Khirbet Umm Deimine - Monastery

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Monastery name, type, category

Site Name:

Khirbet Umm Deimine

Monastery name:

Monastery

Monastery type:

Cenobium

Monastery category:

Isolated in the countryside

Former fortress

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

19,369.00

58,680.00

Coordinates, ICS system:

14,369.00

8,680.00

Geographical region:

Hebron Hills

Provincial affiliation:

Palaestina I

Bishopric:

Eleutheropolis

Topographical location:

Located in the southwestern Hebron Hills, on a hilltop about 2.5 km south of ‘Anab el-Kabir.

Distance from nearest bishop-seat:

ca. 35 km (Beth Guvrin-Eleutheropolis)

Distance from Roman roads:

ca. 5 km west of the road connecting the Judean hills with Beer Sheba.

Source of knowledge

Archaeological remains

Surveyed site

Surveyors:

Name	Date
Conder and Kitchener	1871-1877
Kochavi	1967-1968

Excavated site

Excavators:

Name	Date
Magen, Batz and Sharukh	2004

Bibliograpy:

Conder, C. R. and Kitchener, H. H., 1883	392
Petrie, W. M. F., 1890	241
Abel, F. M., 1938	II: 372
Kochavi, M., 1972	80-81
Bagatti, B., 1983
Tsafrir, Y., Di Segni, L. and Green, J., 1994	254
Bagatti, B., 2002
Magen, Y., 2008	217-46
Magen, Y., 2008	257-343
Magen, Y., Batz, S. and Sharukh, I., 2012	435-82
Magen, Y. and Kagan, E. D., 2012	287-89

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

State of certainty:

Archaeologicaly definitive

General description

State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:

The excavation revealed a well preserved complex built around a central courtyard. Some of the walls remained to a height of 5 courses.

Illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Photos

Kh. Umm Deimine- view from the northwest (Magen and Kagan 2012 II: 287)

Figures

Kh. Umm Deimine- construction phases of the site (Magen, Batz and Sharukh 2012: 438)

General description

Enclosing walls:

The complex is enclosed in massive perimeter walls measuring 27.5 x 24.5 m (ca. 634 m²). The walls had fieldstone foundations and were built of ashlars with a prominent boss on the outer face. The inner face was of roughly dressed stones with a fill of mortar and stone. During the monastic phase, some repairs were made to the walls with roughly dressed stones and ashlars.

Gate/s:

The complex had two entrances. One to the north and a second one to the south. Both entrances were located in the western part of the compound and belonged to the fortress phase of the structure. The northern entrance was 0.80 m wide, consisting of a threshold and two ashlar doorposts. A 1.80 m long door bolt was discovered in situ in the wall. The southern entrance was also 0.80 m wide.

Courtyards:

The courtyard with its surrounding porticoes measured 14 x 13 m. It remained in use from phase I. It was paved with a white mosaic in the monastic phase. The east, south and west porticoes were 1.6 m wide, the northern one 3.2 m, leaving an area measuring 9 x 7 m of unroofed courtyard. A cistern was located beneath the center of the courtyard.

Tower/s:

Northwest of the compound there is an unexcavated square watchtower with sloping walls.

Churche/s:

A chapel was erected in the northern wing of the complex. The chapel (12.5 x 5.7 m) had a raised bema (5.70 x 2.70 m) but no apse, it was paved with a polychrome mosaic. The bema was separated from the hall by an arch and a chancel screen. The prayer hall measures 9 x 5.70 m. A lintel at the entrance to the chapel was adorned with a "Maltese" cross in a circle. A vestibule west of the chapel provided access to it and to the courtyard to its south. Two niches coated with hydraulic plaster were added to the chapel’s northern wall, these were entirely preserved. Many fragments of liturgical furniture were found scattered around the site: fragments of chancel screen of white and grayish marble, fragments of altar table, reliquary fragments.

Cave/s:

Beneath the northwestern part of the monastery there was a large natural cave of an irregular shape, measuring ca. 15 x 9 m. Its maximal height is 2.10m and its north facing entrance was blocked by the construction of a wall. Evidence in the cave indicated its use in earlier periods (Hellenistic and Early Roman).

Kitchen:

In the southern wing, a room showing the remains of hearths with plastered bases and nearby fragments of red bricks, was uncovered. Soot marks on the walls and on the plastered bases attest to these being cooking installations. The room also contained drains and a trough (0.85 x 0.55 m) and fragments of millstones and grindstones.

Water installations:

In the center of the courtyard is a cistern (2.90 m diameter, 5.30 m deep, capacity ca. 48 m³), this had been installed in the early phase. A capstone and a settling pit were added in the second phase. A channel conducted runoff water to a cistern east of the compound. A channel ran along the western wall of the compound, transporting water to a large cistern north of the compound.

Agricultural and industrial installations:

A winepress was revealed south of the structure.

Small finds

Small finds:

Category	Description
Pottery	The pottery found at the site is dated to three main periods: Roman, Byzantine (the majority 6th – 8th centuries) and Early Islamic. Bowls; cups; arched-rim krater; cooking pots; casseroles; lids; jugs; flasks; amphorae;
Oil lamps	Shoe-shaped lamp; candle-stick lamps; channel-nozzle lamps
Glass	Bottles; cups; decorated cup; bowl lamp; fragment of poly-candelon lamp.
Metal objects	Iron nails; fragment of iron key.
Coins	Seven coins were found, six from sealed loci. Dating from second century BCE to eighth century CE.
Other	Church furniture: fragments of chancel screen and altar table.
Other	Fragments of a reliquary.

Detailed description

Dimensions:

Total area (sqm)	Size class
634	Small

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			Ground floor

Number of stories:

Agricultural installations:

wine press\es [=w/p]

Water installations:

Cisterns

Channels

Water capacity (minimal) (cubic m):

Inscribed crosses

Architectural evolution

Phase 1
Abandonment

Phase name (as published):

Phase II

General outline:

The monastery was established in a Late Roman military compound. A chapel was erected in the northern wing of the complex. Other construction changes were made, mainly in the southern wing including the thickening of some of the walls and other repairs. The walls were coated with white plaster. At this point, a second story that covered part of the building may have been added. The whole of the northern wing in this phase was apparently used in a liturgical function attested by the crosses in the paving. It was apparently roofed by a gabled and tiled roof. All the plaster floors were covered in white mosaic pavements.

Dating material:

Late fourth to early fifth century CE, based on coins, pottery and architecture.

Phase date

Century:

4th-5th c.

General outline:

Sometime in the second half of the eighth century CE.

Phase date

Century:

8th c.

Within century:

Second half

Iconoclastic evidence

Iconoclastic evidence:

Yes

Iconoclastic evidence comments:

Animal figures underwent defacement that included replacing the tesserae with white, coarse plaster. Nonetheless, the figures remaind identifiable.

Post Arab conquest history:

Still in use

Post conquest history comments:

After the monastery ceased to function it was resettled in the second half of eighth to the ninth century CE Some changes were made in this phase. An olive oil press was constructed in the south wing of the complex. The courtyard was encroached into by the construction of several rooms after the porticoes had been destroyed and a new wing was added on the northern side of the original structure, this wing contained an industrial installation. An industrial oil press of the lever-screw-and-cylindrical-weight type was installed in the south western room. Architectural elements in secondary use were found in this room.