Ḥorvat Berachot - Church

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Church Name, type, function

Site Name:

Ḥorvat Berachot

Church name:

Church

Functional Type:

Pilgrims' church

Church type:

Basilical - Free standing basilica

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

213.68

616.83

Coordinates, ICS system:

163.68

1,116.80

Location:

Village/Town

Geographical region:

Judean Hills

Topographical location:

The church is located on the southern slope of a hill, situated east of the Hebron - Jerusalem road.

Distance from nearest bishop-seat:

About 16 km south of Jerusalem.

Provincial affiliation:

Palaestina I

Bishopric:

Jerusalem

Source of knowledge

Archaeological remains

Surveyed site

Excavated site

Excavators:

Name	Date
Tsafrir, Hirschfeld	July 1976
H. Shkolnik	2015-2019

Bibliograpy:

Tsafrir, Y. and Hirschfeld, Y., 1977

Tsafrir, Y., Hirschfeld, Y., Drori, R. and Drori, J., 1979

Tsafrir, Y. and Hirschfeld, Y., 1993

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

General description

State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:

The basilical church consisted of an atrium, a narthex, a main hall, pastophoria and a crypt under the bema with two staircases leading in. Some of the outer walls were preserved to a height of 2 m. The bema and apse collapsed into the crypt. It was preceded by Martyrs Chapel installed in a cave. The walls of the cave were plastered and the floor - mosaic paved in front and to the east of the stone built tomb, 75x55cm in dimensions.

Description

Illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Figures

Atrium:

The atrium was only partially excavated. It was almost square, 13.8 X 13.4 m. The atrium was surrounded by porticoes, divided to several rooms. Under the atrium a large cistern was uncovered. Three entrances led from the atrium to the narthex.

Narthex:

The inner dimensions were 3 m width and 13.75 in long. It was wider than the basilical hall, projecting on both sides. In the southern wall of the narthex there was an entrance, leading to a large mosaic paved room. The floor of the narthex was paved with white mosaics.

Façade and entries:

Three entrances led from the narthex into the nave and the aisles, the central being wider than the lateral ones.

Lateral walls:

The outer walls were of large ashlars, 0.6 - 0.9 m in length; the walls were 0.7 m thick on the average. The inner faces of the walls were coated with white plaster, with no signs of colors or painting.

Nave:

The nave was 6.05 m wide and was separated from the aisles by two rows of four columns. The nave was paved with a colorful mosaic floor with geometric patterns and animal figures. The inter-columnar interval was 1.95m.

Aisles:

The width of the aisles was approx. 2.5 m each. At the eastern ends of the aisles two flights of stairs were leading down into the crypt, and two openings led to the pastophoria. The mosaic floors were cruder than that of the nave.

Bema, chancel screen and apse:

The bema-apse unit collapsed into the crypt. According to the reconstruction, the bema was U-shaped, with lateral openings at the NW and SW corners. The apse was internal, semicircular, flanked on either side by lockable pastophoria. The estimated dimensions of the apse were 5 m wide and 2.5 m deep. The bema had an opus sectile floor, as is indicated by pieces found in the crypt.

Lateral spaces:

Square rooms3.50x5.45m, wider than the corresponding aisles. Preserved only to foundation levels.

Crypt: See in the Detailed Description, crypt

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
4

East end:

Internal apse

Church Head/Chevet:

monoapsidal with lockable pastophoria (mon-aps II)

Central Apse Category:

apsidal

Bema type:

U shaped with two lateral openings

Altar remains:

no remains

Ambo:

Apse shape:

Hemispherical

Synthronon:

Pastophoria

Pastophoria loci:

N & S

Description and function of northern:

Two rectangular rooms, each 3.50x5.45m in dimensions, wider than the corresponding aisles and projecting eastward from the church. The excavators suggested that they served as independent chapels.

Crypt

Accessibility and description:

Vaulted, located under the chancel and apse. The crypt damaged the natural cave that had served as a place of worship before the church was built and was the reason of its construction. The cave, with plastered walls and mosaic paved, served as a Martyrs' Chapel. A small tomb (0.75 X 0.55 m), built of limestone slabs, was located in the cave, on the west, beyond the enclosing western wall of the crypt. It contained skeletal remains of a total of eleven individuals. The ages range from 3 to 40 years. The crypt is 4.5 m long and 3 m wide. The barrel vault rose to about 3 m above floor level. The floor was paved with colored mosaic with floral patterns. On the east, 1.90m above floor level, a window was entirely preserved. Its lintel is decorated on the outside by a medallion with a cross in relief. Holes on all four sides indicate that a grill of 3 upright rods and 4 horizontal ones was installed in the window. The access to the crypt was by two staircases 0.9 m wide, starting at the eastern parts of the aisles, along the bema.

Function:

The existence of two staircases - one used to enter and the other to exit the crypt - indicate that this was a pilgrims church, and that a procession in and out was enabled. A colorful mosaic floor was installed 10cm above the earlier white mosaic floor of the cave.

Burial loci

Burials loci:

A masonry built tomb, 0.75x0.55m in dimensions was installed in the cave that preceded the basilica. The western wall of the crypt, built over the mosaic floor of the cave, bared access to the cave and tomb.

Architectural Evolution

Phase 1
Phase 2
Abandonment

Phase name (as published):

General outline:

A cave with a tomb, white mosaic paved in front, to the east. Sltogether, the bones of 11 individuals, aged 3 to 40 years, were found in the tomb. It served as a Martyrs' Chapel.

Dating material:

An oil lamp with a claster of grapes flanked by two birds.

Phase date

Century:

4th c.

Within century:

Second half

General outline:

Basilical church with an atrium, narthex, internal apse flanked by lockable pastophoria and a crypt under the bema.

Dating material:

The cave with the tomb preceded the construction of the church. According to the pottery finds (oil lamp of the 4th century found near the tomb), it should be dated to the second half of the 4th century. The church itself was constructed in the mid 6th century. This date based mostly on architectural comparisons and mosaic style.

Phase date

Century:

6th c.

Within century:

Mid

General outline:

The church had been abandoned in the Early Arab period and converted into a dwelling or storeroom evidenced by partition walls.

Phase date

Century:

8th c.

Within century:

First half

Post Arab conquest history:

Abandoned