Zefat Adi - Monastery (?)

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Monastery name, type, category

Site Name:

Zefat Adi

Monastery name:

Monastery (?)

Monastery type:

Cenobium

Monastery category:

Village

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

215,530.00

747,702.00

Coordinates, ICS system:

165,530.00

247,691.00

Geographical region:

Western Galilee

Provincial affiliation:

Palaestina II

Bishopric:

Sepphoris

Topographical location:

Hill

Soils:

Chalk

Distance from nearest bishop-seat:

Nearly equidistant between two bishop-seats: 14 km (Acco-Ptolomais), 15 km (Sepphoris), within the territory of Sepphoris.

Distance from Roman roads:

2 km south of the road connectinf Acco-Ptolomais and Sepphoris.

Source of knowledge

Archaeological remains

Excavated site

Excavators:

Name	Date
Stern	1996; 1999

Bibliograpy:

Guérin, V., 1868-1880
Conder, C. R. and Kitchener, H. H., 1881
Smithline, H. and Stern, E., 2004	6-8

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

State of certainty:

Uncertain / Questionable

General description

State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:

The remains were in a relatively poor state of preservation due to later settlement . Part of the site was destroyed through modern development (road; telephone cables). Only part of the room proposed by the excavator as a chapel remained (2 x 4.5 m), the rest having been destroyed.

Illustrative material:

Illustrative-material-03/06/15

General description

Courtyards:

A courtyard was located in the center of the complex.

Churche/s:

In the eastern part of the complex a rectangular room was cleared. Only part of the room remains, an area of 4.5 x 2 m. The room was paved in black and white mosaic with geometric designs. Facing the entrance there is a cross. The excavator suggested that this room was a small chapel belonging to a monastery.

Water installations:

Two bell shaped cisterns were found. No estimate of the storage capacity was given.

Agricultural and industrial installations:

A winpress was found in the center of the complex. The collection vat was carefully constructed, paved and tiled with a white mosaic. An industrial flour mill was found in the courtyard.

Small finds

Detailed description

Dimensions:

Size class
Small

Structure

Materials applied (walls):

Limestone

Components

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

Inscribed crosses

Architectural evolution

Phase 1
Phase 2
Abandonment

Dating material:

On the basis of pottery and architectural remains, it was suggested that the site had two phases, both in the Byzantine period, No further information was provided by the excavators.

Phase date

Century:

Early Christian / Byzantine

General outline:

Some modifications were made to the structure, no details were provided.

Phase date

Century:

6th-7th c.

Phase date

Century:

Unknown

Post Arab conquest history:

Ceased to function

Post conquest history comments:

After the monastery ceased to exist, the structure was reused. Basalt millstones were found in the corner of the proposed chapel. The site was then abandoned in the late eighth century for some two hundred years, before being resettled (based on the pottery assemblage).