Ashdod Yam (Azotos Paralios) - Church of the Deaconesses

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Church Name, type, function

Site Name:

Ashdod Yam (Azotos Paralios)

Church name:

Church of the Deaconesses

Dedication:

unknown

Functional Type:

Unknown

Church type:

Basilical - Basilica with an annexed chapel

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

164,676.00

632,108.00

Location:

Urban

Geographical region:

Southern Coastal Plain

Topographical location:

Near the sea shore, 500m east of the Muslim fort.

Distance from nearest bishop-seat:

in Azotos Paralios

Distance from nearest settlement:

In modern Ashdod, Street Har Gilboa 24

Distance from Roman roads:

Ca. 5 km to the west from Via Maris, near the shore.

Provincial affiliation:

Palaestina I

Bishopric:

Azotos

Source of knowledge

HideEpigraphy

Text number	Summary
1	An epitaph dated to March-April or February-March 455 CE according to the era of Rome.
2	An inscription commemorating the paving of the southern aisle, dated to 416/7 CE.
3	A quotation of 1 Kingdoms 16:4 combined with verse 8 of Ps 120 in the Septuagint version (MT 121).
4	Burial inscription of Sophronia.
5	Funerary inscription of deaconess Theodosia dated to 19 July 442 CE.
6	Fragmentary funerary inscription.
7	For the memory of Gregoria the deaconess from Bathulion.
8	Burial inscription of deacon Maximus.
9	Burial inscription dated to 448/9 CE.
10	Tombstone of Theodorus the magistrianos. Dated epigraphically to the second half of the 5th or early 6th century.
11	A fragmentary tombstone of a deacon. Dated epigraphically to the second half of the 5th or early 6th century.
12	Building inscription of bishop Procopius.
13	A building inscription of bishop Carus.

Archaeological remains

Excavated site

Excavators:

Name	Date
A. Fantalkin and S. Ganor	Aug. 2017
A. Fantalkin	July-Aug. 2019, 2021

History:

Bibliograpy:

Bäbler, B. and Fantalkin, A., 2023

Habas, L., 2023

Di Segni, L., Bouzaglou, L. and Fantalkin, A., 2023

Darvasi, Y., Fantalkin, A., Brindza, P. and Agnon, A., 2024

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

General description

State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:

A basilical curch with an annexed apsidal chapel and more rooms to its north, 25 × 19 m in dimensions. Mosaic paved with many dated memorial inscriptions, refering to burials under the bema, the northern aisle, and in the narthex. A large part of the basilica was destroyed in 60-70s of the 20th century CE during the building of a dwelling house. Perhaps a monastic church. Some inscription mention bishops, unknown so far. Destroyed in a conflagration attested by a layer of burnt wooden beams and roof tiles covering the floor.

Description

Illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Photos

Azotos Paralios, Diaconess Church, General plan with three phases (courtesy A. Pantalkin)

Azotos Paralios, Diaconess Church, Northern Chapel (courtesy A. Pantalkin)

Ashdod Yam, Diaconesses Church (courtesy A. Fantalkin).

Figures

Narthex:

Running west across the width of the edifice it was probably built as part of the original program.

Lateral walls:

The walls were built from limestone ashlars and concrete. Only the lower tier was preserved. Some segments are completely lost and only imprints of the stones were left.

Aisles:

The northern aisle was preserved to its entire length. Several epitaph were uncoveren incorporated along its mosaic floor (Inscriptions 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9). Two cist tombs were uncovered in the eastern end of the southern aisle. Its western part was severely damaged by modern construction activities. A boad trapezoidal room is open in its eastern end, with an inscription (no. 2) to its front.

Bema, chancel screen and apse:

The central apse housed the main altar and a tomb with a single skeleton, probably dating to the Late Roman period. It is possible that the entire church complex was built around this tomb, which was believed to have belonged to a saint or martyr. This tomb was the only burial

in the church that was not recycled in later times as a mass grave.

No bema step in front of the apse. A masonry case for an under-altar reliquary marks the location of the altar. A cist tomb was found to its south.

Lateral spaces:

Long dead-end aisles flanking the apse, mosaic paved.

Small finds

Detailed description

Structure

Orientation:

Facing east

Materials applied (walls):

Limestone

Materials applied (roofing):

tiles

Aisles:

East end:

External apse, round

Church Head/Chevet:

monoapsidal with open lateral rooms or spaces (mon-aps I)

Central Apse Category:

apsidal

Bema type:

U shaped

Bema type text:

Bema flash with the nave; no stair.

