Ein el-Jedide - Monastery

Vertical tabs

Monastery name, type, category
Site Name: 
Ein el-Jedide
Monastery name: 
Monastery
Monastery type: 
Cenobium
Monastery category: 
Isolated in the countryside
Location
Coordinates, ITM system: 
21,325.00
62,921.00
Coordinates, ICS system: 
16,325.00
12,921.00
Geographical region: 
Judean Hills
Provincial affiliation: 
Palaestina I
Bishopric: 
Jerusalem
Topographical location: 
Slope
Soils: 
Limestone and terra rosa.
Distance from nearest bishop-seat: 
ca. 8 km (Jerusalem)
Distance from nearest settlement: 
ca. 8 km (Jerusalem)
Distance from Roman roads: 
ca. 3 km north of the road connecting Jerusalem with Eleutheropolis.
Source of knowledge
Hide Archaeological remains
Surveyed site
Surveyors: 
NameDate
Conder and Kitchener
1871-1877
Excavated site
Excavators: 
NameDate
Hamilton
1934
Baruch
1997
State of certainty: 
Archaeologicaly definitive
General description
State of preservation/which parts were uncovered: 

The complex was constructed on a hillside, the western part being supported by a terrace 6-7 m high, built of large undressed stones. The remains consist of a small courtyard bounded on the north by two rectangular rooms separated by a passage; on the west, a long gallery of which only part remains; on the east a wall and on the south a small chapel with an ante-room.

Illustrative material: 
Hide General description
Enclosing walls: 

ca. 29 x 20 m

Gate/s: 

A doorway in the southern wall and a paved area are located west of the second room and may have marked the entrance to the monastery.

Courtyards: 

A courtyard is located in the central part of the complex. It is bounded by rooms on its northern and western sides and the chapel to its south. The courtyard is paved in a coarse white mosaic. The mosaic is bounded on the north and west by irregular stone slabs suggesting the existence of a colonnade, beyond this there are traces of stone paving.

Churche/s: 

The chapel (5 x 4 m) is located in the southwestern part of the monastery, entered from the north. An inscription, dated by the excavator to the sixth century CE, was uncovered in front of the entrance. The chapel has a raised chancel and an internal apse with two rectangular niches on either side. The southern wall is preserved to a height of almost 2 m. The chapel may have had a vaulted roof as indicated by the upper course, which has a spring for a barrel arch, and was paved in a polychrome mosaic (geometric designs), partially preserved. Two phases were discerned in the chapel.

Water installations: 

Beneath the courtyard there is a rectangular barrel vaulted cistern built of limestone ashlars, its axis corresponds to that of the chapel, its extent to the west could not be determined. The water of the spring, located nearby, was directed via a channel into a pool located some 22 m to the south. The pool is dated to the sixth century and may have belonged to the monastery.

Agricultural and industrial installations: 

The room on the northeastern corner was divided into two parts and contained a winepress. The eastern part is about 60 cm higher than the western part and has a fragmentary white mosaic. An earthenware pipe passing through the west wall of the room at floor level discharged into a masonry vat in the southeastern corner of room B. The vat is 155 cm in depth, the rim and bottom lined in mosaic. A bench is built along the eastern wall of room B. A round stone installation (65 cm high and 185 cm diameter) the upper surface hollowed out to a depth of 25 cm and a stone weight, were found as well.

Hide Small finds
Small finds: 
CategoryDescription
Pottery
jugs; jars; platters; bowls.
Stone vessels
An inscribed stone fragment; lower half of a limestone lamp mold
Oil lamps
Lamp fragments
Detailed description
Dimensions: 
Total area (sqm)Size class
580
Small
Hide Structure
Materials applied (walls): 
Limestone
Hide Components
Enclosing wall
Gate/s: 
1
Courtyard/s
Monastery church: 
Church typeDiakonikonLink to church sectionChurch location
single nave
Ground floor
Retaining walls
Agricultural installations: 
wine press\es [=w/p]
Water installations: 
Cisterns
Spring
0
Architectural evolution
General outline: 
The monastery is dated to the sixth century CE. Two phases were reported for the church, without specific dating.
Dating material: 

Epigraphy

Hide Phase date
Century: 
6th c.
Post Arab conquest history: 
Abandoned