Khirbet ed Deir - Severianus

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Monastery name, type, category

Site Name:

Khirbet ed Deir

Identification:

Marcoff and Chitty suggested identifying the site at kh. ed Deir as the monastery of Severianus near the village of Caparbaricha, Bani' Na'im of today. Hirschfeld's first argued against this identification, saying that it is too far from that village. He suggested to identify Severianus monastery with the remains at el-Qaserein, located about two km northeast of Bani Na'im. But later, after the excavations at the site, he adopted Marcoff and Chitty's identification.

Monastery name:

Severianus

Monastery type:

Cenobium

Monastery category:

Desert

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

22,390.00

60,383.00

Coordinates, ICS system:

17,390.00

10,383.00

Geographical region:

Judean Desert

Provincial affiliation:

Palaestina I

Bishopric:

Eleutheropolis

Topographical location:

On the cliff of a small ravine off Nahal Arugot.

Soils:

limestone

Distance from nearest bishop-seat:

ca. 28 km (Jerusalem)

Distance from nearest settlement:

ca. 8 km (Caparbaricha)

Distance from Roman roads:

ca. 2 km south of the road connecting Thecoa with En Guedi.

Source of knowledge

HideEpigraphy

Text number	Summary
1	Psalm quotation within a tabula ansata, in the mosaic carpet of the prayer hall.
2	Dedicatory inscription of Alaphaeos and Aias, on the long edge of a marble offering table.
3	Free rendering of I Cor. on the floor before a burial recess, probably the tomb of the monastery's founder.
4	Funerary inscription in the mosaic pavement of the chapel in front of the burial cave.

Archaeological remains

Surveyed site

Surveyors:

Name	Date
Conder and Kitchener	1873
Marcoff and Chitty	1928

Excavated site

Excavators:

Name	Date
Hirschfeld	1982-1983

Bibliograpy:

Conder, C. R. and Kitchener, H. H., 1883	406
Marcoff, M. and Chitty, D. J., 1929	167-78
Hirschfeld, Y. and Birger, R., 1986	276-84
Di Segni, L. and Hirschfeld, Y., 1987	365-86
Hirschfeld, Y., 1990	64-66
Hirschfeld, Y., 1992
Hirschfeld, Y., 1993	244-58
Tsafrir, Y., Di Segni, L. and Green, J., 1994	109
Patrich, J., 1995
Hirschfeld, Y., 1996	143-56
Hirschfeld, Y. and with contributions by Barkay, R., Ben-Arieh R., Calderon R. et alii. , 1999
Di Segni, L., 2005
Magen, Y. and Kagan, E. D., 2012	211-13

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

State of certainty:

Archaeologicaly definitive

General description

State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:

Most parts of the complex were completely or partially exposed including the cave church, service areas and industrial installations. The remains were extensive and in a mixed state of preservation. In some places, the remaining walls reach about two meters in height while in others the walls remain to only a few courses. In parts, the walls have been completely washed away.

Illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Photos

Kh. ed Deir-General view of the site looking north (Hirschfeld 1999)

Kh. ed-Deir - Mosaic pavements (Hirschfeld 1999).

Kh. ed-Deir - Staircase leading to the inner gate (Hirschfeld 1999).

Kh. ed-Deir - Entrance to the burial cave (Hirschfeld 1999).

Kh. ed-Deir - The chapel and entrance to the burial cave (Hirschfeld 1999).

Kh. ed-Deir - The refectory, looking northwest (Hirschfeld 1999).

Kh. ed-Deir - The baking oven (Hirschfeld 1999).

Figures

Location of Kh. ed-Dier in context of the Judean desert (Hirschfeld 1999).

Kh. ed-Deir - Plan of the stables (Hirschfeld 1999).

Kh. ed-Deir - Plan of the main gatehouse (Hirschfeld 1999).

Kh. ed-Deir -Reconstruction of the cistern (Hirschfeld 1999).

Cross section of and partial reconstruction of the refectory complex, looking north (Hirschfeld 1999)

Kh. ed-Deir -Reconstruction of the oven (Hirschfeld 1999).

