ZOOMORPHIC IMAGES IN ARCHITECTURAL DECORATION OF CAUCASUS OF THE 9<sup>TH</sup> - 11<sup>TH</sup> CENTURIES (ABKHAZIA AND SOUTHERN OSSETIA):TRADITIONAL CULTURE IN THE FORMATION OF CHRISTIAN IMAGES
This article aims to identify possible origins of some zoomorphic images which are seen on the outer facing of Christian churches (decorative frames of windows and doors) in the territory of Abkhazia and Southern Ossetia. When studying the monuments of the period of the Abkhazian kingdom (8-11 centuries), a compact group of images has been revealed. All of them are made in ﬂat graphic manner. Biological identiﬁcation of the animals is complicated. Identiﬁcation of the animals is possible only due to analogies and common symbolic context of the Christian artistic culture. Such images can be found mainly on Christian monuments from the territory of Abkhazia and Southern Ossetia, some analogies are from the territory of Georgia and Armenia (façade decoration). Discussions about possible origins of such images involve ideas about the inﬂuence of the traditional culture. The inventory of zoomorphic medieval images corresponds to the bestiary of the more ancient periods of the territory of central Caucasus, western Transcaucasia and other neighbouring regions. Animals on the earlier archaeological artefacts are made in the same ﬂat graphic style. Their images are syncretic, their biological identiﬁ cation is diﬃcult. Flat graphic style is very typical of art traditions of the above-mentioned territory in the period of Late Bronze and Early Iron Age. For example, zoomorphic imagery in the territory of central, western and eastern Caucasus in the mountain regions is clearly ﬂat, the only contours of the animals are outlined. As a result, the statuettes are replaced by the ﬁ gured and ajoure plaques and buckles. The originality of the medieval reliefs was possibly inﬂ uenced by the traditional culture on the territories that became the most active in the process of revival of the art life in western and central Transcaucasia after the devastating Arab raids.