Khirbet el-Quneitira - Monastery

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Monastery name, type, category

Site Name:

Khirbet el-Quneitira

Monastery name:

Monastery

Monastery type:

Cenobium

Monastery category:

Isolated in the countryside

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

21,690.00

59,594.00

Coordinates, ICS system:

16,690.00

9,594.00

Geographical region:

Hebron Hills

Provincial affiliation:

Palaestina I

Bishopric:

Eleutheropolis

Topographical location:

On the edge of a cliff on the southern bank of Wadi el-Quneitira.

Soils:

Rocky limestone

Distance from nearest bishop-seat:

ca. 30 km (Beth Guvrin-Eleutheropolis)

Distance from nearest settlement:

ca. 3 km Kh. Istabul-Istabulia

Distance from Roman roads:

ca. 5 km east of the road leading south from Jerusalem and Bethlehem.

Source of knowledge

Archaeological remains

Surveyed site

Surveyors:

Name	Date
Guérin	1868-69
Hirschfeld	1984

Bibliograpy:

Guérin, V., 1868-1880	II: 304
Hirschfeld, Y., 1985	243-55 (English summary 73*)
Hirschfeld, Y., 1990	68
Hirschfeld, Y., 1992	47
Tsafrir, Y., Di Segni, L. and Green, J., 1994	210
Batz, S., 2006
Magen, Y. and Kagan, E. D., 2012	262-63

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

State of certainty:

Archaeologicaly definitive

General description

State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:

The walls of the site have been preserved to an average height of 1-1.5 m. Several stone arches were completely preserved.

Illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Figures

kh. el-Quneitira- general plan of the monastery (Hirschfeld 1990:72, Fig. 86).

khirbet_el-Quneitira reconstruction of the monastery (Hirschfeld 1992: 47, Fig. 24).

General description

Paths:

A path led from Kh. Istabul-Istabulia, ca. 3 km to the west. Remains of retaining walls can be observed along the way.

A second path led from Kh. Karmil, some 5 km to the southwest.

Enclosing walls:

The complex, surrounded by a wall (50 x 30 m, enclosing an area of 1,500 m²), has a coherent unidirectional plan with the exception of the tower in the southern part. The walls are constructed of ashlars on the exterior and fieldstones and mortar. The walls are some 0.7 m wide.

Gate/s:

The main entrance is in the south, with a secondary entrance in the western wall.

Courtyards:

The components of the complex are arranged around a central courtyard. The courtyard was paved in a coarse white mosaic. Its retaining walls were supported by arches and at its northern side a staircase probably led to the garden at a lower level.

Tower/s:

The tower (18.1 x 6.2 m) is located south of the courtyard at the highest point in the monastery. Its orientation deviates slightly from the general orientation of the complex, due to its position on a natural rock ledge. The tower is massively built and affords a good watch over the main entrance to the monastery. The tower’s original height is estimated at 2-3 stories, its western room was apparently added at a later stage and may have been higher than the early part.

Churche/s:

The chapel is located east of the courtyard. It consists of a prayer hall (12.4 x 6.2 m) with a single apse (3.6 m diameter). The entrance (0.9 m wide) is in the western wall. A lintel with three carved crosses was found near the entrance. The prayer hall was decorated with painted plaster featuring geometric motifs in black, grey, green, blue, red, yellow and white. A fragment of marble altar table was found in the debris.

Adjoining the chapel’s southern wall there is small rectangular room (7.4 x 4 m), possibly a diakonikon, and a larger hall to its north.

Dwellings:

Adjoining the northern wall of the chapel are remains of structures that are proposed to be the dwellings of the monks. Three small arches that supported the roof were preserved. Hirschfeld raised the possiblity that there was a second story above this structure.

Refectory:

The refectory was probably located north of the chapel.

Water installations:

Several small springs are found in the vicinity of the monastery, including ‘Ein el-Quneitira that is located within the precinct of the monastery itself. A reservoir (4.4 x 4 m, at least 2.6 m deep; minimum capacity: 46 m³) is located in the courtyard with arches supporting its roof. Water from the roof tops was drained into this reservoir and the overflow was apparently directed towards the monastery garden.

Garden:

The garden is located about 2.5 m below the level of the monastery. A staircase apparently descended from the courtyard to the garden. The area of the garden was leveled by the construction of retaining walls, its area (ca. 30 x 8-12 m) is estimated at 350 m². In the center of the garden there is a single square structure, its function unknown. Two dams were constructed across the riverbed close to the spring. These formed large flat areas filled with fertile soil for cultivation.

Agricultural and industrial installations:

Remains of agricultural terraces can be seen north and east of the monastery. The main cultivated areas were in the river bed, their total area has been estimated at 2000 m². The terraces are constructed of particularly large stones. An oil press was found in the service area of the monastery.

Small finds

Small finds:

Category	Description
Other	Roof tiles in the area of the chapel.

Detailed description

Dimensions:

Total area (sqm)	Size class
1,500	Medium

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
single nave	Diakonikon		Ground floor

Refectory

Dwelling type:

cells

Number of stories:

Retaining walls

Garden

Agricultural installations:

oil press\es [=o/p]

Terraces [=t]

Water installations:

Cisterns

Channels

Spring

Painted plaster

Inscribed crosses

Architectural evolution

Phase 1
Phase 2
Abandonment

General outline:

The chapel, tower and reservoir were first constructed as separate units.

Phase date

Century:

5th-6th c.

General outline:

In the second phase, the remainder of the complex was added to the first three early elements (chapel, tower and reservoir).

Dating material:

Based on the seams between the original elements and the later additions.

Phase date

Century:

5th-6th c.

Dating material:

Suggested

Phase date

Century:

7th-8th c.