Kh. ed-Deir - Plan of the remains of the residential area (Hirschfeld 1999: 82, Fig. 127).

Kh. ed-Deir -The monastery and its agricultural and water installations (Hirschfeld 1999).

General description

Paths:

A footpath reaches the monastery from the direction of Tekoa, crossing over the riverbed and approaching the monastery from the east. A second path leads towards the southwest in the direction of Capharbaricha. One branch of this path reaches the western gate while the other branch apparently reached the western entrance to the residential wing. Due to the topography, the paths that connected the various parts of the monastery incorporate a system of stairs, both hewn and constructed, many of which are well preserved.

Enclosing walls:

The complex is enclosed in walls. These walls do not form a continuous line and are intermittently combined with the natural rock walls of the gorge.

Gate/s:

The monastery had two gates. The main gate was located in the center of the eastern wall of a large structure identified as a gatehouse. It had an outer gate and an inner one. A second gate was probably located at the entrance to the living quarters on the western side of the complex. An inner gatehouse (9.1 x 10.3 m) separated the outer area of the eastern gatehouse, burial chamber and chapel from the rest of the monastery.

Courtyards:

Due to the topography, in place of an inner courtyard, a paved corridor runs along the length of the monastey and connects its various elements. A small courtyard (5.6 x 6.9 m) is located between the refectory complex and the cliff face to its west. The courtyard was levelled through a combination of quarrying and stone paving. A large, well preserved stone-built basin was preserved in the southwestern corner of the coutryard. It was suggested by the excavator that this held drinking water. A small paved forecourt (4 x 6 m) was constructed in front of the inner eastern gate. The forecourt is bounded on the west by the eastern wall of the internal gate and on the north by the chapel and the burial chamber.

Tower/s:

A tower was located on the summit of the spur where the living quarters were situated. The tower provided a view of most parts of the monastery. The tower is almost square (5 x 5.2 m), built as an idependent unit before the construction of the other parts of the complex. A second tower stood at the eastern end of the residential complex, adjacent to a large structure in which a mosaic paving was unearthed. A third tower possibly stood over the inner gate complex.

Churche/s:

The main church of the complex was a large cave church (26 x 5-11 m) located just to the west of the inner gatehouse. It comprises a prayer hall and three additional rooms. Two phases were discerned in the church.

A small chapel (3.7 x 1.7 m) was located just inside the main gatehouse, the only remaining part of which is the mosaic floor. An inscription identifies the chapel as a commemorative chapel for the elders of the monastery who were most likely entombed in the burial chamber to the east of the chapel and in the cave behind it.

Dwellings:

The dwellings of the resident monks were located on the upper level of the complex, on the spur to the north of the gorge. The remains are poorly preserved and include water channels, mosaic floors and in places just a few courses of walls or foundations. The residential wing was a large rectangular complex (40-50 m north-south and 55-60 m east-west), its total area was ca. 2500 m². The plan is of long, narrow spaces on an east-west axis. Because of the steep slope, the variation in elevation of the foundations on the north-south axis is ca. 10 m.

Refectory:

Although the refectory itself did not survive (see reconstruction) there is enough evidence for its existence above the kitchen complex that also did did survive (see photo). The refectory and its ajoining rooms were built as one cohesive complex with a total area of 384 square meters. The complex consisted of two wings, perpendicular to each other: a long and narrow wing on an east-west axis and a second wider and shorter wing on a north-south axis. Pieces of painted plaster were found in the debris, indicating that the walls of the refectory were covered with frescoes.

Burials:

Two burial facilities were found in the monastery. 1. A cave measuring 5 x 5.6 m was used as a burial cave, apparently for the elders of the monastery, as is testified by the inscription in the small chapel at its entrance. The burial is located east of the cave church, close to the inner gateway. Access to the burial cave was through the chapel in its northern wall. A hewn stone bench is located inside an alcove. Remains of three walls of burial troughs can be seen on the floor. An additional chamber containing one burial place is located to the east of the chapel. 2. Near the western exterior wall of the cave church there is a burial recess. This was reached through the corridor that runs through the monastery connecting its various parts. The recess is hewn in the rock with an antechamber in front of it. The antechamber (1.8 x 3 m) has a well preserved mosaic floor adorned with crosses and an inscription, and is bounded by the wall of the church on the east and the wall of another room on the west. The doorposts of the burial chamber are decorated with inscribed crosses. In the rear wall of the burial chamber there is a hewn niche (0.7 x 1.8 m). this may have served to lay the body of the deceased. This was most likely the burial place of the monastery's founder.

