Beth Yerah (Philotheria; Khirbet el-Kerak) - Church

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Church Name, type, function

Site Name:

Beth Yerah (Philotheria; Khirbet el-Kerak)

Church name:

Church

Functional Type:

Parochial

Church type:

Basilical - Basilica with an annexed chapel

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

253.79

735.99

Coordinates, ICS system:

203.79

1,236.00

Location:

Rural

Geographical region:

Sea of Galilee

Topographical location:

The site is located at the southwestern tip of the Sea of Galilee, just north of the present mouth of Jordan River. The church is located at the north end of the mound.

Distance from nearest settlement:

ca. 8 km south - southeast of Tiberias.

Distance from Roman roads:

ca. 1 km east of the road between Gadara and Tiberias.

Provincial affiliation:

Palaestina II

Bishopric:

Tiberias

Source of knowledge

HideEpigraphy

Text number	Summary
1	Dated mosaic building inscription set in rectangular panel, at the opening of the apsis of the diaconicon, Autumn 528.
2	Three more fragmentary mosaic inscriptions, one set in the floor of the diaconicon, almost completely destroyed (Kraeling, no. 2), one in the southern apsis (Kraeling, no. 3), and one in the atrium (Kraeling, no. 4), not included.
3	Small fragment of a marble inscription.

Archaeological remains

Bibliograpy:

Delougaz, P. and Haines, R. C., 1960
Ovadiah, A., 1970
Tsafrir, Y., Di Segni, L. and Green, J., 1994
Patrich, J., 2006
Michel, A., 2019	157-158

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

General description

State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:

Good preservation of all architectural components, including an atrium, narthex, domus and attached structures on both sides.

In the first phase it was monoapsidal, seemingly with an attached room on the north. Later it became tri-apsidal with protruding apses, and three rooms attached on the north. In the third phase the eastern attached unit was converted to a chapel. The room on the south was not attached to the southern aisle.

Description

Illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Figures

Atrium:

The entrance to the atrium is from the south throw a portico, opened towards the atrium. The atrium is a rectangle (10.5 X 21 m.), with its long axis slightly askew from the axis of the domus. The atrium is paved with large white mosaic. In the middle of the atrium is an underground cistern, about 5 m. deep. This cistern collected rain water from the roofs of the porticoes and the domus by a network of drains under atrium floor. In the southeast corner of the atrium a remains of a staircase were found, which, probably, led to an upper floor. The open southeast portico of the atrium was connected in its southeast corner with the corridor, which runs along the southern wall of the domus.

Narthex:

The narthex has been added when the domus was already built. The western wall of the narthex originally had a wide opening towards the atrium that was narrowed later on. In the eastern wall of the narthex were three entrances to the domus. There was another doorway in the northern wall of the narthex, leading to the unit of two rooms, attached to the northwest corner of the domus. The narthex was paved with a mosaic with geometric pattern.

Façade and entries:

In the eastern wall of the narthex were three entrances to the domus. The central was wider and led to the nave. The lateral doors led to the aisles.

Nave:

The domus is basilican in plan (11.50 m. wide and 12.50 m. long), with a central nave and two aisles ending at the east with three horseshoe-shaped apses. The nave was divided from the aisles by two rows of five basalt column bases (seven bases found insitu). The columns were plastered. The nave and the aisles had a poorly preserved mosaic floors.

Bema, chancel screen and apse:

In the central apse remains of a synthronon preserved, represented by a stone bench of 1 m. wide attached to the inner wall of the apse. The synthronon was two tiers high (about 60 cm.) and, probably, covered with marble. The bema was U-shaped and a little narrower than the central apse. It was raised about 20 cm. above the nave floor level. Later on, during the Phase III, the bema became T-shaped, expanding towards the eastern parts of the aisles (see Plan 4). At that time the floors of the lateral apses were raised to the level of the T-shaped bema. A depression in the upper floor of the northern apse (35x35 cm, 20 cm deep), seemingly held a reliquary.

Lateral spaces:

During the Phase II of the church, lateral apses have been added to the aisles.

Small finds

Detailed description

Structure

Orientation:

Facing east

Materials applied (walls):

Limestone

Materials applied (roofing):

tiles

timber

Atrium:

Yes

Water cistern:

Yes

Narthex:

Yes

Aisles:

Number of nave columns in a row:

Total
5

East end:

External apses, round

Church Head/Chevet:

tri-apsidal

Central Apse Category:

apsidal

Bema type:

T shaped with three openings

Bema type text:

The bema of phases 1-2 was U-shaped and a little narrower than the central apse. It was raised about 20 cm. above the nave floor level. The chancel screen didn’t preserved. A box-like depression (29.5 cm. square and 14 cm. deep) for a reliquary was found on the center line of the apse and at its chord. The reliquary may represent the place of the altar, which is not preserved. In phase 3 the bema became T-shaped, expanding towards the eastern parts of the aisles.

Elevation of Bema above nave:

1 step up

Altar reliquiarium type:

Depression in the floor

Altar location:

On the apse cord

Secondary tables:

In the floor, in the center of the northern apse, a box-like depression (35 cm. square and 20 cm. deep) for a reliquary was found. It suggests, that above it was located a secondary altar.

Apse elevation:

Flush with the bema

Synthronon:

Yes

Synthronon remains:

grades

Synthronon location:

Against the apse

Synthronon description:

Lateral Apses Function

Location:

N & S

Northern apse description and function:

Cult of the relics: in the center of the northern apse, in the floor, a box-like depression (35 cm. square and 20 cm. deep) for a reliquary was found.

