecture of the mosques resembles the Ajarian-type "oda-house," though, depending on location, the two- or three-story wooden buildings erected on stone foundations are characterized by a certain autonomy. The mosque plan is primarily based on the theme of accentuating the center of the hall surrounded by a three-sided mezzanine supported on columns, which is based on a concept fam­iliar to Georgian tradition. The interior is distinguished by a light spatial-volumetric structure, rich decorative ornamentation, woodc­arving, and diverse forms of roofing, in which the ancient traditions of Georgian woodwork can be read.

The architecture of 19th-20th century Ajarian wooden mosques is nourished by the traditions of national folk art and the artistic innovations of contemporary Ottoman art. They were built by local cra­ftsmen and those who came from various regions (Shavsheti, Ch­aneti).