Ascalon (Newe Yam) - Funerary Chapel

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Church Name, type, function

Site Name:

Ascalon (Newe Yam)

Church name:

Funerary Chapel

Functional Type:

Funerary chapel

Church type:

Chapel - Free standing

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

157,783.00

618,964.00

Location:

Urban

Geographical region:

Southern Coastal Plain

Distance from nearest settlement:

Newe Yam Dalet neighborhood in the southeast of Askelon; c. 500 m northwest of Tel Ashqelon; east of the Ottoman–Mandatory village of el-Jura.

Distance from Roman roads:

very close to the one of the roads, leading from Eleutheropolis to the port of Ascalon

Provincial affiliation:

Palaestina I

Bishopric:

Ascalon

Source of knowledge

HideEpigraphy

Text number	Summary
1	Dated mosaic building inscription at the north end of the roofed chamber of the chapel, 15 July 543.
2	Short one-line acclamatory mosaic inscription at the north end of the roofed chamber of the chapel.
3	Damaged five-live mosaic inscription with Psalms quotation within a square frame at the middle the roofed chamber of the chapel.
4	Decorated blessing curved on a marble chancel screen panel found covering the tomb.

Archaeological remains

Surveyors:

Date
2004

Excavated site

Excavators:

Name	Date
L. Shilov of the IAA, trial trenches	2004
G. Seriy, A. Fraiberg, I. Peretz, et als.	July-August 2011

Bibliograpy:

Seriy, G., 2012

Ustinova, Y. and Seriy, G., 2018

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

General description

State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:

The architectural funeral complex consisted of an open courtyard (3.5×3.5 m) with a tomb located in its south-western corner, and a roofed chamber (3.5×4.3 m) with a mosaic floor. The orientation is northwest-southeas (generally speaking, it is oriented to the north), and the chamber was attached to the earlier courtyard on its south. The walls were partially preserved to a maximal elevation of 0.3 m, as well as the entrances from the north and east. The courtyard's floor was of beaten earth. Three Greek inscriptions were preserved in the mosaic floor, one of them dating the construction of complex. Another inscription was found on a marble panel which closed the eastern part of the tomb.

Description

Illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Photos

Figures

Atrium:

Courtytard, 3.5×3.5 m in dimensions.

Façade and entries:

The entrance into the open courtyard with the tomb was located in the northern wall of the courtyard, in its western side. The chamber was connected to the courtyard through the entrance 1.5 m wide in their common wall - eastern wall of the chamber (ca. 1 m wide), but at a certain period it was concealed by a short wall (W28; 1.4 m long, 0.5 m thick), built over the mosaic floor, perhapse to regulate circulation of pilgrims in the chamber.

Lateral walls:

The walls (ca. 0.8 m thick) of the chamber and courtyard were built of mud in a "terre pisè" - a rare building technique in our region - that were set over foundations of small and medium-size fieldstones. The inner and outer faces were coated with white plaster, the remains of which were found on the floor.

Small finds

Small finds:

Category	Description
Pottery	second half of the sixth–early seventh centuries CE
Glass	second half of the sixth–early seventh centuries CE

Detailed description

Structure

Orientation:

Northwest-southeast, to the chest-tomb.

Materials applied (walls):

Brick

Water cistern:

Yes

Burial loci

Burials loci:

The cist-shaped burial (1.0×1.2×2.2 m) was oriented northeast–southwest. It was built of large kurkar ashlars and covered with a vaulted ceiling, that protruded ca. 0.5 m above the general floor level. The molded entrance was located on the eastern side of the grave. It was comprised from a threshold and doorjambs (all carved from limestone), with the recesses for a door (not preserved). The cist-tomb inside was covered by marble slabs, probably in the secondary use. One of them, found in situ, bear a Greek inscription (see architectural members). A big dolium was set in the floor in the center of the chamber near the burial pit. It was suggested that it was intended for sacred offerings in honor of the dead, perhaps in a saint's cult. The bones were not collected. Another burial locus, also built of large kurkar ashlars, was in a hole cut in the bedrock. It was uncovered ca. 5 m to the east of the main burial.

Illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Photos

Architectural Evolution

Phase 1
Phase 2
Abandonment

General outline:

In the 1st Phase, probably in first half of the sixth century CE, only a courtyard was built around a tomb of a venerated local saint.

Phase date

Century:

6th c.

Within century:

First half

Phase name (as published):

Byzantine

General outline:

A chamber with a mosaic floor was added, reflecting the growing popularity of the local cult. Dated mosaic building inscription at the north end of the roofed chamber of the chapel, 15 July 543.

Dating material:

‏

Phase date

Century:

6th c.

Within century:

Mid

Iconoclastic evidence

Iconoclastic evidence:

Phase date

Century:

Unknown

Post conquest history comments:

Still functioned in the early seventh century.