Mevo Modi'im - Monastery

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Monastery name, type, category

Site Name:

Mevo Modi'im

Monastery name:

Monastery

Monastery type:

Cenobium

Monastery category:

Isolated in the countryside

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

19,880.00

64,890.00

Coordinates, ICS system:

14,880.00

14,890.00

Geographical region:

Southern and Western Samaria

Provincial affiliation:

Palaestina I

Bishopric:

Diospolis

Topographical location:

Hilltop

Soils:

Limestone and terra rosa.

Distance from nearest bishop-seat:

ca. 10 km Lod-Diospolis

Distance from Roman roads:

ca. 0.5 km from the road connecting Lod-Diospolis with Jerusalem

Source of knowledge

Archaeological remains

Excavated site

Excavators:

Name	Date
Eisenberg and Ovadiah	1976; 1985

Bibliograpy:

Eisenberg, E., 1977	26-27
Tsafrir, Y., Di Segni, L. and Green, J., 1994	185
Eisenberg, E. and Ovadiah, R., 1998	1-19 (English summary 123-24)
Haiman, M., 1999	117 (English summary 94*)
Bagatti, B., 2002	208
Magen, Y., 2008	293
Taxel, I., 2008	57-73
Magen, Y. and Kagan, E. D., 2012	232-33

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

Discussion:

According to the excavators, the monastery was in existence from the fifth century to the seventh. They based this on parallels in the region. However, due to the paucity of finds, a more accurate dating was not possible. The absence of small finds may indicate that the monastery was abandoned in an orderly fashion as in some other sites (Giv'ot Bar). In other sites, where oil presses were, found these may not have functioned simultaneously with the wine presses. According to Magen (2008d) these were often installed following the Arab conquest (Deir Daqle, Deir Qal'a, Deir Sam'an). In the opinion of Magen (Magen and Kagan 2012 II: 232, no.105) the oil press at Mevo Modi'in should be dated to the Early Islamic period. An identification of the population that continued to live in the complex and produce the oil was not suggested.

State of certainty:

Archaeologicaly definitive

General description

State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:

Two salvage excavations unearthed a monastery consisting of three wings around a central courtyard, in a fairly poor state of preservation. Walls remained generally to a height of one course and segments of mosaic pavements were revealed.

Illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Photos

Mevo Modi'im- remains of mosaic in the chapel (Magne and Kagan 2012 I: 233, Figs. 105.2-3)

Figures

Mevo Modi'im- general plan (Magne and Kagan 2012 I: 232, Fig. 105.1)

General description

Enclosing walls:

The complex was surrounded by a wall of which only parts remain.

Courtyards:

A courtyard surrounded by rooms on three sides is located in the center of the monastery. The courtyard was paved in a coarse white mosaic, part of which was changed at a later stage to stone flags. A cistern was located in its western part. A staircase, which led to a second story, was added in the eastern part at a later stage. Four stairs remain in situ. An outer courtyard surrounded the monastery.

Churche/s:

The chapel (6 x 10.5 m) is located in the north of the monastery, it was paved with a mosaic. The eastern end of the chapel is raised to serve as a bema. The bema was paved in a colorful mosaic with a geometric pattern while the hall's mosaic featured vines, grapes and one remaining bird. Fragments of marbel chancel screen panels and poste and those of a table surface and legs were found strewn about. Two sets of engaged piers supported arches that held up the roof.

Dwellings:

The eastern and western wings showed evidence of a second story. The excavators suggested that the monks' dwellings were located in the second story.

Refectory:

West of the courtyard there is an elongated hall, north-south in orientation, paved with a white mosaic, this was apparently a refectory.

Burials:

A tomb with two burial places was unearthed in the southern part of the courtyard. A grate was found at the entrance. The excavators suggested that the abbots of the monastery were interred there.

Storage facilities:

Storerooms were located in the eastern wing.

Kitchen:

A small room south of the refectory, where a large stone basin was found, may have been a kitchen.

Water installations:

A cistern was located in the central courtyard and three more were found outside the complex, in the outer courtyard that surrounded the monastery. Hewn channels led water to the cisterns and settling pools were located as well.

Agricultural and industrial installations:

In the east wing, an oil press with all its installations was unearthed. It was roofed with stone vaults, the floor is hewn rock. The crushing basin (1.95 m diameter) and fragments of crushing stone were found. Nearby, large stone basins (one is a sarcophagus in secondary use) were also unearthed. In the northern part of the room were two upright pillars belonging to the press, and a hewn vat. A wine press was located outside the monastery near the cisterns in the outer courtyard, west of the rooms. Remains of walls indicate that the structure was roofed. A square treading floor (4 x 4m) was cut into the rock. In the corner, a round stone press (1.4 m diameter) was found in situ. A depression, with an identical diameter, was found in the treading floor. From the depression a channel led to a system of settling and straining vats, consisting of three vats connected with each other.

Small finds

Small finds:

Category	Description
Coins	One coin of Justin I (517-528 CE); One coin of Heraclius (613/14 CE)

Detailed description

Dimensions:

Total area (sqm)	Size class
1,000	Medium

Structure

Materials applied (walls):

Limestone

Components

Enclosing wall

Courtyard/s

Monastery church:

Church type	Diakonikon	Link to church section	Church location
single nave			Ground floor

Refectory

Number of stories:

Storage facilities – warehouses

Kitchen

Tombs type:

Cist tomb

Agricultural installations:

oil press\es [=o/p]

wine press\es [=w/p]

Water installations:

Cisterns

Channels

Architectural evolution

Phase 1
Phase 2
Abandonment

Phase name (as published):

Early phase

General outline:

The monastery may have been founded over a pre-existing tomb. The complex consisted of a courtyard surrounded on three sides by rooms, including the chapel in the north.

Dating material:

The monastic phase of the site was dated by the excavators to begin in the mid fifth century CE. The excavators based their dating on the similarity of the plan to those of other monasteries.

Phase date

Century:

5th c.

Within century:

Mid

Iconoclastic evidence

Iconoclastic evidence:

General outline:

Some walls were added, piers were constructed, probably to support the second story that was added at this stage. Parts of the courtyard mosaic were replaced with stone flags.

Dating material:

Numismatics and architectural considerations.

Phase date

Century:

6th-7th c.

General outline:

The monastery was abandoned in the first half of the seventh century.

Phase date

Century:

7th c?

Within century:

First half

Post Arab conquest history:

Abandoned

Post conquest history comments:

At some point of time in the Early Islamic period, the site was resettled and an oil press was installed in the room in the northeastern part of the complex. Remains of the press were found and the pottery found in the excavation (of a domestic nature) was dated to the Early Islamic period.