Jerusalem- (Third Wall A extra-mural) - Monastery

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Monastery name, type, category

Site Name:

Jerusalem- (Third Wall A extra-mural)

Monastery name:

Monastery

Monastery type:

Cenobium

Monastery category:

Urban

Pilgrims

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

22,172.00

63,252.00

Coordinates, ICS system:

17,172.00

13,252.00

Geographical region:

Jerusalem (extra-mural)

Provincial affiliation:

Palaestina I

Bishopric:

Jerusalem

Topographical location:

Level ground

Soils:

Limestone and terra rosa.

Distance from nearest bishop-seat:

0.2 km (Jerusalem)

Source of knowledge

Epigraphy

Archaeological remains

Excavated site

Excavators:

Name	Date
Baramki	1937
Tzaferis, Feig, onn and Shukrun	1993

Bibliograpy:

Baramki, D. C., 1938	56-58
Ovadiah, A., 1970	79-80
Ben-Arieh, S. and Netzer, E., 1974	97-106
Ovadiah, A. and de Silva, C. G., 1982	138
Feig, N., 1993	48-52
Amit, D., Wolff, S. and Gorzalczany A., 1993	80-83
Schick, R., 1995	343
Tzaferis, V., Feig, N., Onn, A. and Shukron, E., 2000	287-93
Magen, Y. and Kagan, E. D., 2012	29-30

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

State of certainty:

Archaeologicaly definitive

General description

State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:

In 1937 a chapel and some other structures were unearthed by Barmki. In a later excavation, a complex consisting of a monastery, a hospice and a chapel were found. The monastery consists of monastic rooms, a bath, a kitchen, and a structure the excavators identified as a scriptorium. The hospice is located north of the monastery and consists of a courtyard surrounded by rooms and the chapel discovered by Baramki. North of the central courtyard there is a cemetery that was used for individual burials.

Illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Figures

General description

Courtyards:

The hospice consists of a central courtyard surrounded by rooms.

Churche/s:

Two chapels were found to belong to the complex. A funerary chapel paved with a mosaic featuring plants and birds, which remained intact. A second chapel, forming a part of the pilgrims' hospice was uncovered in the later excavation.

Scriptorium:

According to the excavators, a scriptorium was found in the complex, the report does not state what this assertion is based on.

Bathhouse:

A bathhouse was identified as part of the complex.

Burials:

Beneath the chapel, three vaulted crypts were found. North of the hospice there was a cemetery that was used for individual burials.

Cave/s:

A cave was found beneath the funerary chapel.

Kitchen:

A kitchen was identified by the excavators.

Hostelry:

The chapel initially excavated by Barmki apparently belonged to the hospice of the monastery, based on the design of the mosaics. The hospice is located to the north of the monastery. It consists of a courtyard surrounded by rooms and a chapel.

Small finds

Small finds:

Category	Description
Inscription - see under epigraphy	A two line Armenian inscription was found in front of the apse. (according to Avi-yonah dated to 4th-6th century, according to Di Degni late Byzantine/Early Islamic, 6th-7th c). A marble slab with a cross and an Armenian inscription were found in the cave. Not far from the chapel, several pieces of a marble slab, possibly a dedication inscription mentioning the donors.
Glass	Glass vessels found in the cave.
Bones	Human remains were found in the cave.
Pottery

Detailed description

Structure

Materials applied (walls):

Limestone

Components

Courtyard/s

Monastery church:

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

Scriptorium

Number of stories:

Bathhouse

Kitchen

Hostelry

Tombs type:

Cist tomb

Burial chamber

Architectural evolution

Phase 1
Phase 2
Abandonment

General outline:

The complex consists of a monastery, a hospice and a chapel.

Dating material:

Founded in the sixth century based on the mosaics and other finds. Several building phases were identified but not specified in the publication.

Phase date

Century:

6th c.

Within century:

Early

Dating material:

The hospice ceased to function sometime in the eighth century. The monastery continued to function.

Phase date

Century:

8th c.

Dating material:

Based on the finds, the excavators stated that the monastery ceased to function in the ninth century.

Phase date

Century:

9th c.

Post Arab conquest history:

Still in use

Post conquest history comments:

The monastery and the hospice continued to function into the Early Islamic period. In the eighth century the hospice ceased to function, probably due to the cessation of Christian pilgrimage. The monastery itself apparently ceased sometime in the ninth century. Schick is of the opinion that the funerary chapel (The Bird Chapel) was not in use in the early eighth century based on the absence of iconoclastic damage.