Ḥorvat Bata - Monastery (?)

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Monastery name, type, category

Site Name:

Ḥorvat Bata

Monastery name:

Monastery (?)

Monastery type:

Cenobium

Monastery category:

Village

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

228,071.00

757,491.00

Coordinates, ICS system:

178,067.00

257,492.00

Geographical region:

Western Galilee

Provincial affiliation:

Palaestina I

Bishopric:

Sepphoris

Topographical location:

The site is located on a southwestern slope on the fringes of an ancient settlement within the modern town of Karmiel in the Western Galilee.

Soils:

Limestone and terra rosa.

Distance from nearest bishop-seat:

18 km (Sepphoris)

Distance from Roman roads:

1 km south of the road connecting Acco-Ptolomais with the Sea of Galilee.

Source of knowledge

Archaeological remains

Excavated site

Excavators:

Name	Date
Vitto	1984

Bibliograpy:

Vitto, F., 1984	7-8
Ashkenazi, J. and Aviam, M., 2013	7-32
Ashkenazi, J. and Aviam, M., 2017	117-33

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

State of certainty:

Uncertain / Questionable

General description

State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:

A settlement dating to the Byzantine period, about 15 dunams (15,000m²) was excavated in the modern town of Karmiel. The settlement was built on the eastern and southern slopes of the hill and was surrounded by a wall (1.5 m. wide), The proposed monastery was located on the fringes of the village. Some of the walls were preserved to a height of 1.5 m.

Illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

General description

Enclosing walls:

The complex was located within the enclosing wall of the village.

Churche/s:

A single apse chapel.

To the north of the church, two rooms (4 x 3.7m and 4 x 5m) were unearthed. Both rooms had openings into the church at its northern wall. The function of these rooms has not been determined. Both rooms were decorated with a mosaic pavement, one of which had crosses in the border design. The walls of the rooms were preserved to a height of 1.5 m. A large pile of debris consisting of stones and white tesserae from a mosaic pavement are apparently evidence of a second story. On the floor there was evidence of burnt beams that had fallen onto the mosaic pavement.

Agricultural and industrial installations:

To the north of the church’s apse , a third room (5.70 x 4.50 m) was unearthed that did not open into the church. It seems to have been built later than the church and to have served as an oil press.

The western slope of the hill on which the site is located had agricultural terraces. it cannot be determined that these were connected with the monastery.

Small finds

Small finds:

Category	Description
Pottery	Fragments of jars
Glass	Fragments of glass lamps
Metal objects	Bronze censor
Other	Evidence of burnt wooden beams

Detailed description

Dimensions:

Size class
Small

Structure

Materials applied (walls):

Limestone

Materials applied (roofing):

tiles

timber

Components

Monastery church:

Church type	Diakonikon	Link to church section	Church location
single nave			Ground floor

Number of stories:

Agricultural installations:

oil press\es [=o/p]

Inscribed crosses

Architectural evolution

Phase 1
Phase 2
Abandonment

General outline:

A single nave church and ajdacent rooms.

Phase date

Century:

6th c.

Iconoclastic evidence

Iconoclastic evidence:

Undetermined

General outline:

A room (5.70 x 4.50 m) was added north of the chapel's apse apparently serving as an oil press.Various industrial elements were found.

Dating material:

Based on the pottery.

Phase date

Century:

7th c.

General outline:

The site was abandoned sometime in the Early Islamic period and was used later as animal pens. Remains of burnt wooden beams may indicate a violent destruction.

Phase date

Century:

7th-8th c.

Post Arab conquest history:

Modified

Post conquest history comments:

It is not clear when the monastery was abandoned or ceased to function. At some later period, apparently after the site no longer served as a monastery, the structure was used again, possibly as animal pens. This is indicated by the doorways that were blocked with stones, segments of pillars and capitals and broken chancel screen slabs decorated with crosses.