Vertical tabsMonastery name, type, categorySite Name: Deir el-QuruntulIdentification: The site of Chariton's second monastery has been identified with today's Greek Orthodox monastery of Quarantal, located on the cliffs overlooking Jericho and below the fortress of Doq-Dagon of the Second Temple period. This identification is accepted by all scholars.Monastery name: DOUKAMonastery type: LauraMonastery category: DesertSource of sacredness: New Testament site LocationCoordinates, ITM system: 24,090.0064,231.00 Coordinates, ICS system: 19,090.0014,231.00 Geographical region: Southern Jordan ValleyProvincial affiliation: Palaestina IBishopric: Regio JerichoTopographical location: The monastery is located on the cliff face of the desert scarp, facing east. Soils: limestoneDistance from nearest bishop-seat: ca. 3 km (Jericho)Distance from nearest settlement: ca. 3 km (Jericho)Distance from Roman roads: 3 km west of the Jordan valley road. Source of knowledgeHideLiterary sources Text number Summary 1 After leaving Pharan, Chariton settles in a secluded cave near Jericho where the monastery of Douka is founded, later to be enlarged by Elpidius, but when too many people come there, he moves away, ca. AD 340. 2 The great asceticism of Elpidius, Aenesius and Sisinnius at the monastery of Douka, from a collection of anecdotes written in AD 420. 3 Abba Nicholas resides in a cave midway between the monastery of St Elpidus and the monastery of the Strangers, from an early 7th cent. collection. 4 An anchorite lives in a cave up the mountain from the monastery of Douka, from a late 8th cent. life of Stephanus written by his disciple. Archaeological remainsSurveyed siteSurveyors: NameDate Tristram1865 Guérin1874-1875 Conder and Kitchener1871-1877 Marti1880 History: Around 340 CE, Chariton settled in "a cave in the area of Jericho". The laura founded there was named "Douka" after the name of the Second Temple fortress of Doq-Dagon located above it. The monastery was abandoned in the Early Islamic period and rebuilt at the end of the nineteenth century as a Greek Orthodox monastery.Bibliograpy: Tristram, H. B., 1866212-214 Guérin, V., 1874-187541-5 Marti, K., 188013-14 Conder, C. R. and Kitchener, H. H., 1883409 Vailhé, S., 1897-189847-9 Abel, F. M., 1938307 Meinardus, O., 1969323 Hirschfeld, Y., 19907-8 Tsafrir, Y., Di Segni, L. and Green, J., 1994112-13 Amit, D., 2002330-35 Di Segni, L., 200550-52 Magen, Y. and Kagan, E. D., 2012268-9 Abbreviation for Journals and SeriesState of certainty: Archaeologically and Literarily definitive General descriptionState of preservation/which parts were uncovered: Rebuilt in the nineteenth century by the Greek Orthodox patriarchate, the ancient remains were incorporated into the new structures. Illustrative material: Illustrative_material Photos Figures General descriptionPaths: A path led up the cliff from the direction of Jericho. A second path led towards the monastery from the west, along the northern bank of Wadi el-Mafjar Churche/s: A chapel was located in one of the caves. The chapel had a single apse and adjacent rooms. Cave/s: Caves in the cliff face were used for a variety of functions. Water installations: The aqueducts and cisterns of the Hasmonean fortress of Dok (Dagon) were partially restored by the monks. A hewn, bell shaped cistern, was hewn at the summit of the cliff on which the monastery stands and a short drainage channel descends the steep slope above the original aqueduct of the Hasmonean period. Small finds Detailed descriptionComponentsMonastery church: Church typeDiakonikonLink to church sectionChurch location cave Dwelling type: cavesBuilt paths0Inscribed crosses Architectural evolutionPhase 1 Abandonment General outline: Founded by Chariton around 340 CE.Dating material: Literary (see Literary Sources). Phase dateCentury: 4th c.Within century: First half General outline: Early Islamic period.Phase dateCentury: 7th-8th c. Post Arab conquest history: Built anewPost conquest history comments: The monastery was rebuilt in the modern era and is now a functioning Greek Orthodox monastery.
