Jerusalem (Mount of Olives) - DOMINUS FLEVIT (5-7th centuries)

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Monastery name, type, category

Site Name:

Jerusalem (Mount of Olives)

Identification:

Dominus Flevit commemorates the site of Christ's weeping, predicting the future destruction of Jerusalem (Luke 19: 37-43). The tradition is late (not earlier than the Crusaders period). Ovadiah (1970, no. 72), following Bagatti, called it after St. Anna, but Milik had commented that this should rather be the site where Christ was weeping for Jerusalem.

Monastery name:

DOMINUS FLEVIT (5-7th centuries)

Monastery type:

Cenobium

Monastery category:

Para Urban

Source of sacredness:

New Testament site

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

223,008.00

631,695.00

Coordinates, ICS system:

173,005.00

131,693.00

Geographical region:

Jerusalem Mount of Olives

Provincial affiliation:

Palaestina I

Bishopric:

Jerusalem

Topographical location:

On a steep western slope east of Jerusalem.

Soils:

Limestone and terra rosa.

Distance from nearest bishop-seat:

ca. 0.3 (Jerusalem)

Distance from nearest settlement:

ca. 0.3 (Jerusalem)

Distance from Roman roads:

ca. 1 km south of the road that led to Jericho.

Source of knowledge

Epigraphy

Archaeological remains

Excavated site

Excavators:

Name	Date
Bagatti	1955-1956

History:

The monastery was founded in the Byzantine period, in the 5th or 6th century CE. In 614 CE, with the Persian occupation, it was violently destroyed and abandoned. In the 8th century it was rebuilt, following the plan of the early monastery. The monastery was abandoned sometime before the Crusader period but no precise dating has been offered.

Bibliograpy:

Bagatti, B., 1955-1956	240-70
Milik, J. T., 1960	550-555
Massara, D., 2013

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

State of certainty:

Archaeologicaly definitive

General description

State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:

The monastery was excavated in 1955 by Bagatti. The northern part was not excavated (it extended beyond the property of the Franciscans). The remains of walls reached a few courses and the pavements, both of stone flags and of mosaics, were well preserved.

Illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Photos

Figures

Dominus Flevit- general plan of the site (Bagatti 1955-56)

General description

Enclosing walls:

The eastern part of the monastery was hewn into the rock, no enclosing wall was reported on that side.

Courtyards:

A central courtyard formed the heart of the monastery, measuring 14.5 x 15 m and surrounded by porticos, evidenced by remains of pilasters surrounding the courtyard. Beneath the courtyard, a large cistern was discovered (measurements were not provided).

Churche/s:

The church ( 12.50 x 5.40 m, internal measurements) was a single nave chapel with an apse. A chancel screen base was found in front of the apse and fragments of a chancel screen were also found. A diakonikon was located north of the chapel with a small apse in its eastern end. The church and the diakonikon were paved in polychrome mosaics.

Burials:

A burial chamber is located 3 m west of the chapel and some 5 m lower than it. Only the west part was excavated revealing 4 trough tombs in a row (supposedly another row of 4 tombs lies in the eastern part. 1 skeleton and 8 skulls were found in the tombs. The monastery is located in an area that had served as a burial ground for many centuries prior to its establishment. Some tombs were excavated, identified as belonging to the monastery. The tombs consisted of burial chambers with arcosolia.

Baking oven:

A round installation was found east of the chapel. This may have been an oven for baking the Eucharist bread.

Stable:

A small stable, large enough for one animal was located in the northeastern part of the monastery. A hewn trough was identified in the corner of this room. The walls are preserved to a height of eight courses and the floor is of beaten earth.

Water installations:

A large cistern was located beneath the courtyard. This cistern had two mouths, one in the northeastern part of the courtyard, measuring 117-122 cm, found in situ, the other further to the southwest, also found in situ. The measurements of the cistern were not provided. Drainage channels beneath the pavement of the courtyard fed the cistern. A second cistern was unearthed in the northwestern part of the complex (4.65 x 2.25 x 3.90 m; capacity at least 40 m³), with a vaulted roof.

Small finds

Small finds:

Category	Description
Inscription - see under epigraphy	In the diakonikon
Other	A wooden stamp for plaster impressions
Metal objects	Bronze artefacts in burial including a decorated cross.

Small finds illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Photos

Detailed description

Dimensions:

Total area (sqm)	Size class
1,800	Medium

Structure

Materials applied (walls):

Limestone

Components

Courtyard/s

Monastery church:

Church type	Diakonikon	Link to church section	Church location
single nave	Diakonikon		Ground floor

Number of stories:

Stable

Tombs type:

Cist tomb

Burial chamber

Arcosolium

Agricultural installations:

oil press\es [=o/p]

Water installations:

Cisterns

Channels

Water capacity (minimal) (cubic m):

Architectural evolution

Phase 1
Abandonment

General outline:

The foundation of the monastery is dated to the Byzantine period. The complex was built around a central courtyard and included a chapel, a diakonikon, dwelling cells, a small stable and other elements.

Phase date

Century:

5th-6th c.

General outline:

The monastery was violently destroyed and abandoned apparently in 614 CE during the Persian occupation.

Phase date

Century:

7th c.

Within century:

Early

Post Arab conquest history:

Built anew