Altar remains:

no remains

Altar reliquiarium type:

Depression in the floor

Altar location:

In the middle of the bema

Apse shape:

Hemispherical

Pastophoria

Pastophoria loci:

Description and function of northern:

Open space aisle - dead-end, mosaic paved.

Description and function of southern:

Broad room.

Cult of relics

Reliquiaries: shapes and contents:

A masonry case for an under-altar reliquary marks the location of the altar. A cist tomb was found to its south. See photos under General Description. The reliquary was found empty and broken in the collapse of the church. See also under attached northern chapel.

Burial loci

Burials loci:

A wide cist tomb was found in the bema to the south of the altar. This might have been an earlier tomb, which was later incorporated into the main apse of the church. Seemingly, it was conceived as the burial place of a saint or martyr. This tomb was the only burial in the church that was not recycled in later times as a mass grave. Two cist tombs were uncovered at the SE corner of the southern aisle. The skeletons of two individuals were discovered at the lowest level. In a later phase, the mosaic floor above the tombs was removed and the place was turned into a mass grave, while marble slabs were inserted as a marker. Another possible tomb was located in the middle of the aisle. Several names of deaconesses were mentioned in the Greek epitaphs, located one under the other in the eastern part of the northern aisle. The mosaic in this part is sunken, as if there is a burial locus under it. The mosaic floor of the narthex was cut to insert three tombs, covered with a large marble plaque and two mosaic panels. The one beneath the marble plaque was a mass burial. During Phase 3 several excavated tombs discovered beneath patchy repairs to the mosaic floors in different parts of the church were found to be converted to mass burials. They yielded dozens of skeletons covered in lime. Were they victims of the "Justinian Plague"?.

Attached structures

Att structures photos and planes:

Illustrative_material

Photos

Annex/es on the north:

An apsidal chapel with a protruding apse (3.36 m in diameter), dated by an inscription to ca. mid 5th c. Two more rooms, located farther west, were added later. They had two wooden doors.

Prothesis chapel / Diakonikon:

Apsidal chapel

Prothesis chapel / Diakonikon description:

An apsidal chapel is attached to the church on the north. A section along its southern wall was delineated by standing marble plates (now broken). It may mark the location of a sarcophagus. To its south there is a hole in the floor, seemingly to permit contact with an underlying relic.

Burial room or chapel:

Apsidal chapel

Burial room or chapel description:

See above - prothesis chapel, and below - Martyrs chapel.

Martyrs chapel:

Apsidal chapel

Martyrs chapel description:

See above - prothesis chapel. A place for the cult of relics was delineated by marble screens (now entirely broken), near the SE corner of the chapel. A sarcophagus might have been standing there. A circular hole in the floor enable contact with a underground relic.

Architectural Evolution

Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
Abandonment

Phase name (as published):

Phase 1

General outline:

The earliest dated inscription is dated to 416 CE, suggesting that the basilica was built in the late 4th or beginning of the 5th century CE, at the latest.

Dating material:

A dated inscription.

Phase IB relates to the installation of several tombs in the northern aisle, around 441/2 CE (Inscription 5).

Phase date

Century:

5th c.

Within century:

Early

Subphases

Subphase A Date

5th c.

Mid

Phase name (as published):

Phase 2

General outline:

The northern chapel (Room 6) was added to the basilica some time around the mid 5th c (t.a.q. 27 March 455 CE). A small apse was installed there somewhat later. Phase IIb corresponds to a westwards enlargement of the chapel. The western closing wall of original chapel (Room 6) was dismantled and the area was repaved with mosaic. An entrance was added to access Room 4 from Room 5.

Phase date

Century:

5th c.

Within century:

Mid

Phase name (as published):

Phase 3

General outline:

Phase III relates to the addition of Room 1 north to the narthex, dated to November-December 539 CE (Inscription 12). Around the middle or in the second half of the 6th century, a new mosaic pavement with a medallion (Inscription 13) was fashioned in Room 3. During this phase, several excavated tombs discovered beneath patchy repairs to the mosaic floors in different parts of the church were found converted to mass graves. They yielded dozens of skeletons covered in lime. Were they connected to the "Justinian Plague"?.

Dating material:

Epigraphy; dated inscriptions.

Phase date

Century:

6th c.

Within century:

First half

Iconoclastic evidence

Iconoclastic evidence:

General outline:

No iconoclastic affects suggest destruction prior to the early 8th c. A layer of burnt roof beams and plenty of roof tiles were covering the mosaic floor everywhere. Latest coins no later than 600 CE. Affects of an earthquake as the cause of the fire were also considered.

Phase date

Century:

7th c.

Within century:

Early

Post Arab conquest history:

Abandoned