Jerusalem (Givat Hamatos; Kh. Tabaliya) - Hermitage

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Monastery name, type, category

Site Name:

Jerusalem (Givat Hamatos; Kh. Tabaliya)

Monastery name:

Hermitage

Monastery type:

Hermitage/hermitages

Monastery category:

Isolated in the countryside

Pilgrims

Source of sacredness:

Sacred Objects

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

220,018.00

627,238.00

Coordinates, ICS system:

170,014.00

127,237.00

Geographical region:

Jerusalem (Greater Jerusalem)

Provincial affiliation:

Palaestina I

Bishopric:

Jerusalem

Topographical location:

Hill

Distance from nearest bishop-seat:

ca. 5 km (Jerusalem)

Distance from nearest settlement:

ca. 1 km (Ramat Rachel)

Distance from Roman roads:

ca. 0.5 km east of the road connecting Jerusalem and Bethlehem.

Source of knowledge

Archaeological remains

Surveyed site

Surveyors:

Name	Date
Frankel	1981

Excavated site

Excavators:

Name	Date
Kogan-Zehavi	1991

Bibliograpy:

Schick, C. and Benzinger, I., 1896	185
Pena, I., Castellana, P. and Fernández, R., 1980
Kogan-Zehavi, E., 1993	85-89
Kogan-Zehavi, E., 1998	135-49
Govrin Rosen, Y., 2000	81-95
Kogan-Zehavi, E., 2003	114-18

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

Discussion:

The hermitage at Giv'at Ha'matos (Kh. Tabaleih) is an unusual one in Palestinian monasticism. The harsh asceticism exhibited by the chain wearing hermit is more commonly found in the severe ascetic world of Syria. The location of the site, on the road that connected Jerusalem and Bethlehem and close to the Kathisma complex, made it an ideal place for pilgrims to stop and venerate at the tomb of a holy recluse. The continued use of the site, into the middle ages, as a shrine, is not unusual but the fact that in the sixteenth century the function of the tower changed to an agricultural one may indicated that unlike some other shrines that served Jews, Christians and Moslems (e-Nebi Samwil; Rachel's Tomb) this particular shrine did not retain its sanctity for the Moslems. A similar burial of a man wearing iron rings was recently found at Kh. el Messani.

State of certainty:

Archaeologicaly definitive

General description

State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:

The site, a hermitage, was in an excellent state of preservation, including a complete, articulated human skeleton. The tower remained to a height of three courses.

Illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Photos

Kh. Tablaiya- the tower over the cave (Kogan-Zehavi 2003: 117)

Kh. Tabaliya- stairs and the entrance to the cave (Kogan-Zehavi 2003: 115)

Kh. Tabaliya- the skeleton with chains in situ (Kogan-Zehavi 2003: 117)

Figures

Kh. Tabliya- site location (Kogan-Zehavi 2003: 114)

Kh. Tabliya- reconstruction of the chains (Kogan-Zehavi 2003: 116)

General description

Gate/s:

Entrance to the tower was on its southwestern side and consisted of dressed posts with a socket for a hinge. Inside the structure there were two entry-ways, one in the east that led into the circular space inside the tower, the second led via a corridor to the subterranean complex.

Tower/s:

A tower was constructed in the second phase, apparently as a memorial to the hermit buried in the cave. The tower is a round structure with a diameter of 9.4 m. It was constructed in context with the hewn cave complex below.

Dwellings:

The subterranean complex, in which the remains were found, served as a dwelling before the death of the hermit. The complex included a staircase that led down to two spaces separated by a corridor. In the first space, niches were hewn into the walls. The niches were lined with stone slabs. The inner space was lined with constructed walls and roofed with a vault.

Burials:

The cave served as the tomb of the hermit after his death.

Cave/s:

The major part of the site consists of a cave carved into the rock.

Water installations:

A drainage channel was found near the structure of the tower, apparently to drain away rain water.

Small finds

Small finds:

Category	Description
Pottery	A complete cup was found in one of the niches; The base of a jug dated to the 7-8th centuries.
Metal objects	An iron chain was wrapped around the torso of the skeleton. The chain was made of twisted links 5 cm long, its total length- 6 m and its weight estimated at 6 kg. An iron knife, an iron cylinder, an iron buckle, two horse-shoes and a part of an unidentified iron object were found near the skeleton. A lamp made of bronze wires that hung from the ceiling by an iron nail.
Glass	Fragments of a lamp dated to the Byzantine or Early Islamic period.
Bones	A fully articulated skeleton of a 24-26 year old man was found in the inner part of the cave system. The torso of the skeleton was wrapped in an iron chain (see metal objects).
Other	Ash

Detailed description

Dimensions:

Size class
Small

Structure

Materials applied (walls):

Limestone

Materials applied (roofing):

stone

Components

Tower/s

Monastery church:

Church type	Diakonikon	Link to church section	Church location
No traces

Dwelling type:

caves

Tombs type:

Burial chamber

Architectural evolution

Phase 1
Phase 2
Abandonment

Phase name (as published):

Phase A

General outline:

A cave complex was carved into the rock as a hermit's seclusion cell, later to become his tomb. The hermitage complex is dated to the seventh to eighth centuries CE. This phase ended with the death of the hermit who occupied the location.

Dating material:

Finds (pottery, metal objects etc.)

Phase date

Century:

7th-8th c.

Phase name (as published):

Phase B

General outline:

A tower was constructed over the cave complex. The site served as a place of reverence, probably a memorial to the hermit. The construction date of the tower is not clear.

Dating material:

C14 dating of ash that blocked the entrance of the tower.

Phase date

Century:

Other

General outline:

The site continued to serve as a holy place until the 13th-14th centuries when it was converted into a watchtower.

Phase date

Century:

13th c.

Post Arab conquest history:

Modified

Post conquest history comments:

The site is the hermitage and burial place of a single hermit. It, therefore, was an active hermitage only during the lifetime of that hermit and was no longer functional as such after his death. It then became a holy site and place of pilgrimage up to the 13th or 14th century.