Ispirazioni paleocristiane nell'architettura altomedievale in Italia: le cripte

The fortune of crypts in the medieval period has been well studied, however, the overall focus of interest has been on the diffusion, to the north of the Alps in the Carolingian era, of the most important Paleochristian model: that of the annular corridor crypt of Saint Peter’s. The same phenomenon in northern Italy has not received as much attention, nor has it been placed in relation to two other Roman examples: the transversal corridor crypt of the Basilica of San Valentino and the hall crypt of Santa Maria in Cosmedin. This article analyses how the three main typologies of Roman crypts have influenced the construction of sacred spaces under the presbytery in some churches in the Ravenna area and in the regions of Veneto and Lombardy, in particular between the 8th and 9th centuries, without, however, presenting the transition from one typology to another as a simple chronological development. In Rome, the Paleochristian inspiration, namely the deliberate revival of the original model of the Vatican crypt, is evident in the buildings dating back to the era of Paschal I (for example Santa Prassede and Santa Cecilia), and in a few later examples of uncertain dates, but certainly built before the end of the 11th century. Instead, in Ravenna and in the Veneto region, the examples are concentrated around the 9th century. The transversal corridor type of the basilica of San Valentino has been generally considered a unique example; however this paper proposes to relate it to the western corridor crypts spread throughout the Lombard area (Pavia, Brescia) between the 8th and 9th centuries. Finally, the typology of the hall crypt only developed between the end of the 10th and the 11th centuries, in relation to important functional and liturgical variations. From the point of view of the revival of this model, the crypt of Santa Maria in Cosmedin represents the most problematic case, because in the Middle Ages it was likely not perceived as early Christian.