Khirbet et-Tira; Khirbet et-Tireh - Monastery (?)

Vertical tabs

Monastery name, type, category

Site Name:

Khirbet et-Tira; Khirbet et-Tireh

Identification:

The site is known to locals as Khirbet et-Tireh, Khirbet el-Tira, or Kafr Ghamla. The last name is more commonly used by Christian religious figures and visitors, who ascribe it to Ghamla/Ghamla'il (Gamaliel), the teach.er and mentor of Stephanos (St. Stephen; see Acts 22:3). According to the story, Gamliel owned a garden in this settlement and St. Stephanos, the first Christian martyr (Acts 7), was originally buried at Khirbet et-Tireh in the garden of Gamliel before being re-interred in Jerusalem in 415 CE (Al-Houdalieh 2014). Other researchers, however, assert that St. Stephanos was buried in Caphar Gamala (known also as Beit Jimal or Jemmala), west of Jerusalem, along with Gamliel himself and St. Nicodemus (Strus 2003; Tsafrir, Di Segni and Green 1994: 98, 251; Bagatti 2002: 134; Vincent 1926; Abel 1924).

Monastery name:

Monastery (?)

Monastery type:

Cenobium

Monastery category:

Village

Source of sacredness:

New Testament site

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

217,377.00

646,595.00

Coordinates, ICS system:

167,390.00

146,610.00

Geographical region:

Southern and Western Samaria

Provincial affiliation:

Palaestina I

Bishopric:

Jerusalem

Topographical location:

The site is on a hill.

Distance from nearest bishop-seat:

ca. 16 km (Jeruslem)

Distance from Roman roads:

ca. 4 km west of the road connecting Jerusalem with Shechem-Neapolis.

Source of knowledge

Epigraphy

Archaeological remains

Surveyed site

Surveyors:

Name	Date
Guérin	1863
Legrange	1892
Schneider	1933
Magen and Finkelstein	1986

Excavated site

Excavators:

Name	Date
Al-Houdalieh	2013-2015

Bibliograpy:

Guérin, V., 1868-1880
Lagrange, M. J., 1892	452-53
Schneider, A. M., 1934	219-221
Ovadiah, A., 1970	116-17
Bagatti, B., 1979
Magen, Y. and Finkelstein, I., 1993	352
Tsafrir, Y., Di Segni, L. and Green, J., 1994	251
Schick, R., 1995
Bagatti, B., 2002	125-28
Magen, Y. and Kagan, E. D., 2012	237-38
Al-Houdalieh, S. H., 2016	272-75

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

Discussion:

Although a monastery is mentioned by Al-Houdalieh, a description of the monastic complex has not been offered. Two churches (East church and West church) at the site are some 10 m distant from each other (see Churches section) and it is not clear if Al-Houdalieh regards one of these as belonging to the monastery allegedly found at the site. The eastern church, the larger and more elaborate of the two, has several rooms attached to it on its northern and southern sides and on the southern side of the atrium. It also has, according to Al-Houdalieh, eight doorways This might point to a monastic complex, in which case the eastern church might be regarded as a monastic church.

State of certainty:

Uncertain / Questionable

General description

State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:

The remains of the monastery form part of a large site consisting of two churches, a villa and other structures. Almost 75% of the site has been destroyed by modern construction and looting.

Illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Figures

Khirbet et-Tira - plan of the church (Magen and Kagan 2012 I: 238, no. 110)

Khirbet et-Tira - inscription found on chancel screen panel (Magen and Kagan2012 I: 238, no. 110)

General description

Churche/s:

The eastern church is a basilica divided into a nave and two aisles by two rows of columns (see church section). Two column bases remain in situ. The floor of the church was paved with a mosaic featuring geometric and faunal designs. It bears signs of iconoclasm. A chancel screen with a Greek inscription was also found. A narthex fronts the church.

Burials:

Three cist tombs were uncovered in a room south of the narthex (Room 3) of the eastern church. The tombs are parallel to each other measuring 2.2 x 0.75 m whith a depth of some 1.2 m and covered by irregular stone slabs, paved over by a mosaic pavement.

Three additional burials were uncovered in the crypt (2.2 x 2 m) beneath the northern portico of the atrium. Human remains were found in the tombs along with other artifacts.

Water installations:

A system of channels, drains and pipes leading to a cistern was uncovered in the eastern church.

Agricultural and industrial installations:

An oil press was found.

Small finds

Small finds:

Category	Description
Inscription - see under epigraphy
Pottery	Jars, bowls, jugs dated generally to Byzantine period.
Oil lamps
Stamps	A clay bread stamp with a cross and geometric decorations.
Metal objects	Iron nails
Bones	Human remains in tombs of the crypt in the eastern church.
Other	Roof tiles
Wooden objects	Burnt wood.
Glass	Fragments of bottle, cup and glass beads, in the crypt.

Detailed description

Structure

Materials applied (walls):

Limestone

Components

Monastery church:

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

Tombs type:

Cist tomb

Agricultural installations:

oil press\es [=o/p]

Water installations:

Cisterns

Channels

Gutters

Architectural evolution

Phase 1
Phase 2
Abandonment

Phase date

Century:

5th c.

General outline:

The church continued to function well into the Early Islamic period.

Dating material:

Iconoclastic damage was repaired

Phase date

Century:

8th c.

Iconoclastic evidence

Iconoclastic evidence:

Yes

Phase date

Century:

Unknown