Storage facilities:

A storage facility for grain was found near the refectory. The storage room measures 2.2 x 2.5 m (5.5 m²) with a storage capacity is estimated at 5.5 cubic meters. The walls are preserved to a height of 1.2 m. The floor and walls were plastered.

Cave/s:

The most important cave at the site was the cave that housed the church. The burial caves, although modified and hewn, were probably originally natural caves.

Kitchen:

The kitchen was situated beneath the refectory. The entrance was located in the northern wall with a second entrance at the northern end of the long western wall. The descent from the refectory level to the kitchen level was through a well preserved staircase in its northern end which is partially hewn and partially built. A cooking installation was found in the kitchen. This was constructed of two small, low, parallel walls built of fired bricks of the type found in the oven. The space between the walls measures 0.20 m and large quantities of ash were found in this area. An installation consisting of two basins, a feed pipe from a cistern behind it and a drain were also found.

Baking oven:

A large round baking oven, in an excellent state of preservation, was found at the southern end of the kitchen. The oven was built over a base (3 x 5.2 m) of field stones and limestone blocks. The oven itself was constructed of clay bricks on the inside and a coating of limestone and plaster on the outside. The external diameter of the oven is 3.6 meters, its walls are 0.55 m thick and the internal diameter is 2.5 m. The floor of the oven was paved with fired ceramic tiles, five or six remaining in situ (see photo and reconstruction).

Hostelry:

The main gatehouse has been reconstructed by the excavator as a two-story structure with access to the upper story via a staircase originating in the area inside the gate. It has been proposed that the upper story was used as a hospice. No actual remains of a pilgrims' hostel have been located.

Stable:

A stable was located against the northern cliff, about 25 m east of the main entrance to the monastery. The walls of the structure abut the cliff. They are best preserved where they are closest to the cliff. The stable had a trapezoidal shape with a length of 14-17.5 m and a width between 9.5- 10.5 m and an area of ca. 160 square meters. The identification of this structure as a stable is based on its location outside the monastery and on the architectural details, especially the row of pillars, typical of stables, found in situ.

Water installations:

1. Aqueducts: two aqueducts coming from the west filled two central cisterns. The upper one, well preserved close to the monastery, brought water from the bed of the stream about 270 m distant from the monastery. Before reaching the cistern, the water was channeled through a settling pool. The lower aqueduct (270 m long) originated in the gorge above the large reservoir, ending at Bir ed-Deir, a round cistern east of the monastery. 2. Cisterns: a large cistern of unknown capacity to the east of the monastery (Bir ed-Deir) recieved the water from the lower aqueduct. It had hewn and constructed walls and a diameter of 5.5 m. A large (3.5 x 6.4 m, at least 3.5 m deep; capacity- at least 78 cubic meters), well-preserved rock-hewn cistern is located in the northern part of the residential wing. The ceiling of the cistern was a stone-built vault. it was plastered with reddish hydraulic plaster. The central cistern of the monastery is located north of the main corridor close to the cliff face. It is perfectly preserved and still in use by the local Bedouin. This cistern is fed by the upper aqueduct. A vertical gutter some 4 m high brings the water to a settling tank and from there into the cistern. The cistern, hewn into the rock, is surmounted by a built structure (7.5 x 2.3 m). The capacity of the cistern could not be measured due to its being in use and holding water. A channel at its base conducted the overflow towards the monastery's garden. A cistern is located in the inner gate complex. The cistern, 3.6 m diameter and a depth of at least 3.5 m. its minimum capacity is estimated at 35 cubic meters, is hewn in the bedrock and roofed by a domed vault. The source of the water in this cistern was apparently runoff from the upper part of the monastery. A small cistern was located in the kitchen behind an installation with two basins and a drain. 3. Reservoir: the main source of water for irrigation of the agricultural terraces was a large resevoir built at the top of the gorge. The dam that blocks the stream and forms the reservoir is 14 m long and 1.5 m wide at the base., the reservoir was plastered with a reddish hydraulic plaster. The capacity of the reservoir is estimated at 120 cubic meters.

