Tell Basul - Monastery

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Monastery name, type, category

Site Name:

Tell Basul

Monastery name:

Monastery

Monastery type:

Cenobium

Monastery category:

Former fortress

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

245,165.00

712,517.00

Coordinates, ICS system:

195,149.00

212,513.00

Geographical region:

Beth Shean Valley

Provincial affiliation:

Palaestina II

Bishopric:

Scythopolis

Topographical location:

The site is located on a small rise in the Beth Shean valley east of Mt. Gilboa

Soils:

Aluvial

Distance from nearest bishop-seat:

ca. 2.5 km (Beth Shean-Scythopolis)

Distance from nearest settlement:

ca. 2.5 km (Beth Shean-Scythopolis)

Distance from Roman roads:

The site is located adjacent to the road that led west and northwest from Beth Shean-Scythopolis.

Source of knowledge

HideEpigraphy

Text number	Summary
1	Four-line mosaic inscription within three circles bearing a quotation from Psalms.
2	One-line mosaic inscription bearing a quotation from Psalms.

Archaeological remains

Excavated site

Excavators:

Name	Date
Tsori	1962-1964

Bibliograpy:

Tzori, N., 1962	20-21
Biran, A., 1963	11
Tzori, N., 1962	190
Ovadiah, A., 1970	178
Tzori, N., 1974	227
Ovadiah, A. and de Silva, C. G., 1982	165
Tsafrir, Y., Di Segni, L. and Green, J., 1994	241

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

State of certainty:

Archaeologicaly definitive

General description

Enclosing walls:

The monastery was founded within the remains of a Roman period fortress, making use of its original enclosing wall.

Gate/s:

Entrance to the complex was through its southern wall. At the gate, a threshold was found in situ.

Courtyards:

A paved corridor led from the entrance to a mosaic paved courtyard. The mosaic pavement contained Greek inscriptions. The courtyard was surrounded by seven rooms, one of which was a chapel.

Churche/s:

No measurements for the chapel were provided in the report. The chapel was paved in a mosaic featuring acanthus medallions populated with fauna (rabbit, cat, sheep, guinea fowl, ducks and a gazelle) and flora (pomegranate, olive).

Water installations:

A cistern was added in the courtyard sometime in the late sixth or early seventh century.

Small finds

Small finds:

Category	Description
Inscription - see under epigraphy
Pottery	Three zoomorphic vessels

Small finds illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Photos

Tell Basul- zoomorphic vessel and inscription (Zori 1974)

Detailed description

Structure

Materials applied (walls):

Basalt

Components

Enclosing wall

Gate/s:

Courtyard/s

Monastery church:

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

Number of stories:

Water installations:

Cisterns

Architectural evolution

Phase 1
Phase 2
Abandonment

General outline:

The monastery was established in a former Roman period fortress. Some repairs were made to the structure in the late fifth century, possibly at the time of establishment. A total of 15 rooms were identified, seven of which contained mosaic pavements, six with stoneflag paving, one with a beaten earth floor and one paved with clay tiles. The courtyard was surrounded by seven rooms, one of which was a chapel.

Phase date

Century:

5th c.

Within century:

Second half

General outline:

Sometime in the late sixth century or early seventh century CE some changes were made to the structure. The nature of the changes were not specified by the excavator. A cistern was added in the courtyard.

Phase date

Century:

6th-7th c.

Iconoclastic evidence

Iconoclastic evidence:

Phase date

Century:

7th c.

Within century:

Early

Post Arab conquest history:

Abandoned

Post conquest history comments:

The site was not resettled after it had been abandoned, probably in the early seventh century CE. It was later used as a burial ground, perhaps by Beduins.