Khirbet khudria - Monastery (?)

Vertical tabs

Monastery name, type, category

Site Name:

Khirbet khudria

Identification:

The site was identified by Guérin as Biblical Ai.

Monastery name:

Monastery (?)

Monastery type:

Cenobium

Monastery category:

Isolated in the countryside

Former ruin

Source of sacredness:

Old Testament site

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

22,744.00

64,661.00

Coordinates, ICS system:

17,744.00

14,661.00

Geographical region:

Samaria Desert Fringes

Provincial affiliation:

Palaestina I

Bishopric:

Jerusalem

Topographical location:

On a moderate slope.

Distance from nearest bishop-seat:

ca. 15 km (Jerusalem).

Distance from Roman roads:

ca. 4.2 km from the road connecting Jerusalem with Shechem-Neapolis.

Source of knowledge

Archaeological remains

Surveyed site

Surveyors:

Name	Date
Guérin	1868-69
Conder and Kitchener	1871-77
Magen and Finkelstein	1986
Finkelstein, Lederman and Bunimovitz	1981-1985

Excavated site

Excavators:

Name	Date
Callaway	1960's

Bibliograpy:

Guérin, V., 1869	III: 57-59
Conder, C. R. and Kitchener, H. H., 1883	118
Schoonover, K., 1968	247
Callaway, J. A., Harvey, D., Schoonover, K., Ward, J. M., Vine, K. and Livingston, G. H., 1969	4
Schoonover, K., 1969	423-26
Biran, A., 1969	46
Callaway, J. A. and Livingston, G. H., 1970	10
Bagatti, B., 1979
Ovadiah, A. and De Silva, C. G., 1981	234-36
Magen, Y. and Finkelstein, I., 1993	88
Tsafrir, Y., Di Segni, L. and Green, J., 1994	168
Finkelstein, I., Bunimvitz, S. and Lederman, Z., 1997	II: 536
Bagatti, B., 2002	35-38
Magen, Y. and Kagan, E. D., 2012	244-45

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

Discussion:

The site of the monastery was partially excavated in the 1960's in the area suggested to have been Biblical 'Ai. The excavation results were not published. The identification of the complex as a monastery was based on a chapel and two other rooms that were uncovered. This identification has been accepted by some (Magen and Kagan 2013 I: 244-245, no. 116) although a plan was not published. The similarity of some of the elements to those found in other monastic sites lends some support to the suggestion that this was a monastery.

State of certainty:

Uncertain / Questionable

General description

State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:

The apse of a church and two other rooms of unknown function were uncovered in the excavation.

General description

Churche/s:

The apse of the church was uncovered. The church was paved in a polychrome mosaic. A chancel screen with a Greek inscription was observed in secondary use in the nearby village of Deir Dibwan, attributed by Bagatti to this church.

Burials:

Tombs containing Roman and Byzantine ossuary fragments were found nearby.

Cave/s:

A cave was located nearby.

Water installations:

Three large cisterns were found.

Agricultural and industrial installations:

Industrial structures were uncovered north of the church, as well as a wine press and an oil press.

Small finds

Small finds:

Category	Description
Oil lamps	Fragments of oil lamps in the tombs.
Other	Fragments of ossuary

Detailed description

Structure

Materials applied (walls):

Limestone

Components

Monastery church:

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

Baptismal font

Tombs type:

Burial chamber

Agricultural installations:

oil press\es [=o/p]

wine press\es [=w/p]

Water installations:

Cisterns

Architectural evolution

Phase 1
Abandonment

General outline:

A church and two unidentified adjacent rooms (not published).

Dating material:

Byzantine, based on the finds.

Phase date

Century:

Early Christian / Byzantine

General outline:

Iconoclastic evidence points to the continued use of the church at least into the 8th c.

Phase date

Century:

Unknown

Iconoclastic evidence

Iconoclastic evidence:

Yes

Iconoclastic evidence comments:

Damage repaired.

Post Arab conquest history:

Still in use