Garden:

The areas of cultivation, belonging to the monastery, are located in the bed of the gorge on either side of the watercourse. Excess water was channeled to the gardens by a system of gutters and channels. The terraces were supported by a massive retaining wall built at the opening of the gorge. This wall has been well preserved. The total cultivated area in the gorge was about 2250 m² (about 150 m long and between 10-20 m wide). Remains of terraces were found on the southern slope of the gorge. The total area of these terraces is estimated at 50 m². At the eastern end of the gorge, more terraces were found with an area of ca. 90 m². In the area of the round cistern (Bir ed-Deir) additional terraces with and area of ca. 20 m², and on the south bank of Nahal Arugot, terraces with an area of 80 m² were located. Two long terraces were on the northern slope of the spur, one with an area of ca. 135 m², the other 20 m². The total cultivated area of the monastery is estimated at about 2750 meters².

Agricultural and industrial installations:

A quarry was located west of the residential area.

Small finds

Small finds:

Category	Description
Pottery	Storage jars; amphorae; cooking pots; jugs; basins; bowls; Fine Byzantine ware lid; roof tiles
Glass	Oil lamp- fragmen of base, stem and part of body; bowl or large bottle; fragments of window panes; small rim and neck fragment of a jar
Coins	Two Byzantine coins: 1. Anastasius I (491-518 CE) 2. Justinian I (527-565 CE)
Oil lamps	Large "Candlestick" or "Slipper"
Metal objects	Bronze nails
Stone vessels	A pressing stone; a stone basin; a large stone basin

Small finds illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Photos

Jar stopper with basket handles (Hirschfeld 1999).

Pressing stone in situ (Hirschfeld 1999).

Coin of Anastasius I (491-518 CE) (Hirschfeld 1999).

Detailed description

Dimensions:

Total area (sqm)	Size class
4,000	Large

Structure

Materials applied (walls):

Limestone

Materials applied (roofing):

tiles

timber

Components

Enclosing wall

Gate/s:

Tower/s

Courtyard/s

Monastery church:

Church type	Diakonikon	Link to church section	Church location
cave	Diakonikon		Ground floor

Baptismal font

Refectory

Dwelling type:

dormitory

Number of stories:

Storage facilities – warehouses

Kitchen

Baking oven

Stable

Hostelry

Tombs type:

Burial chamber

Built paths

Retaining walls

Garden

Agricultural installations:

Terraces [=t]

Water installations:

Cisterns

Channels

Aqueduct

Gutters

Painted plaster

Inscribed crosses

Architectural evolution

Phase 1
Abandonment

General outline:

The monastery has but one phase with the exception of the cave church that has two phases (see church section).

Dating material:

The foundation of the monastry is dated to the late fifth or early sixth century (probably around 500 CE). The dating is based on the style of the mosaics in comparison with those at Martyrius and Masada. Other finds (coins; church furnishings; glass) are generally dated to the Byzantine period.

Phase date

Century:

5th c.

Within century:

Late

Iconoclastic evidence

Iconoclastic evidence:

General outline:

The monastery was abandoned in an orderly fashion sometime in the Early Islamic period.

Dating material:

The collaps of the roof of the cave church, the paucity of finds and the pottery assemblage.

Phase date

Century:

7th c.

Post Arab conquest history:

Abandoned

Post conquest history comments:

The monastery was abandoned in a peaceful manner possibly due to the combined effects of an earthquake (that caused the collaps of part of the cave church roof) and the economic situation resulting from the Arab conquest. This is attested to by the paucity of finds that indicates an orderly abandonment and removal of anything that could be carried.