Horvat Sher; Khirbet Sher; Umm es-Sur - Monastery (?)

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Monastery name, type, category

Site Name:

Horvat Sher; Khirbet Sher; Umm es-Sur

Monastery name:

Monastery (?)

Monastery type:

Cenobium

Monastery category:

Village

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

19,910.00

64,915.00

Coordinates, ICS system:

14,910.00

14,915.00

Geographical region:

Southern and Western Samaria

Provincial affiliation:

Palaestina I

Bishopric:

Diospolis

Topographical location:

The region is one of low undulating hills. The site is on relatively level ground.

Distance from nearest bishop-seat:

ca. 10 km (Lod-Diospolis)

Distance from Roman roads:

ca. 0.5 km from the road connecting Lod-Diospolis with Jerusalem.

Source of knowledge

Archaeological remains

Surveyed site

Surveyors:

Name	Date
Gadot	2004

Excavated site

Excavators:

Name	Date
Farhi and Gadot	2004-2005

Bibliograpy:

Ovadiah, A. and de Silva, C. G., 1984	129-65
Gadot, Y., 2005
Farhi, Y. and Gadot, Y., 2006
Magen, Y. and Kagan, E. D., 2012	234
Dayan, A., 2015	118
Haddad, E., Nadav-Ziv, L., Danziger, O. and Elisha, Y., 2019

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

Discussion:

The excavators suggested that the site was a Christian settlement that "also contained a monastery". It is not clear what they based the possiblility of a monastery on. With the exception of a lintel carved with crosses that possibly belonged to the church mentioned by Ovadiah and de Silva, there are no indications that the site contained a monastery.

State of certainty:

Uncertain / Questionable

General description

State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:

The site was surveyed and excavated in 2004-2005. The remains consist of terraces,nine winepresses, six cisterns, white tesserae, numerous vessels and coins, all dated to the Byzantine period. Ovadiah and de Silva reported remains of a church but the excavation failed to find these remains.

Illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Figures

Horvat Sher- plan of the site (Gadot 2006)

General description

Churche/s:

A church was reported by Ovadiah and de Silva.

Water installations:

Six cisterns were found in the vicinity.

Agricultural and industrial installations:

Terraces were found on the hill and several winepresses.

Small finds

Small finds:

Category	Description
Pottery	Local and imported (bowls, kraters, cooking pots) some decorated with crosses.
Glass	Numerous fragments (bowls, wine goblet, bottles, juglets)
Coins	Four coins dated 4th-7th c.

Detailed description

Components

Monastery church:

Church type	Diakonikon	Link to church section	Church location
unknown

Agricultural installations:

wine press\es [=w/p]

Water installations:

Cisterns

Inscribed crosses

Architectural evolution

Phase 1
Abandonment

Phase date

Century:

Early Christian / Byzantine

Phase date

Century:

Unknown