Cult of relics

Cult of relics loci:

under altar

N apse

Reliquiaries: shapes and contents:

In the central apse a box-like depression (29.5 cm. square and 14 cm. deep) for a reliquary was found on the center line of the apse and at its chord. It was revated in marble. In the center of the northern apse, a box-like depression (35 cm. square and 20 cm. deep) for a reliquary was found.

Burial loci

Burials loci:

Two stone built tombs were found under the floor of the domus, belong to Phase I. One tomb located near the western end of the north aisle, while the other one located in the western part of the nave. The first tomb (1.93 m. X 76 cm. X 72 cm.) contained remains of several skeletons and few small finds, while the second (1.90 m. X 42 cm. X 25 cm.) was empty.

Baptism

Loci:

The northeast baptismal chapel approached by a doorway in the eastern half of the northern wall of the north aisle.

Attached structures

Baptistery:

Apsidal chapel

Baptistery description:

In phase 1 it was suggested that the basin in the atrium had a baptismal function. But this cannot be ascertained (Delougaz and Haines 1960, 23). No baptismal feature were recognized in the northern annex in phases 1 and 2 of the church. In Phase 3 the northern annex of the church was reshaped as an apsidal baptismal chapel with a square antechamber (mesaulion of the inscription – see below), to its west. The hall was 5.20 X 6.80 m in dimensions; the apse – 4.75 m in diameter. The level of mosaic floor of the antechamber was 25 cm lower than that of the chapel's hall. One step (non-extant), bridge between the two levels. The antechamber was also separated from the hall by two columns with an opening in-between. The antechamber was approached by a doorway set in the eastern half of the northern wall of the north aisle. Two baptismal fonts were discerned in the chapel. The first was a circular plastered basin (Ben Pechat type 7a), 80 cm in diameter, located in the center of the hall. The later one, a mushroom-shaped basin (a semicircle 93 cm in diameter, with an added rectangle of 45 X 48 cm = Ben Pechat type 5), located in the apse of the room. An inscription found in front of this font and dated to Autumn 528 CE, mentions the laying down the mosaic floor of the antechamber (mesaulon) and of the diakonikon. (Delougaz and Haines 1960, 16, Pls. 13, 15 and 16, L10:12 (antechamber); 17-18, Pls. 9:E, 13, and 21:2 (baptismal font).

Architectural Evolution

Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
Phase 4
Abandonment

General outline:

In this phase the basilical church was mon-apsidal. It consisted of a domus with dead end aisles and an external horseshoe-shape apse with a synthronon. The bema was U-shaped a flash with the nave. A depression for a reliquary was reognized. On the west there was an open portico; not a closed narthex. The domus was flanked by side rooms on the north and on the south. It was suggested that the basin in the atrium had a baptismal function.

Dating material:

The date of construction - the first half of the 5th century is based mainly on comparison with other churches, mainly in Syria.

Phase date

Century:

5th c.

Within century:

First half

General outline:

In this phase the church became tri-apsidal. The northern wall was rebuilt. On the west of the domus got a narthex and an elongated atrium. A unit of two rooms was added, attached to the northern wall of the domus, to the west of the earlier room, being approached through an opening in the northern wall of the narthex. The southern passage along the church southern wall was now connected with the atrium. The mosaic floors were still mostly of the previous phase.

Dating material:

Phase 2 was, again, dated on the basis of architectural comparison to the last quarter of the 5th century - under Zeno or Anastasius, later than Qal’at Sim’an.

Phase date

Century:

5th c.

Within century:

Late

General outline:

In this phase the northern annex was rebuilt, being divided into two units. The eastern unit was an apsidal chapel with a screen separating it into two spaces and a baptismal font in the apse. The western unit had two interconnected rooms, the western being accessed from the narthex. This modification is dated by a mosaic inscription to 528/9 CE. The bema was still U-shaped. Several changes occurred in the arrangement of the porticoes and rooms around the atrium. At the end of phase III, several doorways in the domus, narthex and atrium were blocked. Somewhat later (see Plan 4), the bema was expanded to the north and south and became T-shaped. At that time the floors of the lateral apses were raised to the level of the bema The narthex was closed on its western side.

Dating material:

A mosaic inscription dated to 528/9 CE - under Justinian.

Phase date

Century:

6th c.

Within century:

First half

General outline:

A continuous decline is recognized in the 7th century. Retaining walls were added to the apses on the outside; doors were blocked in various parts of the church. A coin of Constans II ( 641 to 668) was found on the floor of the northeast chapel, indicating that the church was still in use after the Arab conquest.

Phase date

Century:

7th c.

Iconoclastic evidence

Iconoclastic evidence:

General outline:

Around 700 CE the debris of the church were leveled and an Umayyad building was constructed on top of it.

Phase date

Century:

7th c.

Within century:

Late

Post Arab conquest history:

Modified

Conclusions:

Mono-apsidal phase - First half of the 5th c. Tri-apsidal phases: Phase 2, with a quadrangular annexed chapel - under Zeno or Anastasius, later than Qal‘at Sim‘an; phase 3, with an apsidal baptismal chapel ("diakonikon") added, dated by a mosaic inscription to 528/9. Abandoned not too long after the Arab conquest (for references see Patrich 2006, note 98).