Khirbet et-Tina - Monastery

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Monastery name, type, category

Site Name:

Khirbet et-Tina

Monastery name:

Monastery

Monastery type:

Cenobium

Monastery category:

Isolated in the countryside

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

222,901.00

611,522.00

Coordinates, ICS system:

172,897.00

111,521.00

Geographical region:

Judean Desert fringes

Provincial affiliation:

Palaestina I

Bishopric:

Jerusalem

Topographical location:

On a moderate slope in an area of hills, ca. four km southeast of Tekoa

Distance from nearest bishop-seat:

ca. 20 km (Jerusalem)

Distance from nearest settlement:

4 km (Thecoa)

Distance from Roman roads:

1 km from the ancient road connecting Thecoa and 'En Guedi.

Source of knowledge

Archaeological remains

Surveyed site

Surveyors:

Name	Date
Hirschfeld	1984

Bibliograpy:

Corbo, V. C., 1962	109-113
Bagatti, B., 1968	70, 90, 269
Ovadiah, A. and De Silva, C. G., 1981	235-36
Hirschfeld, Y., 1985	94-96
Hirschfeld, Y., 1990	64
Hirschfeld, Y., 1992	177-78
Tsafrir, Y., Di Segni, L. and Green, J., 1994	250
Magen, Y. and Kagan, E. D., 2012	166

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

State of certainty:

Archaeologicaly definitive

General description

State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:

The walls have survived to an average height of 1 m (the northern wall of the church survived to 2.8 m).

Illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Figures

Kh. et Tina - general plan of the monastery (Magen and Kagan 2012 II: 166)

General description

Enclosing walls:

The complex (35 x 16 m) is surrounded by a wall encompassing an area of 560 m².

Courtyards:

The courtyard is flanked by rooms on its southern and northern sides. It is paved with large stone slabs and there is a cistern in its center.

Tower/s:

At the southern end of the complex there is a tower (11.3 x 8.2 m). The entrance to the tower was through a corridor that lead from the courtyard. The tower is divided into two wings by a wall with internal “windows”, a common feature in Syria and the Golan but unusual in Judea. The northern wing had a cistern (2.5 x 2.5 m).

Churche/s:

The church (13.3 x 8.1 m) is located north of the courtyard. It is divided into a nave and a single aisle, on its northern side, by a row of three columns, one of the bases was found in situ. The church has an internal apse (3.5 m diameter) and a bema. The entrance is from the south, through a single doorway.

Dwellings:

A row of cells was found east of the courtyard. Additional cells were found between the courtyard and the tower.

Cave/s:

South of the church there is a natural cave. A structure (9.4 x 8.5 m) was built over this. The structure is not aligned with the rest of the complex and was built according to the shape of the cave.

Water installations:

Two cisterns were found at the site. One is located in the courtyard, the second is in the north wing of the tower.

Small finds

Small finds:

Category	Description
Other	Fragments of tiles
Other	Tesserae

Detailed description

Dimensions:

Total area (sqm)	Size class
560	Small

Structure

Materials applied (walls):

Limestone

Materials applied (roofing):

tiles

Components

Enclosing wall

Tower/s

Courtyard/s

Monastery church:

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

Dwelling type:

cells

Number of stories:

Water installations:

Cisterns

Architectural evolution

Phase 1
Abandonment

General outline:

The site consists of a courtyard with rooms flanking it on its southern and northern sides. Construction of the site is symmetrical and even. The church is located in the northern part of the courtyard.

Phase date

Century:

5th-6th c.

General outline:

Probably abandoned sometime in the Early Islamic period.

Dating material:

Suggested.

Phase date

Century:

7th-8th c.