Alumma - Church

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Church Name, type, function

Site Name:

Alumma

Church name:

Church

Functional Type:

Parochial

Church type:

Basilical - Basilica with an annexed chapel

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

175.44

617.78

Coordinates, ICS system:

125.41

1,117.78

Location:

Village/Town

Geographical region:

Southern Coastal Plain

Distance from nearest bishop-seat:

About 17 km east of Ashkelon (Ascalon) and about 16 km west of Bet Guvrin (Eleutheropolis).

Distance from nearest settlement:

The church was part of a small Byzantine settlement situated along the main road that connected Ashkelon in the west with Bet Guvrin (Eleutheropolis) in the east.

Provincial affiliation:

Palaestina I

Bishopric:

Ascalon

Source of knowledge

HideEpigraphy

Text number	Summary
1	Dated 12-line building inscription of Bishop Leontius and other clergymen, within a medallion at the centre of the mosaic pavement of the narthex, 6 Jun. 494.
2	Dedicatory inscription of Demetrius the archdeacon and his deacons, in the north-eastern corner of the central part of the mosaic pavement of the nave.
3	Fragmentary dedicatory inscription of Elias the reader, in a medallion at the centre of the mosaic pavement of the baptistery.
4	Fragmenrary building inscription for the completion of the baptistery, within a tabula ansata at the eastern end of the mosaic pavement.
5	Fragmentary building inscription of Emperor Justinian (?) for the renovation of the church, within a medallion at the eastern end of the nave, just in front of the bema.
6	Fragmentary building inscription of Eusebius the priest for the renovation of the church, outside the medallion at the eastern end of the nave, just in front of the bema.
7	Christogram within a medallion at the centre of the mosaic pavement of the southern aisle.

Archaeological remains

Bibliograpy:

Lobell, J. A., 2014

Varga, D., 2015

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

General description

State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:

The basilical church (31 X 15 m) with an annexed chapel on the north.

Description

Illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Photos

Figures

Atrium:

An atrium was paved with a white mosaic and a decorative column stood at its center.

Narthex:

The narthex was paved with a mosaic floor with colorful geometric designs and a twelve-line Greek dedicatory inscription at its center. The inscription, dated to July 6, 494 CE, mentions church officials, foremost of which is Leontius, Bishop of Ashkelon

Façade and entries:

Three entrances.

Nave:

The nave was paved with a colorful mosaic of vine tendrils that formed 36 medallions depicting animals such as zebra, tiger, giraffe, turtle, wild boar, chameleon, peacocks and fowl, as well as floral decorations and geometric designs. Two of the medallions contained Greek dedicatory inscriptions noting the names of the donors of the mosaic pavement in the church and the renovation of the church, assigned probably to the reign of Justinian. The nave was separated from the aisles by two rows of three marble columns.

Aisles:

The aisles on either side of the nave were likewise paved with colorful mosaic carpets. These included Christian motives as well as floral and geometric decorations.

Bema, chancel screen and apse:

The bema was U-shaped, raised one step above the nave. The apse was internal, flanked by two pastophoria rooms of a trapezoidal form.

Lateral spaces:

Two pastophoria, rapezoidal in shape, were flanking the apse.

Small finds

Detailed description

Structure

Orientation:

Facing east

Materials applied (walls):

Limestone

Atrium:

Yes

Water cistern:

Narthex:

Yes

Aisles:

Number of nave columns in a row:

Total
3

East end:

Internal apse

Church Head/Chevet:

monoapsidal with lockable pastophoria (mon-aps II)

Central Apse Category:

apsidal

Bema type:

U shaped without lateral openings

Elevation of Bema above nave:

1 step up

Ambo:

Apse elevation:

Flush with the bema

Apse shape:

Hemispherical

Synthronon:

Pastophoria

Pastophoria loci:

N & S

Attached structures

Baptistery:

Quadrangular chapel

Baptistery description:

An elongated quadrangular chapel of three units was exposed north of the main building (probably a baptismal chapel). It was paved with a mosaic floor of geometric patterns that included two inscriptions noting the construction of the baptistery (photisterion). The square, graded font, cut below floor level, was revealed at the eastern end of the chapel, off center.

Architectural Evolution

Phase 1
Phase 2
Abandonment

General outline:

Basilical church with an atrium, narthex, internal apse and a baptismal chapel attached on the north.

Dating material:

The church was in use in the Byzantine (from the 5th century?) and Early Umayyad periods. An inscription noting the completion of renovations of the mosaic in the nave was set in the pavement in front of the bema.

Phase date

Century:

5th c.

Iconoclastic evidence

Iconoclastic evidence:

General outline:

Mosaic floors renovated according to the inscription in the nave. Seemingly, the northern annex was also added in this phase.

Phase date

Century:

6th c.

General outline:

In the eighth century CE, at the end of the Umayyad period, the church was no longer used, and the building underwent many changes. Since there is no iconoclastic evidence, it seems that the church went out of use at the end of the 7th century or the very beginning of the 8th. From this time on the building was probably used in an industrial context related to food preparation and storage.

Phase date

Century:

7th c.

Within century:

Late

Iconoclastic evidence

Iconoclastic evidence:

Post Arab conquest history:

Modified