Scythopolis / Beth Shean (Tel Iẓtaba) - Church of the Martyr

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Church Name, type, function

Site Name:

Scythopolis / Beth Shean (Tel Iẓtaba)

Identification:

Called after an unnamed martyr mentioned in a Greek mosaic inscription. Di Segni (2022) suggest that this is the new church of St. Basilius, a local martyr, erected inside the city wall; that it was a component of St. Basilius - 'The Ancient Church', the early cathedral of the city.

Church name:

Church of the Martyr

Dedication:

St. Basilius, a local martyr, executed with seventy companions in the Diocletianic persecutions (Di Segni 2022).

Functional Type:

Monastic

Church type:

Trefoil

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

246.97

712.88

Coordinates, ICS system:

196.96

1,212.90

Location:

Urban

Geographical region:

Beth Shean Valley

Topographical location:

Located on the central peak of Tel Iztabba

Provincial affiliation:

Palaestina II

Bishopric:

Scythopolis

Source of knowledge

HideEpigraphy

Text number	Summary
1	Fragmentary epigrammatic seven-line building inscription of the bishop A(ndreas) dedicated to the martyr of the city, in the mosaic floor of the narthex.

Archaeological remains

Surveyed site

Excavated site

Bibliograpy:

Mazor, G. and Bar-Nathan, R., 1994

Mazor, G. and Bar-Nathan, R., 1998

Di Segni, L., 2022

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

General description

State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:

The trefoil basilical church was completely excavated. It had a narthex and a chapel annexed on the NE. The walls preserved to a height of 2-3 courses. The mosaic floors of the narthex, the nave and the northern aisle preserved almost in their entirety.

Description

Illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Figures

Martyrs church, plan. Mazor and Bar-Nathan 1996

Map of Tel Iztaba Wall and churches, Di Segni in Mazor FS

Narthex:

According to the excavators, the church has a double narthex which measures 11 X 23 m. It is bisected by a row of eight columns that rested on a stylobate, to a western and an eastern parts. The central section of the western part is paved with slabs of marble and bitumenous limestone, while both its sides are paved with white mosaics. The eastern part of the narthex is paved with a colored mosaic floor.

Façade and entries:

Three entrances lead from the narthex into the prayer hall. The central entrance leads into the nave, while two lateral entrances lead into the aisles.

Lateral walls:

The church had also two other openings in the southern wall, one in the northern wall and an additional one in the eastern wall, between the central and southern apses. Another doorway in the eastern wall between the central and northern apses lead into the annexed chapel.

Nave:

The nave (9 X 15 m) is separated from the aisles by two rows of arches resting on rectangular pillars. The nave is paved with a mosaic floor which includes eight carpets arranged in pairs within a rectangular frame. The mosaic carpets contain geometric, floral and animal patterns as well as hunting and pastoral scenes. Some of the figures were defaced. At the northeastern corner of the nave was located an ambo.

Aisles:

The aisles are 5.5 m wide and 20 m long. Their eastern part was separated from the western by wide arches. At the east the aisles ended with two openings on the two sides of the central apse. The northern doorway lead to the lateral chapel. The aisles were paved with mosaic floors.

Transept Ends:

The transept ends at north and south with an external apses. The apses are 5.5 m wide and 3 m deep. They were separated from the aisles by marble screens. The northern apse contained a decorated coffin (sarcophagus?).

Bema, chancel screen and apse:

The bema in front of the central apse is U-shaped, raised two steps above the nave and surrounded by a marble chancel screen. The bema is paved with colored stone slabs. The altar was placed at the center of the bema and is indicated by a marble-lined sunken square that had probably contained the reliquary. The central apse is external, measuring 6.5 m wide and 3.5 m deep. It contains the remains of the synthronon grades.

Lateral spaces:

This is a tri-foil church. The remains of a sarcophagus are preserved along the cord of the northern apse.

On the outside a chapel is attached to the church on the northeast and farther north there is a refectorium (see "attached structures" under "detailed description").

Small finds

Detailed description

Structure

Orientation:

Facing east

Materials applied (walls):

Limestone

Materials applied (roofing):

tiles

timber

Atrium:

Water cistern:

Narthex:

Yes

Aisles:

Colonnades / Arcades:

Arcade of pillars

Number of nave columns in a row:

Total
2

East end:

External apse, round

Church Head/Chevet:

two openings flanking the apse (mon-aps IV)

Central Apse Category:

apsidal

Bema type:

U shaped without lateral openings

Elevation of Bema above nave:

2 steps up

Altar remains:

foundations

Altar reliquiarium type:

Depression in the floor

Altar location:

In the middle of the bema

Ambo:

Yes

Ambo remains:

base plate

Ambo description:

The ambo at the northeastern corner of the nave, against the bema, is indicated by a base of column which supported the ambo.

Ambo location:

Apse elevation:

Flush with the bema

Apse shape:

Hemispherical

Synthronon:

Yes

Synthronon remains:

grades

Synthronon location:

Against the apse

Synthronon description:

The five grades of the synthronon, located against the wall of the central apse, are clearly visible on the ground plan of the church. No farther description is provided in the preliminary reports.

Cult of relics

Cult of relics loci:

under altar

elsewhere

Reliquiaries: shapes and contents:

A sarcophagus was set in the northern apsidal foil, behind the screen.

Baptism

Font structure:

Masonry built

Attached structures

Annex/es on the north:

A baptismal chapel annexed on the NE, extending much beyond the line of the apse.

Baptistery:

Apsidal chapel

Baptistery description:

A chapel, paved with colored mosaic flooris attached on the northeast corner of the church complex. It was entered through a doorway in the eastern wall of the northern arm, between the central and northern apses. The chapel consisted of a long hall (7.8 X 15 m) and an external apse (5.5 m wide and approx. 3 m deep). A staircase along the southern wall led to a second story. A baptismal font is located at the southeastern corner of the hall, near the apse, indicating the function of this chapel. A doorway in the northern wall of the chapel led outside.

Architectural Evolution

Phase 1
Abandonment

General outline:

Trefoil basilical church with a narthex, a synthronon, an ambo and an annexed chapel.

Dating material:

Built within the walls after Andreas church, built in the early 5th c., was left outside the city wall.

Phase date

Century:

5th-6th c.

Dating material:

Signs of iconoclasm suggest that the church was still in use at the beginning of the 8th century.

Phase date

Century:

8th c.

Within century:

Mid

Iconoclastic evidence

Iconoclastic evidence:

Yes