The Visual Message in Coptic Architecture A Semiotic Investigation on the Intended and Perceived Meanings of Coptic Orthodox Church Architecture

Abstract

Studies in Coptic architecture are relatively rare, and are mainly concerned with the physical rather than spiritual aspects of the style. This dissertation marks an absence of a true reading for the intangible aspects of the Coptic Orthodox Church architecture, and the hidden meanings in this heritage. The study will be concerned with uncovering meanings and deepening understanding of this Egyptian architecture. The basics and principles of Christianity as a religion and Orthodoxy as a denomination are considered the most influential convention that affects and shapes the Coptic Orthodox worship house. They represent one of the main sources for the rich inventory of the different signs and symbols assimilating meaning in its art and architecture. Hence, fundamentals of Christianity are reviewed in the literature, and observation of heritage Coptic Churches is undergone, to group the existing symbols employed in this architecture. Semiotics as an interpretive science is studied, as it is chosen to be utilized as a discovery tool for the different layers of meaning comprising the sign system of the building and to decipher these meanings. This study provides a theoretical ground for the adopted framework of analysis that is employed in the applied part of the study. The different existing attempts of semiotic analysis of architecture are presented with special focus on the most appropriate framework that will be used, in addition to addressing the gaps that were identified in itto result in an amended analytical semiotic framework that is more practical for application on the architectural discipline. The applied part of the study commences by utilizing the amended framework in conducting the semiotic analysis on two case studies: an ancient Coptic church and a contemporary one, to interpret the meanings within their architecture, and hence determines that there is a message addressed to the users. This analysis besides uncovering different radiated meanings and deepening the understanding of this intangible part of the architecture, results also in developing an analytical tool for the semiotic