Heptapegon; en Hashiv'a; et-Tabgha - Sermon on the Mount

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Monastery name, type, category

Site Name:

Heptapegon; en Hashiv'a; et-Tabgha

Identification:

The site is identified with the place where Jesus delivered his Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7; Luke 6: 20-38).

Monastery name:

Sermon on the Mount

Monastery type:

Cenobium

Monastery category:

Isolated in the countryside

Pilgrims

Source of sacredness:

New Testament site

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

201,920.00

1,253,252.00

Coordinates, ICS system:

251,923.00

753,251.00

Geographical region:

Sea of Galilee

Provincial affiliation:

Palaestina II

Bishopric:

Tiberias

Topographical location:

On the southern slope of the hill on which the Monastery of Beatitude is presently located, ca. 200m to the north of the Church of the Multiplying of the Loaves and Fishes miracle

Soils:

Volcanic

Distance from nearest bishop-seat:

ca. 9 km (Tiberias)

Distance from nearest settlement:

ca. 3 km (Caparnaum)

Distance from Roman roads:

0.2 km north of the road leading eastwards to the Golan.

Source of knowledge

HideLiterary sources

Text number	Summary
1	Mention of a monastery near the spring where Christ fed the five thousand, from an 8th cent. guidebook for pilgrims.
2	Mention of the Heptapegon monastery at the place of the Feeding of the five thousand, from an official report ordered in AD 808.
3	Mention of "the monastery of the Holy Table" in the Tiberias area, from a description of the patriarchate of Jerusalem composed AD 882/3.

Epigraphy

Archaeological remains

Excavated site

Excavators:

Name	Date
Bagatti	1935

Bibliograpy:

Bagatti, B., 1936	194
Meysing, D. J., 1965	6-16
Ovadiah, A., 1970	59-60
Loffreda, S., 1981
Schick, R., 1995
Barkay, G. and Shiler, E., 1999	51-61
De Luca, S. and Ilardi, K., 2010	287-306

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

State of certainty:

Archaeologicaly definitive

General description

State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:

The excavation revealed a chapel, with attached structures, identified as a monastery. It is located on a steep slope north of the Church of the Multiplication.

Illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Figures

En Ha'shiv'a- plan of the church and monastery (Ovadiah 1970: Pl. 23).

General description

Enclosing walls:

The external walls measure ca. 23 x 22 m, enclosing an area of ca. 506 m².

Courtyards:

Extends to the south of the chapel.

Churche/s:

The chapel (9.25 x 4.40 m) is located in the northeastern part of the monastery. It has a single, external apse, and a narthex or atrium located to its west.

Cave/s:

A hewn cave (9.25 x 4.4 m) is located north of the chapel.

Small finds

Small finds:

Category	Description
Pottery	Early Islamic
Glass	Fragments

Detailed description

Dimensions:

Total area (sqm)	Size class
506	Small

Structure

Materials applied (walls):

Basalt

Components

Courtyard/s

Monastery church:

Church type	Diakonikon	Link to church section	Church location
single nave		Heptapegon - The Sermon on the Mount.	Ground floor

Architectural evolution

Phase 1
Phase 2
Abandonment

General outline:

The church was dated by Bagatti to the fourth century. Ovadia has presented a later date for its foundation, sixth century. It is possible that the monastery was founded later than the church, i.e. sixth century.

Phase date

Century:

6th c.

General outline:

A new mosaic pavement was laid in the chapel.

Phase date

Century:

7th c.

Within century:

Early

General outline:

According to Bagatti, the church was destroyed in the early seventh century. No evidence was presented. Early Islamic pottery suggests that the church, and possibly the monastery, continued to function after the Arab conquest.

Dating material:

Pottery. Bagatti suggested that the church was rebuilt around the time of Arculf (late seventh century) and continued in use up to the tenth century. This assertion was based on literary sources. The monastery called Heptapegon where the miracle of the Multiplying of the Loaves and Fishes occured, is mentioned in the Commemoratorium de Casis dei Vel Monasteriis II, 38-39, ed. McCormick 2011, pp. 2012-13, at the begining of the 9th century (808).

Phase date

Century:

10th c.

Effects of the Persian Invasion:

Damaged and restored

Post Arab conquest history:

Repaired

Post conquest history comments:

Bagatti suggested that the church was rebuilt around the time of Arculf (late seventh century) and continued in use up to the tenth century. This assertion was based on literary sources.