Khirbet Yattir - IETHIRA; Southern church monastery

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Monastery name, type, category

Site Name:

Khirbet Yattir

Monastery name:

IETHIRA; Southern church monastery

Monastery type:

Cenobium

Monastery category:

Village

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

20,149.00

58,466.00

Coordinates, ICS system:

15,149.00

8,466.00

Geographical region:

Hebron Hills

Provincial affiliation:

Palaestina I

Bishopric:

Eleutheropolis

Topographical location:

In the southern hills of Judea (Hebron hills) on a hill at the edge of an ancient village.

Distance from nearest bishop-seat:

ca. 45 km (Eleutheropolis)

Distance from Roman roads:

ca. 5 km east of the road connecting Hebron with Beer Sheba.

Source of knowledge

Epigraphy

Archaeological remains

Surveyed site

Surveyors:

Name	Date
Tristram	1863-1864
Guérin	1868-1869
Petrie	1890
Mader	1918
Govrin	1990

Excavated site

Excavators:

Name	Date
Eshel, Magness and Shenhav	1995-1998

Bibliograpy:

Guérin, V., 1868-1880	III: 197-99
Tristram, H. B., 1882	374-75
Petrie, W. M. F., 1890	219-46
Mader, A. E., 1918	224
Meshel, Z., Ben Yosef, S. and Dror, U., 1987	50-53
Govrin, Y., 1991
Di Segni, L., 1997	672-75
Eshel, H., Magness, J., Shenhav, E. and Besonen, J., 1999	411-22
Eshel, H., Magness, J. and Shenhav, E., 2000	153-68
Eshel, H., Magness, J. and Shenhav, E., 2000	227-32 (English summary XXII-XXIII)
Eshel, H., Magness, J. and Shenhav, E., 2000	243-45
Besonen, J., 2001	37-43
Besonen, J. F.‎, 2001
Eshel, H., Magness, J. and Shenhav, E., 2001	32-36; 59
Bordowicz, I., 2007
Di Segni, L., 2003	247-67
Eshel, H., Magness, J. and Shenhav, E., 2008	2069-70
Di Segni, L., 2009	352-73
Magen, Y. and Kagan, E. D., 2012	297-99
Di Segni, L., 2016	185-198

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

Discussion:

An inscription found in the atrium of the church mentioning Zacharias, "deacon and abbot" and a second, later inscription mentioning "Thomas, most holy abbot" led the excavators to identify the church as a monastic one. Di Segni is of the opinion that this identification is doubtful. she bases her opinion on the absence of any architectural elements that would point of a monastic structure and suggests that the church served as a village church which was run by monks (Di Segni 2016: 189*).

State of certainty:

Uncertain / Questionable

General description

State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:

Only the remains of the church were excavated. The identification of the site as a monastery is based on two inscriptions, one located in the prayer hall, the other in the atrium.

Illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Figures

General description

Courtyards:

An atrium is located west of the church.

Churche/s:

The church is a basilica (ca.17 x 14 m), consisting of a prayer hall with an internal apse, a narthex and an atrium paved in a white mosaic. North of the atrium there is a room that served as a chapel. The mosaic pavement in the nave showed two phases. The early mosaic, of which only a small portion remained, exhibited birds and vines. The later mosaic was divided into 23 strips containing magical symbols and abbreviations.An inscription was found at the entrance to the church. The inscription was dated to 588/589 CE.

Water installations:

A cistern was found in the center of the atrium. Inside it were marble slabs that had either fallen in or been thrown down. The dimensions of the cistern were not provided. A second cistern was found in the northern part of the atrium. This cistern is bell shaped and has a vaulted roof. A system of channels underneath the paving of the atrium channeled the water into the cistern, and the overflow towards the north of the church. East of the church there is a large pool, no connection was described between the pool and the church.

Small finds

Small finds:

Category	Description
Inscription - see under epigraphy
Oil lamps	Fragments of a palm decorated lantern.
Metal objects	Hundreds of iron nails
Other	Roof tiles

Detailed description

Structure

Materials applied (walls):

Limestone

Materials applied (roofing):

tiles

timber

Components

Courtyard/s

Monastery church:

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

Water installations:

Cisterns

Channels

Inscribed crosses

Architectural evolution

Phase 1
Phase 2
Abandonment

Phase name (as published):

Early phase

General outline:

Only the church was excavated. A mosaic pavement featuring vine medallions populated with birds marks the early phase.

Dating material:

Based on an inscription in the atrium, the church was founded in 682 CE.

Phase date

Century:

7th c.

Within century:

Second half

Phase name (as published):

Late phase/subphase B

General outline:

A new mosaic pavement was laid in the church, featuring strips with various symbols and designs, dated to 725 CE. No information exists pertaining to the monastery.

Dating material:

Based on a dated inscription

Phase date

Century:

8th c.

Within century:

First half

General outline:

Apparently abandoned in the eighth century.

Phase date

Century:

8th c.

Iconoclastic evidence

Iconoclastic evidence:

Post Arab conquest history:

Still in use

Post conquest history comments:

Still in use. The lower mosaic uncovered between the atrium and narthex places either the foundation or refurbishement of the church in the late 7th c. and its continued use, at least to the first half of the 8th c. The church structure was apparently abandoned sometime later and used in a domestic context during the Mamaluk period.