Cythera.
Cythera.
PELOPONNESE
231
323. Cythera, Saint Peter at Araioi Mylopotamou (Κύθηρα, Άγιος Πέτρος
στους Αραίους Μυλοποτάμου, τοιχογραφία)
323. Cythera, Palaiochora, Aghia Varvara (Κύθηρα, Παλαιοχώρα, Αγία
Βαρβάρα)
tant, along with the mosaic (7th c.) of Saint George at Vouno
(10). The initially aisleless, domed church of Saint Andrew
at Livadi (16), with a first wall-painting layer dating from the
10th-11th c., was converted into a cross-in-square church of
transitional type (first half of 13th c.) and ornamented with an
opulent iconographic programme applied by different artists.
A series of churches from the second half of the 13th c. con-
tain wall-paintings that can be grouped according to their spe-
cific style characteristics. The only dated (1275) wall-painting
decoration survives in Saint George’s at Krotiria near Ntouri-
anika (6), with which is associated the first layer in Saint An-
drew’s at Perlengianika (7), and more. The complex of four
churches of Aghios Demetrios at Pourko (17), in which the
second wall-painting layer is the work of the painter Deme-
trios, archdeacon of Monemvasia (late 13th c.) is distinctive.
Wall-paintings associated with this are found in the cross-in-
square church of Saint Peter at Araioi Mylopotamou (14), in
the aisleless, domed church of Aghios Nikon at Zaglanikianika
(4) and in parts of the twin barrel-vaulted, single-nave church
of Aghios Vlasios at Frilingianika (9). The wall-paintings in
the barrel-vaulted, single-nave church of Saint John at Pota-
mos (with a mosaic of the 6th c.) (1) and the associated wall-
paintings in the barrel-vaulted, single-nave churches of Aghia
Kyriake at Sanidia Potamou (1), Aghios Polycarpos at Foinik-
ies (5), Aghioi Anargyroi and Aghios Vlasios at Frilingianika
(9) and the aisleless, domed church of Aghios Demetrios at
Kampianika (15) possibly date from the thirty-year period of
Byzantine domination. The painter Theodoros is the dedicator
of wall-paintings in the cave of Aghia Sophia Mylopotamou
(13); to him are attributed frescoes in Saint Peter’s at Araioi
(14), in Aghios Demetrios at Kampianika (15), with portrayal of
dedicators, and in Aghios Vlasios at Frilingianika (9).
In the 14th and 15th c. the activity of the inhabitants is de-
tectable at castle cities in general. New churches were built
and decorated at Mesa Vourgo (18), the settlement organised
outside the fortress of Chora: the barrel-vaulted, single-nave
churches of Saint John Chrysostom and Philip (14th-15th c.),
Aghios Demeterios (circa 1400), Saint George of Kaloutzis
(15th c.) and Aghia Triada (first half of 15th c.). At Mylopota-
mos fortress (13), the new churches were the Soter (15th c.)
and Saint John Prodromos (1518). Particularly remarkable are
the wall-paintings of Archangel Michael (circa 1400), as well
as of Saint Anthony (15th c.) at Palaiochora (2), where there
also survives the third cross-in-square church, Aghia Varvara,
without wall-paintings. The fourth cross-in-square church is
dedicated to the local saint Theodoros of Cythera (8), and is
located at the site where he died in 922, according to the ac-
count of his life.
