Vertical tabsMonastery name, type, categorySite Name: Shivta; Sobota (North church)Identification: Abel suggested identifying the monastery and church as the Xenodochium of St. George mentioned by the Piacenta pilgrim (Abel 1935). This identification has been rejected on geographical and literary grounds. Rosenthal suggested identifying the complex as one dedicated to some stylite saint whose pillar stood in the atrium of the church (Rosenthal 1974: 174).Monastery name: ST. GEORGE (?)Monastery type: CenobiumMonastery category: VillageSource of sacredness: Sacred Objects LocationCoordinates, ITM system: 164,639.00532,577.00 Coordinates, ICS system: 114,628.0032,628.00 Geographical region: Central NegevProvincial affiliation: Palaestina IIIBishopric: ElusaTopographical location: Level groundSoils: Rocky limestoneDistance from nearest bishop-seat: 22 km (Elusa)0Distance from Roman roads: 22 km east of the road leading from Gaza to Sinai. Source of knowledgeEpigraphyArchaeological remainsSurveyed siteSurveyors: NameDate Palmer1870 Musil1901 Woolley and Lawrence1914 Wiegand1916 Excavated siteExcavators: NameDate Colt1933-1934 Bibliograpy: Palmer, E. H., 1881 Musil, A., 1908II: 36-43 Woolley, C. L. and Lawrence, T. E., 1914-191579-90 Wiegand, T., 192076-82 Abel, F. M., 19357-11 Colt, H. D., 1935201-202 Colt, H. D., 1936198-99 Crowfoot, J. W., 194170; 111; 156 Avi-Yonah, M., 195923-25 Ovadiah, A., 1970166-69 Rosenthal-Heginbottom, R., 1974 Segal, A., 1983 Margalit, S. and Negev, A., 198546 Margalit, S., 1987106-21 Negev, A., 1988 Schick, R., 1995 Figueras, P., 1995436-39 Di Segni, L., 1997813 Goldfus, H., 199789-96 Hirschfeld, Y., 20032-17 Hirschfeld, Y., 2003395-408 Patrich, J., 2006341-93 Abbreviation for Journals and SeriesState of certainty: Archaeologicaly definitive General descriptionState of preservation/which parts were uncovered: The north church and its monastery were thoroughly excavated by the Colt expedition in the 1930's. The remains of the church were in an excellent state of preservation with walls remaining to a great height and the half domes still in situ. The adjacent monastery was less well preserved with only a few courses left. The monastery consisted of several wings with courtyards surrounded by rooms. Illustrative material: Illustrative_material Figures General descriptionEnclosing walls: The church and monastery may have formed two separate units with the church surrounded by a wall strengthened in parts by a massive glacis. The structure to its southeast which according to Rosenthal-Hegginbottom (see discussion below) formed the monastery was connected with the church and surrounded by a wall of its own. Gate/s: A gatehouse was not reported in the excavations although a room separating the southern entrance to the church complex from the atrium may have served as such. Several entrances to both complexes were identified. Three entrances open onto the northern plaza, one leads through the southern wall of the church complex and two more on the western wall of the monastery complex, one (southern) leading directly into the press area, the other (northern) entering through a loggia whose roof provided the only direct passage between the two wings. Another entrance leads directly from the northern part of the monastery to the area outside the settlement. Courtyards: A large atrium (18.80 x 17.50 m) is located west of the church. The courtyard is paved with stone flags and surrounded by rooms. A second story probably existed over the rooms, evidenced by deppression for inserting logs. In the center of the atrium, a column drum was found surronded by a square area with a raised curb. The atrium had colonnades on its western and northern sides. In the southern complex of the monastery three courtyards were identified: one courtyard abbutting the south wall of the baptistery, a second, long and narrow courtyard on the northern side and a third, smaller courtyard surrounded with built benches which was entered from the west through the loggia. Churche/s: The church is a triapsidal basilica with a bema extending into the nave. A narthex separated the church from the atrium. The church walls were partially faced with marble as evidenced by some of the remaining pannels and the holes in the wall for anchoring them, and partially decorated with painted plaster. A long and narrow chapel (diakonikon) was constructed on the southern side of the church and south of that, a baptistery. A cross shaped baptismal font was found in situ. Dwellings: It has been suggested that the dwellings of the monks were located on the second story over the rooms surrounding the atrium. Concurrently, the complex located southeast of the church, which according to Rosenthal is the major part of the monastery contains many rooms, some of which were dwellings. Burials: 16 epitaphs with 18 dateable inscriptions were uncovered in the excavation. However, the excavations were not published and the exact locations of the tombs have not been ascertained, all were in the church complex. Water installations: A large cistern is located beneath the atrium. Small finds Comments, discussion and summary: Goldfus (1997: 89-90) suggested that the area identified by Rosenthal-Heginbottom as the monastery (southeast of the church) actually served as a pilgrims' hospice, if one accepts her identification as a pilgrims' destination. Hirschfeld rejects the identification of the large structure as the monastery of the North Church, based on the plan where the domestic and religious functions have been separated from each other. In his opinion, the large structure consists of a "council house", the private dwelling of the "Vicarius" and a hospice (Hirschfeld 2003: 10). As far as has been ascertained to date, a single monastery existed in Sobota. Some scholars have suggested that in addition to the North Church Monastery described here, monasteries existed in the two other churches of Sobota, i.e. the Central and the Southern churches (Figueras 1995: 436-442). We find that there is not enough evidence to suggest that this is the case. We have therefore listed only one monastery at the site. Detailed descriptionDimensions: Size class Large StructureMaterials applied (walls): Limestone ComponentsGate/s: 5Courtyard/sMonastery church: Church typeDiakonikonLink to church sectionChurch location basilicalDiakonikonGround floor Baptismal fontDwelling type: cellsTombs type: Cist tombAgricultural installations: wine press\es [=w/p]Water installations: CisternsInscribed crosses Architectural evolutionPhase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 Abandonment General outline: The church was first constructed as a monoapsidal church with two pastophoria at the sides (Marglit 1987). Colt reported that "a small monastery existed on the spot" (Colt 1935: 198) but did not provide a date for its foundation. Phase dateCentury: 4th c.Within century: Second half General outline: The church was enlarged and became a tri-apsidal basilica. The monastery was apparently also enlarged, according to Colt: "The remains of the monastery now occupy the entire insula..." (ibid.)Phase dateCentury: 5th c.Within century: Late General outline: Some changes were made in the basilica, especially in the extension of the bema. A chapel was added in the south (see church section).Phase dateCentury: 6th c.Within century: First half General outline: The baptistery was added. The church complex was entirely surrounded with a talus except along the two southern chapels (the baptistery and the southern chapel).Phase dateCentury: 6th c.Within century: Second half General outline: The complex continued to function in the Early Islamic period, at least up to 679 CE.Dating material: The latest burial in the North church is dated to 679 CE. Phase dateCentury: 7th c.Within century: Late Iconoclastic evidenceIconoclastic evidence: No Post Arab conquest history: Still in use
