The decors under the
cross, the stairs, the triangle, the rosette and palm decor
In
khachkar compositions the central cross stands on a triangle-like
element, or a stair-like element, or on rectangular hills, or arches,
church structures, rosettes, or halfrosettes. From the bottom part,
horizontal or vertical palm decors originate. Although the triangle is
present in some examples dating to the 9-10th centuries,
later on it did not receive wide diffusion. Research suggests that the
triangle at the bottom of the cross had emphasized the special, holy
status of the cross and implied Golgotha. The rosette, as a
characteristic element of the khachkar composition, appears already in
the early medieval ages, but assumed its steady position in khachkar
composition only in the 11th century. The rosette and the
stairs became almost rejecting each other, which indicates that both
were in the symbolic field of Golgotha, although the stairs had an
iconographical source - the stair-like column bases and stylobates of
the early middle ages. In the end of the 13th century and in
the 14th century the rosette with relief cylinder was
separated from the palm decor and by that from the niche, and became a
completely independent element. From the late 13th century
the rosette receives salience and is crowned with a ribbon-like border -
resembling a shield or a tray. The examination of the rosette and other
associated decorative elements gives a basis to restore the extensive
symbolism as a table for ceremony (sometimes only tray-table), world,
semen, the paradise of Eden, Golgotha (sometimes depicted with the head
of Adam), the paradise mountain of Revelation, sun, star, universe.
Beginning in the 11th century, the palm decor under the cross
is situated on the rosette and in later compositions appears in four
developments: vegetative, geometrical, snake and bird. In some
compositions the cross stands on a coiled snake, symbolizing victory, or
it is surrounded on two sides by snakes and symbolizes the defense of
the garden-paradise (paradise-tree). The bird depiction of the palm
decor on the one hand links to the palm tree as the tree of life and on
the other hand to the rosette, as the ancient perceptions of the sun. In
some compositions the palm decor is depicted as originating from the
cross. Such a perception corresponds to the Christian notions of the
cross as an all bearing tree. The idea of the cross being able to
blossom served as a basis for the addition of small crosses on the two
sides of the central cross. In some compositions the trimmings of the
palm decoration are transforming into cross-bearing hands, which
symbolize mortals waiting for the rescuing advent of the cross.
In
khachkar compositions the central cross stands on a triangle-like
element, or a stair-like element, or on rectangular hills, or arches,
church structures, rosettes, or halfrosettes. From the bottom part,
horizontal or vertical palm decors originate. Although the triangle is
present in some examples dating to the 9-10th centuries,
later on it did not receive wide diffusion. Research suggests that the
triangle at the bottom of the cross had emphasized the special, holy
status of the cross and implied Golgotha. The rosette, as a
characteristic element of the khachkar composition, appears already in
the early medieval ages, but assumed its steady position in khachkar
composition only in the 11th century. The rosette and the
stairs became almost rejecting each other, which indicates that both
were in the symbolic field of Golgotha, although the stairs had an
iconographical source - the stair-like column bases and stylobates of
the early middle ages. In the end of the 13th century and in
the 14th century the rosette with relief cylinder was
separated from the palm decor and by that from the niche, and became a
completely independent element. From the late 13th century
the rosette receives salience and is crowned with a ribbon-like border -
resembling a shield or a tray. The examination of the rosette and other
associated decorative elements gives a basis to restore the extensive
symbolism as a table for ceremony (sometimes only tray-table), world,
semen, the paradise of Eden, Golgotha (sometimes depicted with the head
of Adam), the paradise mountain of Revelation, sun, star, universe. 
