Ein Abu Mahmud - Hermitages

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Monastery name, type, category

Site Name:

Ein Abu Mahmud

Monastery name:

Hermitages

Monastery type:

Hermitage/hermitages

Monastery category:

Desert

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

24,590.00

63,380.00

Coordinates, ICS system:

19,590.00

13,380.00

Geographical region:

Southern Jordan Valley

Provincial affiliation:

Palaestina I

Bishopric:

Regio Jericho

Topographical location:

steep bank

Soils:

Marl

Distance from nearest bishop-seat:

ca. 7 km (Jericho)

Distance from nearest settlement:

ca. 7 km (Jericho)

Distance from Roman roads:

ca. 6 km from the road leading from Jericho eastwards.

Source of knowledge

HideEpigraphy

Text number	Summary
1	Grafitto with an invocation of God, carved in the eastern wall of Cave 3.

Archaeological remains

Surveyed site

Surveyors:

Name	Date
Patrich	1987

Bibliograpy:

Hirschfeld, Y., 1990	73-5
Tsafrir, Y., Di Segni, L. and Green, J., 1994	115-16
Patrich, J., 1995	128-32
Patrich, J., Arubas, B. and Agur, B., 1993	277-96
Patrich, J., Arubas, B. and Agur, B., 1999	143-67
Magen, Y. and Kagan, E. D., 2012	64-6

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

State of certainty:

Archaeologicaly definitive

General description

State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:

Two hermitages are included in the site, both are well preserved in the marl.

Illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Photos

Figures

'Ein Abu Mahmud- plan and section of the cave north of the spring (Patrich, Arubas and Agur 1999).

Ein Abu Mahmud- cave complex 3, plan and section (Patrich 1995: 130, 57).

General description

Churche/s:

In complex I cave 2- a prayer niche with crosses and an inscription carved into the wall. Cave 3- a chapel with an apse (2.75 x 1.90 m). The walls were plastered.

Dwellings:

Both complexes served as dwellings for hermits. There is a rock cut bed in each room. The entrance to cave 3 was blocked by a door with an elaborate locking mechanism.

Storage facilities:

Along the corridor of cave 3 and in its rooms storage niches were carved into the rock.

Cave/s:

Both complexes were carved into the marl, forming caves. Complex I consists of two small rooms and an 18 m long corridor leading to another cell. complex II consists of a 15 m long corridor cut into the rock, open at both ends and a having a cell on its eastern side. In the corridor there is a niche with crosses and Greek inscriptions.

Kitchen:

Two cooking stoves are cut into an elevated rock shelf and above them, a chimny was cut through the rock to allow steam and smoke to escape.

Small finds

Small finds:

Category	Description
Inscription - see under epigraphy
Pottery	Cooking pots; bowls; jugs and juglets; jars. The pottery is dated between 500-640 CE.
Glass	Fragments of window panes.
Metal objects	2 iron nails.
Basketry	Remains of woven mats; baskets; rope.
Other	Ash
Other	Slivers of wood from a variety of trees.
Other	Remains of edible vegetal matter: date, olive; carob; pomegranate.
Other	Small pieces of fabric (linen).
Other	An unusual find: a length of reed with a rolled up cloth stopper with grains of salt caught in the cracks.
Other	2 seashells.
Coins	A single coin.

Detailed description

Dimensions:

Size class
Small

Components

Monastery church:

Church type	Diakonikon	Link to church section	Church location
cave

Dwelling type:

caves

Kitchen

Inscribed crosses

Architectural evolution

Phase 1
Abandonment

General outline:

The caves of the hermitages were cut into the marl on the banks of the wadi. Dwelling cells, a kitchen and a chapel made up the site.

Phase date

Century:

6th c.

General outline:

The hermitage was probably abandoned after the Arab conquest.

Phase date

Century:

7th c.

Within century:

First half

Post Arab conquest history:

Abandoned