Ein es-Sakhari - Monastery

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Monastery name, type, category

Site Name:

Ein es-Sakhari

Monastery name:

Monastery

Monastery type:

Cenobium

Monastery category:

Isolated in the countryside

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

22,359.00

61,639.00

Coordinates, ICS system:

17,359.00

11,639.00

Geographical region:

Judean Desert fringes

Provincial affiliation:

Palaestina I

Bishopric:

Jerusalem

Topographical location:

Cliff

Soils:

Rocky limestone

Distance from nearest bishop-seat:

ca. 16 km (Jerusalem)

Distance from nearest settlement:

ca. 0.2 km (Thecoa)

Distance from Roman roads:

ca. 0.5 km from the road leading south from Jerusalem.

Source of knowledge

Epigraphy

Archaeological remains

Surveyed site

Surveyors:

Name	Date
Hirschfeld	1984

Bibliograpy:

Schick, C. and Benzinger, I., 1896	145-220
Hirschfeld, Y., 1985	58-60
Hirschfeld, Y., 1990	62
Tsafrir, Y., Di Segni, L. and Green, J., 1994	117
Magen, Y. and Kagan, E. D., 2012	149

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

State of certainty:

Archaeologicaly definitive

General description

Illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Figures

Ein es-Sakhari- plan and section (Hirschfeld 1990: 63, fig. 73)

General description

Paths:

A paved path leads to the site from the direction of the monastery of Chariton. This path continues in the direction of other monastic sites further along the valley.

Enclosing walls:

On its western side, the monastery is bounded by a massive wall.

Gate/s:

The entrance to the monastery was probably located at its eastern end where there is a natural fissure in the rock.

Dwellings:

In the eastern part of the monastery, remains of dwelling cells were observed.

Water installations:

The site is located near the spring of 'Ein es-Sakhari (The Spring of the Rock). A pool (5.6 x 0.9 m) was constructed near the spring. A cistern was located in the eastern part of the site.

Small finds

Detailed description

Dimensions:

Total area (sqm)	Size class
350	Small

Structure

Materials applied (walls):

Limestone

Materials applied (roofing):

timber

Components

Enclosing wall

Monastery church:

Church type	Diakonikon	Link to church section	Church location
No traces

Dwelling type:

cells

Number of stories:

Built paths

Water installations:

Cisterns

Spring

Architectural evolution

Phase 1
Abandonment

General outline:

Remains of a two story structure and of dwelling cells were identified in the survey. The monastery is not known from early sources. It can be surmised that it was founded sometime in the late fifth or early sixth century.

Phase date

Century:

5th-6th c.

Phase date

Century:

Unknown

Post conquest history comments:

The date of abandonment is not known. The monastery was active in the early 9th c., having been mentioned in the Comemoratorium de Casis Dei. However, it is not known if this was a new settlement of monks at the site or the continuation of the original settlement.